192 



CUPULIFER.E. 



QuERCU3. 



11. Quercus alba, Linn. White Oak, 



Leaves obovate-oblong, somewhat equally pinnatifid-sinuate , the segments oblong, obtuse, 

 mostly entire ; cup hemispherical, thin, tuberculate-scabrous ; nut ovoid or oblong. — Linn, 

 sp. 2. p. 996 ; Michx. Querc. t. 5, and fl. 2. p. 195; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 633 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. 

 p. 349 ; Michx. sylv. I. p. 1 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 607 ; Beck, hot. p. 329 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. 

 p. 534. 



Trunk 50 - 80 feet or more in height, and 2-4 feet in diameter ; the bark of a light gray 

 color. Leaves 4-6 inches long, pinnately and obliquely cut on each side into 3-5 more 

 or less deep lobes, smooth and bright green above, pale and somewhat glaucous underneath. 

 Acorns mostly in pairs, on a peduncle about three-fourths of an inch long ; the cup rough with 

 little tubercles : nut often an inch long : nucleus sweet, with but little bitterness. 



Woods, preferring rather fertile damp soils. Fl. May. Fr. October. This is one of the 

 most valuable timber trees in the world ; the wood being compact, elastic, strong and durable. 

 These properties cause it to be in great demand for a great variety of purposes, so that it is 

 rapidly disappearing from our forests. Most of the leaves remain on the tree after they wither 

 in the autumn, sometimes until the following spring. 



ft Leaves coarsely serrate or toothed, not lobed. 



12. Quercus bicolor, Willd. Swamp White Oak. 



Leaves oblong-obovate, whitish tomentose underneath, cuneate and entire at the base, 

 coarsely and obtusely (8 - 15-) toothed ; fruit on a long peduncle ; cup hemispherical ; nut 

 oblong-ovoid. — Willd. sp. 4. p. 440 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 632 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 350 ; Nutt. 

 gen. 2. p. 215 ; Beck, hot. p. 331 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 534. Q. Prinus tomentosa, Michx. 

 Querc. t. 9.f. 9. Q. Prinus discolor, Michx. f. sylv. 1. t. 7. 



Trunk 30 - 60 feet high, and 1-2 feet or more in diameter ; the bark grayish white and 

 scaly. Leaves 5-8 inches long, often dilated above, unequally toothed, the teeth dilated at 

 the base : upper surface smooth and bright green ; the under softly pubescent, and sometimes 

 slightly ferruginous : petiole 6-8 lines long. Peduncles 1-2 inches long, usually bearing 

 two large acorns : cup rather thin, pubescent inside ; the margin somewhat toothed with the 

 pointed inner scales. 



Wet woods and margins of swamps ; not rare. Fl. May. Fr. October. Mr. Nuttall 

 considers the Q. Prinus discolor of Michaux's Sylva as a distinct species from Willdenow's 

 Q. bicolor, and has named it Q. Michauxii ; but it seems to be scarcely more than a variety. 

 Michaux thinks the timber is superior to that of the White Oak. 



13. GIuercus Montana, Willd. Rock Chestnut Oak. 



Leaves broadly obovate, pubescent and somewhat glaucous underneath, coarsely and almost 

 equally toothed ; teeth broad and obtuse, slightly mucronate ; acorn on short peduncles ; cup 



