183 



shoots and short leaf-stems downy, as is also tlio nnder snrfaco ol" Mio leaves ; most ly 

 smooth above. Acorns sessile, or on short stams, ohloni;-, to I inch hm^i;', and nearly 

 .1 an inch in diameter; cups hemispherical, .1 incih bro;id ; scales tnborcr.hit;'. 



71. — Black Oak. "MouiNTAin Oak." {Qncrcus Enioriji/romy.) 



A tree 40 to 50 feet in heig'lit aud i to 3 feel? iu diaineter, or a sbriib 

 at the eastern limit of its range; it occurs abundantly tiirough the 

 nicuntain ranges of southern New Mexico (eastern and southern Ari- 

 zona, and western Texas) at elev^ations between 5,000 and 7,00!) feet; 

 rarely if ever found on hills or far from streams, preferring the fine 

 gravelly or sandy soil of open canyons. The wood is very heavy and 

 brittle, of a poor quality, and little esteemed, except for fael, the large 

 trees often becoming hollow or otherwise defective, 



De^cripiion. — Leaves thick, f to 2| inches long, I to inches wide, ovate, oh- 

 k)ng-ovate, often ap[)roaching halberd-shape, with an acute point, and chiefly (some- 

 times rounded or with strongly) heart-shaped base; margin entire, bnt mostly wavy, 

 with distant, shallow or rather Jlar^e prickle-pointed teeth; mature leaves usually 

 dark glossy green both sides; when young minutely downy, as are the young shoots 

 and short leaf-stems, hut the latter more densely so. Acorns mostly sessile— sonn;- 

 times with short stem— ovate, with a rather sharp and jirolonged point, ^ to -| of an 

 inch long, and | of an iiwjh in diameter; cup hemispherical, ^ inch broad, with close, 

 smooth scales. Acorns abundant, sweet, edible. A tree with a scraggy appearance. 



72. — {Qnercus Jiijpoleuca, Eugelmauu.) 



A small but very handsome tree with evergreen foliage, found in the 

 high mountain ranges of southwestern New Mexico, Santa Rita Mount- 

 aiiis, southeastern Arizona (southward into Sonora, and in the Limi)ia 

 ^klonntains of Texas), at elevations above 6,000 feet, usually preferring 

 rocky or gravelly sites in deep canyons and valley's. Commonly 15 to 

 20, occasionally 50, feet in height, with a diameter of 2 feet; the 

 trunks usually large for the height. The wood is heavy, very hard, and 

 strong, but large-sized trees are often defective. In localities where it 

 e.m be grown it would be a popular ornamental tree. 



I)e<c)-'q)ti<)n. — Leaves thick, commonly 2 to 3^ inches long and f to 1 inch wide, 

 lance-shaped, withrounded, slightly heart-shaped or acute base, the upper end usually 

 tapering to a long thin point; margin roUeddowH, entire, or wavy, with few indistinct 

 or shallow teeth — sometimes sharply toothed; young leaves downy above, always 

 densely woolly below, but with age becoming smooth and dark green above; stems 

 downy. Acorns usually sessile or sometimes with short stems, ovate, 4^ to f of an 

 inch long; cups hemispherical, with chin, downy scales. Trunk and branches gener- 

 ally gnarled and twisted. 



73. — Canoe Birch. White Biroii. Paper BmcH. [Betulapajvjrifera* 



Marshall.) 



A rather large tree, growing chiefly in rich woodlands and along water- 

 courses, and extending farther nortii than any other American decidn- 

 ous tree. It has a limited range in the Rocky Mountains region, being 

 * See Dwarf Birch iu list of shrubs, page 191). 



