SHINGLE o \K. 1 \l REL <> \K 



US imhricii fin .1/ /<•//. r. 

 The Oak I amih 

 1 \., u l u 



Habit and Habitat: A medium-sized tree, 10-50 feet tall, with a 

 trunk diameter of 1-2 feet, asionally in most favorable sites in the 



forest reaching a height of LOO feet and developing a straight, columnar 

 trunk :\--i feet in diameter; the Blender, tough, horizontal or somewhat 

 pendulous branches form a narrow, rather open crown. Prefers rich 

 uplands and the moist, fertile soils of river-bottoms and wood. 

 vir 



Leaves and Buds: Leaves alternate, simple. 1-6 inches long, L-2 

 inches wide, oblong-lanceolate to oblong-obovate, abruptly pointed or 

 rounded at the apex, gradually narrowed and u shaped or rounded 



at the base, margin entire, slightly thickened or undulate, rarely more 

 or less 8-lobed, thin, bright red when unfolding from the bud, soon 

 oming yellow-green, shiny above, paler and more or less hoary-hairy 

 neath, at maturity smooth, dark. Bhining green above and pale ^rrt-i-n 

 •\vn and more or less hairy beneath, turning dark red on the UD] 

 surface in the autumn; petioles stout, ' L . inch long, hairy. Winter-buds 

 ovate, aeute. about '• ^ inch long, obscurely angled, covered by closely over- 

 lapping, light chestnut-brown scales which are often fringed with fine 

 hail 



Flowers and Fruits: Flowers appearing in May with the leav< 



The staminate flowers in slender, hoary-hairy, drooping catkins 2-3 inches 

 long; calyx light yellow, hairy, 4-lobed; corolla <»: stamens 4-5, yellow. 

 Pistillate flowers singly or in pairs in the axils of the leaves, borne 

 upon slender, hairy stalks, pale hairy; calyx 4-5-lobed; corolla <>; Btigmas 

 greenish-yellow, recurved. Acorns ripening in the fall of the second 



ison, borne by stout peduncles about V* inch long, solitary or in pair-; 

 acorn about Vi inch long, nearly as broad, full and rounded at the ends. 

 Lflobose. dark chestnut-brown, inclosed for one-third to one-half its 

 length in the thin, cup-shaped or top-shaped cup which is bright red- 



h-brown and shiny on the inner surface, and covered by thin ovate. 

 lieht reddish-brown scales which art- hairy-margined. Kernel very 

 bitter. 



Bark. Twigs and Wood: The bark on young stems and branches 

 thin, dark green, later light brown, smooth, shiny, becoming on old 

 trunks thick, and divided by irregular, shallow fissures into broad rid 

 Covered with close-fitting brownish scab it The wood is hard, heavy. 

 rather coarse-frained light brown tinged with red, with thin, lighter 

 ..; d; occasionally used in construction and for shingle-. • 



: monly for interior trim and furniture. 



Distribution in the State: This interesting oak has been repeat- 

 edly rrnorted from southeastern Nebraska but we do not have any 

 authentic in the herbarium which were collected in this 



*e. The species is doubtless t-> !)■ found in Richardson county. I; 

 is said to be one of the most abundant oaks of the lower Ohio river 

 valley and the state of Missouri. Map 17. 



Remarks: The shingle oak is a very handsome tree and one which 



old be used more commonly as an ornamental. The large, entire lea 



f niur" the most clearly distinguishing feature of th( ies 



among all other American 0*1 



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