. The American entomologist. Entomology. Black Oak (Qi There is greater confusion as to the common names of different species of Oaks than with respect to any other trees. Thus some half- dozen trees are variously known as Black Oak, lied Oak, Pin Oak, &c. This confusion arises from the close resemblance of several species to each other, the large variation as to form and size of leaves and acorns in the same species, to the tendency to hybridize among several species, and to tlie want of close and discriminating obsei-vation. The various forms to be met with every day are frequently very
. The American entomologist. Entomology. Black Oak (Qi There is greater confusion as to the common names of different species of Oaks than with respect to any other trees. Thus some half- dozen trees are variously known as Black Oak, lied Oak, Pin Oak, &c. This confusion arises from the close resemblance of several species to each other, the large variation as to form and size of leaves and acorns in the same species, to the tendency to hybridize among several species, and to tlie want of close and discriminating obsei-vation. The various forms to be met with every day are frequently very puzzling, even to botanists. We shall in this article attempt to describe and iUu6trat« one of the commonest and most vari- able of our American oaks. The extreme forms of this oak have been classified by botanists as two distinct species, viz: Quercus tinctoria, Bartram, and Quercus coccinea, Wang.; but the best botanical authorities now unite these as varieties of one species. Indeed, so numerous are the variations presented in this species, both in leaf and fruit, that we might with as much propriety establish half a dozen species as two. From a great number of specimens we have selected a few of the more prominent to give their chaijacters. [Fig. 212.]. Black Oak IQuerciis cocctnea, var vulgaris.) A general description of the species may be stated as follows: Leaves oval or oblong, or sometimes, on young thrifty shoots, obovate in outline, with about three divergent, slightly or deeply cut, lobes, the lobes also sparingly and sharply toothed; downy when young, and in some varieties the under surfiice continuing downy when old, upper surface glossy, the finer lobed ones with long petioles or stems, thick and firm when mature; acorns roundish or ovate, J to i inch long, cup obconic and deep, or shallow and nearly saucer-shaped. A good sized tree, 50 or 60 feet high, the bark smooth and mottled on young trees, rough and blackish on old trunks; the. Please note that these imag
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