QUERCUS COCCINEA Muenchhausen. Scarlet Oak. (× 1/2.)
In the northern part of the State it is a rare or infrequent tree, while in favorable habitats in the hill country of the southern part of the State it is a frequent to a common tree.
Remarks.—Wood similar but much inferior to red oak. The cut in this State is marketed as black oak, from which it is rarely separated.
16. Quercus falcàta Michaux. Spanish Oak. [Plate 55.] Large trees; bark thick, rather deeply fissured, furrows usually narrow, ridges generally broad and broken into short lengths, the outer bark is reddish, except sometimes it becomes grayish by weathering; twigs densely pubescent at first, remaining more or less pubescent during the first year, or becoming smooth or nearly so and a reddish brown by autumn; leaves on petioles 0.5-6 cm. long, ordinarily about 2-3 cm. long, blades very variable in outline, ovate, ovate-oblong or obovate, usually somewhat curved, wedge-shaped, rounded or truncate at the base, shallow or deeply lobed, generally about 2/3 of the distance to the midrib; lobes 3-11, commonly 5-9, the number, size and shape of the lobes exceedingly variable, the longest lateral lobes are generally near the middle of the leaf, sometimes the lowest pair, sometimes the upper pair are the longest, terminal lobe triangular or oblong, generally widest at the base, although frequently widest at the apex, lateral lobes widest at the base and gradually becoming narrower, towards the apex, rarely somewhat wider at the apex, generally somewhat curved, lobes generally sharp-pointed, sometimes wide-angled or rounded at the apex, margins of lobes entire, wavy, toothed or lobed, sinuses wide and rounded at the base; leaves densely pubescent on both surfaces at first, gradually becoming smooth and dark green above by autumn, the under surface remaining covered with a tomentum which is grayish or yellowish; acorns sessile or nearly so, solitary or in pairs; nuts broadly ovoid, generally 10-12 mm. long, broadly rounded at the base, rounded at the apex, enclosed about one-half their length by the cup; cups strongly convex at the base; scales blunt, grayish and pubescent on their backs, their margins reddish and generally smooth.
Distribution.—New Jersey and Missouri, south to Florida and west to Texas. The known distribution in Indiana would be that part of the State south of a line drawn from Vincennes to North Madison. It is local except in the southwestern counties. In our area it is found on both high and low ground. In Jefferson and Clark Counties it is found only in the flats where it is associated with beech, sweet gum, pin oak, red maple and black gum. A colony was found in Washington County on high ground, about eight miles southwest of Salem associated with black and post oak. In Harrison County about two miles southeast of Corydon it was found on the crest of a ridge with white and black oak. In Daviess County about four miles east of Washington it is associated with black and post oak. In Knox, Gibson, Pike and Warrick Counties it is local on sand ridges with black oak. It occurs in the greatest abundance in the river bottoms of Gibson, Posey and Spencer Counties, where it is generally associated with pin, Schneck's, shingle, swamp white, black and post oaks, and sweet gum. In the last named counties it is fairly well distributed, and is a frequent to a common tree. Brown's[43] report for Fountain County should not be recognized without a verifying specimen, since his list was compiled from a list of common names of the trees which he obtained.