314 



WEEDS AND USEFUL PLANTS. 



Water Oak, Q,. aquat'ica, Catesby, which has narrower leaves, tapering 

 to the base, is found in wet grounds in the Southern States. 



10. Q,. falca'ta, Mx. Leaves elongated and rather narrow, sinuate- obed, 

 or sometimes almost palmately 3-lobed, obtu'se at base, densely tomen- 

 tose beneath ; lateral lobes falcate, the terminal one longer and trifid ; 

 cupule shallow, subturbinate ; acorn roundish-ovoid. 

 Falcate Quercus. Spanish Oak. 



Stem 40-50 or 80 feet high, and ] or 2-4 feet in diameter. Zeares 3-6 and 9 inches 

 long, -with 2-4 or 5 (usually 3) distant more or less falcate entire lobes on each side — 

 those on small trees or young branches often dilated and 8-lobed at apex, with the side- 

 lobes diverging ; petioles about an inch long. Acoi'n small, seated ia a shallow saucer-like 

 cup, Avhich is tapering at base and supported on a short peduncle. 



Sandy or sterile clay soils : New Jersey to Georgia. 



Obs. This tree (which is the genuine " Spanish Oalc,") — so far as I 

 have observed— seems to be pretty much confined to that district, along 

 the Atlantic coast, which is marked as alluvial on Geological maps. It 

 is said to grow very large, in the South ; but is rather below an average 

 size, near its northern limits. The timber is reddish, coarse-gi-ained and 

 not very durable, — but is much used for the inferior kinds of coopers' 

 stuff. The bark, however, is reputed as preferable to tha,t of every other 

 species of Oak, for tanning. The dwarf species, known as Scrub Oak, 

 or Bear Oak, is Q,. illicifo'lia, Wang. : it has obovate leaves with a 

 wedge-shaped base, and angularly about 5-lobed. It is a worthless little 

 species, 3-8 feet high ; abounding on poor soils from New England to 

 Virginia and westward to Ohio. 



Fig. 209. The Black Jack or Barren Oak (Quercus nigra). 210. An acorn. 

 ITia. 211. The Spanish Oak (Quercus falcata). 212. An acorn. 



