Trees of the Northern United States Part 32

Large trees to shrubs, with simple, alternate, deciduous or evergreen, entire to deeply lobed leaves. The leaves are rather thick and woody, and remain on the tree either all winter or at least until nearly all other deciduous leaves have fallen. Flowers insignificant; the staminate ones in catkins; blooming in spring. Fruit an acorn, which in the White, Chestnut, and Live Oaks matures the same year the blossoms appear; while in the Red, Black, and Willow Oaks the acorns mature the second year.

They remain on the tree until late in autumn. The Oaks, because of their large tap-roots, can be transplanted only when small. Most of the species are in cultivation. The species are very closely related, and a number of them quite readily hybridize; this is especially true of those of a particular group, as the White Oaks, Black Oaks, etc.

There is no attempt in the Key to characterize the hybrids, of which some are quite extensively distributed. _Quercus heterophylla_, Michx.

(Bartram's Oak), supposed to be a hybrid between _Quercus Ph.e.l.los_ and _Quercus rubra_, is found quite frequently from Staten Island southward to North Carolina.

* Cultivated Oaks from the Old World; bark rough; leaves more or less sinuated or lobed. (=A.=)

=A.= Acorn cup not bristly 20.

=A.= Acorn cup more or less bristly 21.

* Wild species, occasionally cultivated. (=B.=)

=B.= Leaves entire or almost entire, or merely 3- (rarely 5-) lobed at the enlarged summit. (=C.=)

=C.= Ends about equal, petioles very short. (=D.=)

=D.= Leaves small (2 to 4 in. long), evergreen, bark smooth, black (Live-oaks) 10.

=D.= Leaves not evergreen in the North, somewhat awned when young, bark very smooth, black and never cracked (Willow-oaks). (=E.=)

=E.= Down on the under side quite persistent 18.

=E.= Under side soon smooth 19.

=C.= Widened near the tip, somewhat obovate and the end usually 3-lobed; bark quite black, smooth or furrowed, but never scaly (Black-oaks). (=F.=)

=F.= Leaves acute at base 16.

=F.= Leaves abrupt or cordate at base 17.

=B.= Leaves distinctly straight-veined, sinuate rather than lobed, the teeth generally rounded and never awned; bark white, rough and scaling (Chestnut-oaks). (=G.=)

=G.= Lobes rounded 5, 6, 7.

=G.= Lobes rather acute 8, 9.

=B.= Leaves coa.r.s.ely lobed, the lobes usually rounded, never awned; bark white or whitish-brown, cracking and scaling off in thin laminae (White Oaks). (=H.=)

=H.= Leaves crowded at the ends of the branchlets 4.

=H.= Leaves not crowded 1, 2, 3.

=B.= Leaves more or less lobed, the lobes and teeth acute and bristle-pointed; petiole slender; base rather abrupt; bark dark-colored, smooth or furrowed, but never scaly (Red Oaks). (=I.=)

=I.= Leaves smooth both sides, at least when mature 11, 12, 13.

=I.= Leaves soft-downy beneath 14, 15.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Q. alba.]

1. =Quercus alba=, L. (AMERICAN WHITE OAK.) Leaves short-stemmed, acute at base, with 3 to 9 oblong, obtuse, usually entire, oblique lobes, very persistent, many remaining on the tree through the winter; p.u.b.escent when young, soon smooth, bright green above. Acorns in the axils of the leaves of the year, ovoid-oblong, 1 in., in a shallow, rough cup, often sweet and edible. A large tree, 60 to 80 ft. high, with stem often 6 ft.

in diameter; wood light-colored, hard, tough and very useful. Common throughout.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Q. stellata]

2. =Quercus stellata=, w.a.n.g. (POST-OAK. ROUGH OR BOX WHITE OAK.) Leaves 4 to 6 in. long, sinuately cut into 5 to 7 roundish, divergent lobes, the upper ones much larger and often 1- to 3-notched, grayish-or yellowish-downy beneath, and pale and rough above. Acorn ovoid, about in. long, one third to one half inclosed in a deep, saucer-shaped cup; in the axils of the leaves of the year. A medium-sized tree, 40 to 50 ft. high, with very hard, durable wood, resembling that of the White Oak. Ma.s.sachusetts, south and west.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Q. macrocarpa.]

3. =Quercus macrocarpa=, Michx. (BUR-OAK. MOSSY-CUP.) Leaves obovate or oblong, lyrately pinnatifid or deeply sinuate-lobed or nearly parted, the lobes sparingly and obtusely toothed or entire. Acorn broadly ovoid, 1 in. or more long, one half to almost entirely inclosed in a thick and woody cup with usually a mossy fringed border formed of the upper awned scales; cup very variable in size, to 2 in. across. A handsome, middle-sized tree, 40 to 60 ft. high. Western New England to Wisconsin, and southwestward.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Q. lyrata.]

