=12.= =Quercus Schnéckii= Britton. Schneck's Oak. Plate 51. Large trees;
bark somewhat intermediate between pin and red oak; twigs gray by
autumn; winter buds large, about 0.5 cm. long, ovoid, glabrous and gray;
leaves on petioles 2-6 cm. long, blades generally 8-18 cm. long,
generally truncate at the base, sometimes wedge-shaped, leaves ovate to
obovate in outline, divided into 5-7 lobes, by deep rounded and wide
sinuses, the sinuses cutting the blade to more than half way to the
midrib, except the leaves of lower branches that grow in the shade, the
lobes variable in shape and size, usually the lowest are the shortest
and smaller, the middle the longest and largest, the lobes are sometimes
widest at the base, and sometimes widest at the apex, the end of the
lobes are more or less toothed or lobed; the leaves at maturity are
bright green, glossy and smooth above, a paler and yellow green and
smooth beneath except tufts of hairs in the axils of the principal
veins; acorns solitary or in pairs, usually on stalks about 0.5 cm.
long; nuts ovoid, sometimes broadly so, or oblong, broad and flat or
slightly convex at base, usually 1.5-2 cm. long, enclosed in the cup
from 1/4-1/3 their length; cups flat or convex at the base: scales
generally pubescent on the back, gray or with a reddish tip on those of
the Lower Wabash Valley, or reddish gray and with margins more or less
red of trees of the Upper Wabash Valley.
=Distribution.=--In Indiana this species has been reported only from
Wells, Bartholomew, Vermillion, Knox, Gibson and Posey Counties. This
species was not separated from our common red oak until after all of the
local floras of Indiana had been written, and it may have a much wider
range than is at present known. In Wells County it is the prevailing
"red oak" of the county, and no doubt is distributed throughout the
Wabash Valley. In this area it is associated with all moist ground
species. In the lower Wabash Valley, especially in Gibson, Knox and
Posey Counties it is associated with Spanish, pin, and shingle oaks,
sweet gum, etc. Several trees were noted in Knox County in Little
Cypress swamp where it was associated with cypress, pin oak, white elm,
red maple and swell-butt ash.
=Remarks.=--This anomalous red oak has a range from Indiana to Texas.
When the attention of authors was directed to it, several new species
were the result. Later authors are not agreed as to whether this form,
which has such a wide range and hence liable to show considerable
variation within such a long range, is one or several species. C. S.
Sargent who for years has studied this form throughout its range has
seen the author's specimens and calls those with shallow cups typical or
nearly typical _Quercus Shumardii_ Buckley[42] and those with the deep
cups _Quercus Shumardii_ variety _Schneckii_ (Britton) Sargent.
The writer has made rather an intensive study of the forms in Wells
County and in the Lower Wabash Valley and has not been able to satisfy
himself that, allowing for a reasonable variation, there is even a
varietal difference in Indiana forms. The description has been drawn to
cover all of the forms of Indiana.
Dr. J. Schneck of Mt. Carmel, Illinois, was one of the first to discover
that this form was not our common red oak, and when he called Dr.
Britton's attention to it, Dr. Britton named it _Quercus Schneckii_ in
honor of its discoverer.
=13.= =Quercus ellipsoidàlis.= E. J. Hill. Hill's Oak. Plate 52. Medium
sized trees; inner bark yellowish; twigs pubescent at first, becoming
smooth and reddish brown by autumn; leaves on petioles 2-5 cm. long,
ovate to slightly obovate or nearly orbicular in outline, 7-15 cm. long,
wedge-shape or, truncate at the base, margin divided into 5-7 long lobes
by wide sinuses which usually extend to more than half way to the
midrib, sinuses rounded at the base, lobes broadest at the base or the
apex, ending in 1-7 bristle points, leaves at first pubescent, both
above and below, soon becoming glabrous above, and smooth beneath except
tufts of hairs in the axils of the principal veins; acorns nearly
sessile or on short stalks, single or in pairs; nuts oval to oblong,
12-20 mm. long, enclosed for 1/3-1/2 their length in the cup; scales
obtuse, light reddish-brown, pubescent on the back; kernel pale yellow
and bitter.
=Distribution.=--Northwestern Indiana to Manitoba and south to Iowa. In
Indiana it has been reported only from Lake and Porter Counties by Hill,
and from White County by Heimlich. According to Hill, who has made the
most extensive study of the distribution of this species in our area,
the tree is found on sandy and clayey uplands, and in moist sandy
places. It closely resembles the pin oak for which it has been mistaken.
It also resembles the black and scarlet oaks. We have very little data
on the range or distribution of the species in this State.
=14.= =Quercus velùtina= Lamarck. Black Oak. Plate 53. Medium to large
sized trees; inner bark yellow or orange; leaves on petioles 2-8 cm.
long, ovate oblong or obovate, very variable in outline and in size,
those of young trees and coppice shoots being very large, those of
mature trees usually 12-18 cm. long, wedge-shape or truncate at the
base, the margin divided into 5-9 lobes by wide and usually deep sinuses
which are rounded at the base, the lobes variable in shape and size, the
terminals of many of the lobes toothed or slightly lobed and ending in
one or more bristles, leaves pubescent on both sides at first, soon
becoming smooth, glossy and a dark green above; leaves of fruiting
branches usually smooth beneath except the tufts of brown hairs in the
axils of the principal veins, or rarely more or less pubescent over the
whole under surface, the under surface of leaves of sterile branches and
young trees usually are the most pubescent beneath, the leaves of some
trees are much like those of the scarlet oak, but on the whole are
larger; acorns sessile or nearly so, single or in pairs; nuts ovoid,
oblong or subglobose, 1.5-2 cm. long, enclosed for about half their
length in the cup-shaped cup; scales light-brown, densely pubescent on
the back, obtuse, loose above the middle of the cup; kernel bitter.
[Illustration: Plate 52.