OAK FAMILY. 



311 



rarieties whieli were formerly considered as species, but wh:ch are 

 now ouly regarded as varieties due to soil and situation. The variety 

 monti'cola, Mx., (Quercus monta'na, WiUd.,) known as the Rock 

 Chestnut Oak, is a form growing in hilly woodlands, and has more valua- 

 ble timber. Yar. discolor, Mx. (Q. " bicolor, Willd..) is the Swamp 

 White Oak ; it has the leaves more deeply toothed and densely whitish - 

 downy beneath, and the upper scales of the cup are sometimes awned so 

 as to fsrm a fringed margin. Quality of the wood variable. 



The acorns of all the varieties are sweet and nutritious, and sought 

 after by swine. 



5. Q. Casta'nea, Willd. Leaves oblong-lan- 

 ceolate, acuminate, pubescent and cinereous 

 beneath, nearly equally dentate or sinuate- 

 serrate, — the teeth rather acute, and callous at 

 apex ; fruit subsessile ; cupule nearly hemis- 

 pherical ; acorn elliptic-ovoid. 

 Chestnut Quercus. Chestnut Oak. Yellow 

 Oak. 



Slcvi 40-60 or 70 feet high, and 1-2 feet in diameter. 

 Leaves 3-6 inches long, the points of the teeth (and 

 along the whole margin) callous, the upper surface 

 smooth and yellowish-green, the under surface unely 

 pubescent and whitish or cinereous ; petioles half an inch 

 to an inch long. Acorn rather small, seated in a pubes- 

 cent bowl-shaped cup, which embraces one third of the 

 nut, and is either sessile on the branch or on a short 

 common peduncle. 



Mountains, slaty hills and banks of streams : Middle 

 and Western States. 



Obs. This is often a fine tree, — though not so common, in Eastern 

 Pennsylvania, as the others of this subdivision. It presents some 

 varieties — at least in the leaves ; but they generally have a striking re- 

 semblance to those of the Chestnut tree. The acorns are said to be 

 more sweet and nutritious than those of any other species. There is a 

 dwarf species, the Chinquapin Oak, (Q,. prinoi'des, Willd.,) belonging 

 to this subdivision — common on sandy soil ; but it is two small and un- 

 important to require a more particular notice here. 



g 2. Fruit biennial, not maturing till the second year after flowering, sessile 

 or nearly so ; kernel bitter. 



* Live Oak Group. Leaves evergreen, nearly entire, hoary beneath. 



Fig. 20-1. Tlie Chestnut or Yellow Oak (Quercus Castanea). 



