CUPULIFERiE. (OAK FAMILY.) 451 



2. Q. obtusiloba, Michx. (Post-Oak. Rough or Box White-Oak.) 



Leaves grayish or yellowish-downy underneath, pale and rough above, thickish, sinu- 

 ately cut into 5-7 rounded divergent lobes, the upper ones much larger and 

 often 1 - 3-notched ; cup deep saucer-shaped, naked, one third or half the length of the 

 ovoid acorn. (Q. stellata, Willd.) — Sandy or sterile soil: common, especially 

 southward. — A small tree, with very durable wood. Acorn 6" -9" long. 



3. Q. macroearpa, Michx. (Bur-Oak. Over-cup or Mossy-cup 

 White-Oak.) Leaves obovate or oblong, lyrately-pinnatifid or deeply sinuate- 

 lobed, or nearly parted, irregular, downy or pale beneath ; the lobes sparingly 

 and obtusely toothed, or the smaller ones entire ; cup deep, thick and woody, 

 conspicuously imbricated with hard and thick pointed scales, the upper ones atoned, 

 so as usually to make a mossy-fringed border; acorn broadly ovoid (l'-l£' 

 long), half immersed in or entirely enclosed by the cup. — Rich soil, W. New Eng- 

 land to Wisconsin, Kentucky, and southwestward. — A handsome, middle-sized 

 tree. Cup very variable, especially in size, from 9" to 2' across. 



Var. olivseformis (Q- olivseformis, Michx.) is apparently a mere state of 

 this (figured by Michaux with unripe or imperfect fruit), with narrower and 

 more deeply lobed leaves, and oblong acorns and cups. 



* * Chestnut-Oaks. Leaves coarsely sinuate-toothed, but not lobed, except slightly 

 in No. 4, whitish and more or less downy beneath : cup hoary, hemispherical or a 

 little depressed, about half the length of the oblong-ovoid edible acorn. 



4. Q. bicolor, Willd. (Swamp White Oak.) Leaves obovate or ob- 

 long-obovate, wedge-shaped at base, coarsely sinuate-crenate and often rather pin- 

 vatijid than toothed, soft-downy and whfte-hoary underneath, the main primary 

 veins 6-8 pairs, lax and little prominent ; fruiting peduncle much, longer than the 

 vetiole; upper scales of the cup awn-pointed, sometimes forming a mossy-fringed 

 margin; acorn scarcely 1' long. ( Q. Prinus, var. tomentosa, Michx. Q. Prinus, 

 discolor, Michx. f & Ed. 2.) — Low ground: common. A tall tree. 



5. Q. Prinus, L. (Chestnut-Oak.) Leaves varying, obovate or oblong, 

 with an obtuse or acute base, undulately crenate-toothed, minutely downy beneath, the 

 main primary ribs 10-16 pairs, straight, prominent beneath; fruiting pedun- 

 cles shorter than the petioles, often very short; cup thick ffi"-12" wide), mostly 

 tuberculate with hard and stout scales ; acorn 1' or less in length. — Dry or moist 

 ground: common southward, scarce northward : a middle-sized or small tree. 



Var. montioola, Michx. (Rock Chestnut-Oak.) (Q. montana, Willd.) 

 Connects with the next variety, but has large acorns ; the cup is figured and de- 

 scribed as top-shaped : but I have not seen the like when the acorn is well grown. 

 — From Vermont southward along the upper country. A small tree. 



Var. acuminata, Michx. (Yellow Chestnut-Oak.) (Q. Castanea, 

 Muhl. & Ed. 2.) Leaves slender-petioled. often oblong or even lanceolate, usu- 

 ally acute or pointed, mostly obtuse or roundish at the base, almost equably and 

 rather sharply toothed ; cup hemispherical, thin, of small appressed scales, 5''- 

 7" broad ; acorn 7" -9" long. — Rich soil, W. New England to Wisconsin: 

 common in the Middle States. — Leaves more like those of Chestnut than any 

 other ; the primary veins very straight, impressed above, prominent beneath. A 

 middle-sized tree. 



