142 



BLACK OAK. 



Quercus velutina, Lambert. 



FORM — Oue of the largest Oaks of Pennsylvania usually 60-80 ft. high, but may attain 

 maximum height of 150 ft. with a diameter of 4i feet. Trunk usually clean and continuous' 

 giving off ascending branches above and horizontal ones below. Branches rather stout and 

 zigzag. Crown deep, irregular, narrow to wide-spreading, oblong in outline. 



BARK — On young stems smooth and dark brown, but soon becoming rough and black. 

 On old trunks very rough, thick, broken into deep fissures separating thick ridges which are 

 cross-fissured. Young trees 2-4 inches in diameter often start to develop rough bark. Inner 

 bark is yellow and bitter, a good distinguishing characteristic. See Fig. 74. 



TWIGS — Stout, rusty-pubescent, reddish-brown, angular, longitudinally ridged from leaf- 

 scars; taste bitter; covered by rather conspicuous pale lenticels. 



BUDS — Alternate, ovate, large, hi of an inch long, strongly angled, tapering to obtuse apex, 

 covered with numerous overlapping bud-scales with a coating of yellowish to dirty-white 

 pubescence. 



LEAVES — Alternate, simple, obovate to oblong, 4-6 inches long, 3-4 inches wide, usually 7- 

 lobed terminated by bristle points. Mature leaves are dark green and smooth above and pale 

 to yellowish -green below with tufts of rusty hairs in axil of veins at midrib. The leaves 

 vary from those of the Red Oak. No other Oak produces so many differently shaped leaves 

 on the same tree. 



LEAF-SCARS— See "Leaf -Scars" under White Oak, page 132. 



FLOWERS — Appear about May when leaves are i developed. Staminate flowers occui 

 in hairy aments 4-6 inches long. Pistillate are borne on short hairy stalks. 



FRUIT — An acorn, maturing during two seasons, sessile or stalked, solitary or clustered. 

 Nut ovate to oval, i-1 inch long, light reddish-brown, often coated with pubescence ani 

 longitudinally striate. Cup thin, tapering at base, dark reddish-brown, embracing i nut, covere 

 with thin, light brown, sharp-pointed, hairy scales tightly overlapping at base and looselj 

 overlapping at margin so as to form a fringe-like margin to the cup. 



WOOD — Ring -porous; with conspicuous medullary rays; hard, heavy, strong, not tough 

 durable, checks readily. Heartwood is light brown, with lighter-colored sapwood. Weighi 

 43.90 lbs. per cubic foot. Used for furniture, interior finish, cheap cooperage, and ordin 

 construction. In general it finds the same uses as Red Oak. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS— The Black Oak is also known as Yellow Oa 

 and Quercitron on account of its yellow inner bark. The dark colored and rough outer bark, 

 even on young stems, and the yellow inner bark are at all seasons of the year definit 

 marks of identification. The leaves, which vary from the shallow lobed ones similar t 

 those of the Red Oak to the deep lobed ones similar to those of the Scarlet Oak, may als 

 help to identify the species. No other species of Oak has so many varieties of leave 

 on the same tree as the Black Oak. In autumn the small acorns with the cup embracinj 

 one-half of the nut may also help to distinguish it from some species like the Red Oa! 

 and the Pin Oak. The large, angular buds covered over the whole surface with a pal 

 wool are sure characteristics. 



RANGE — Maine to Western Ontario, south to Florida and Texas. 



4 



DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA — Common in the eastern, central, and southern parts, 



Sparse in western part. Rare in the northern part. 



HABITAT — Usually found on dry uplands, gravelly plains and ridges, especially In 



Appalachian foothills. Seldom found in rich bottomlands. In the west usually found oi 

 sterile, sandy, or glaciated hills. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES — The Black Oak should be propagated only where 

 better trees can be grown. If its reproduction is thought desirable it should be attemptec 

 by natural seed regeneration or planting of seeds since planting of young seedlings from th< 

 nursery is expensive and success doubtful. Formerly the yellow inner bark was in demanc 

 because an extract in the form of a yellow dye, known as "Quercitron," was obtainec 

 from it. The introduction of aniline dyes has decreased the demand. The Black Oak is no; 

 attractive as an ornamental tree. 