4. =Quercus lyrata=, Walt. (SWAMP POST-OAK.) Leaves crowded at the ends of the branchlets, very variable, obovate-oblong, more or less deeply 7- to 9-lobed, white-to-mentose beneath when young, becoming smoothish; the lobes triangular to oblong, acute or obtuse, entire or sparingly toothed. Acorn about in. long, nearly covered by the round, ovate, thin, rugged, scaly cup. A large tree with pale flaky bark. River-swamps in southern Indiana to Wisconsin, and southward.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Q. bicolor.]

5. =Quercus bicolor=, Willd. (SWAMP WHITE OAK.) Leaves obovate or oblong-obovate, wedge-shaped at base, coa.r.s.ely sinuate-crenate, and often rather pinnatifid than toothed, whitish, soft-downy beneath. Main primary veins 6 to 8 pairs. Acorns, nearly 1 in., oblong-ovoid, set in a shallow cup often mossy fringed at the margin, on a peduncle about as long as the acorn, much longer than the petioles of the leaves; in the axils of the leaves of the year. A large tree, 60 to 80 ft. high, stem 5 to 8 ft. in diameter. Most common in the Northern and Western States, in swamps, but found in moist soil in the mountains of the South.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Q. Michauxii.]

6. =Quercus Michauxii=, Nutt. (BASKET-OAK or COW-OAK.) Leaves 5 to 6 in.

long, oval to obovate, acute, obtuse, or even cordate at base, regularly but usually not deeply sinuate, rather rigid, usually very tomentose beneath. Acorn large, 1-1/3 in. long, sweet and edible; cup shallow and roughened with coa.r.s.e, acute scales; no fringe. A large and valuable Oak with gray and flaky bark.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Q. Prnus]

7. =Quercus Prnus=, L. (CHESTNUT-OAK.) Leaves obovate or oblong, coa.r.s.ely undulately toothed, with 10 to 16 pairs of straight, prominent ribs beneath; surface minutely downy beneath, and smooth above. Acorn ovoid, 1 in. long, covered nearly half-way with a thick, mostly tuberculated cup; in the axils of the leaves of the year; kernel sweetish and edible. A middle-sized or small tree, with reddish, coa.r.s.e-grained wood. Found throughout, but common only southward.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Q. Muhlenbergii.]

8. =Quercus Muhlenbergii=, Engelm. (YELLOW CHESTNUT-OAK.) Leaves usually thin, 5 to 7 in. long, 1 to 2 in. broad, oblong-lanceolate, rather sharply notched, mostly obtuse or roundish at base, sometimes broadly ovate or obovate, and two thirds as wide as long. The leaves are usually more like those of the Chestnut than any other Oak; the primary veins very straight, impressed above, prominent beneath. Acorn 2/3 to in.

long, inclosed in a thin, hemispherical cup with small, appressed scales. A middle-sized tree with flaky, pale, thin, ash-colored bark, and tough, very durable, yellowish or brownish wood. Western New England, westward and south.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Q. prinodes.]

9. =Quercus prinodes=, Willd. (DWARF CHESTNUT-OAK.) Much like the last, but generally grows only 2 to 4 ft. high in the Eastern States. The leaves are more wavy-toothed, on shorter stems. It seems to be only a variety of Quercus Muhlenbergii, especially in the West, where it grows much taller and runs into that species.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Q. vrens.]

10. =Quercus vrens=, Ait. (LIVE-OAK.) Leaves thick, evergreen, 2 to 4 in. long, oblong, obtuse, and somewhat wrinkled; smooth and shining above, hairy beneath, the margin revolute, usually quite entire, rarely spiny-toothed. Acorns pedunculate, 1 to 3 in a cl.u.s.ter, oblong-ovate, with top-shaped nut. A mere shrub to a large tree, with yellowish wood of excellent grain and durability. Virginia and south.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Q. rubra.]

11. =Quercus rubra, L.= (RED OAK.) Leaves rather thin, smooth, oblong, moderately pinnatifid, sometimes deeply so, into 8 to 12 entire or sharply toothed lobes, turning dark red after frost. Acorn oblong-ovoid, 1 in. or less long, set in a shallow cup of fine scales, with a narrow raised border, to 1 in. in diameter; sessile or nearly so. A large tree, 60 to 90 ft. high, with reddish, very coa.r.s.e-grained wood. Common throughout.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Q. coccinea.]

12. =Quercus coccinea=, w.a.n.g. (SCARLET OAK.) Leaves, in the ordinary form on large trees, bright green, shining above, turning red in autumn, oval or oblong, deeply pinnatifid, the 6 to 8 lobes divergent, and sparingly cut-toothed, notches rounded. Acorn to in. long, roundish, depressed, one half or a little more inclosed in a top-shaped, coa.r.s.ely scaled cup; in the axils of the leaf-scars of the preceding year. A large handsome tree, 60 to 80 ft. high, with grayish bark not deeply furrowed, interior reddish; coa.r.s.e-grained reddish wood. Moist or dry soil. Common.