QUERCUS FALCATA Michaux. Spanish Oak. (× 1/2.)
Remarks.—Wood and uses similar to that of red oak. In Indiana it is all sold as red oak. In all parts of its range in Indiana it is known as red or black oak. However, the best accepted common name of this species throughout its range is Spanish oak, and since no other species is known by this name, it should be used for this species.
The bark of this species varies considerably in color and tightness. The leaves are exceedingly variable in form. The leaves on the same tree will vary from 3-lobed to 11-lobed. Usually the lobing is deepest in the leaves nearest the top of the tree. Leaves of small trees, coppice shoots, and of the lower branches of some trees are often all or for the greater part 3-lobed. The color of the pubescence of the lower surface of the leaves varies from a gray to a yellow-gray. The variations have lead authors to divide this polymorphic species into several species and varieties. The author has included all the forms that occur in Indiana under one name.
This species is variously known as Quercus digitata, Quercus triloba, Quercus pagodaefolia, and by the most recent authors as Quercus pagoda and Quercus rubra and its varieties. Specimens in the author's collection from Jefferson County were reported by Sargent[44] as Quercus rubra var. triloba.
17. Quercus marilándica Muenchhausen. Black Jack Oak. Plate 56. Mature trees generally 10-30 cm. in diameter; bark resembles that of a gnarled black oak; twigs generally scurvy-pubescent the first year; leaves on petioles from nearly sessile to 2.5 cm. long, usually less than a cm. long, blades 7-15 cm. long, broadly obovate, often almost as wide as long, narrowly rounded at the base, with three primary lobes at the apex, sometimes with two small lateral lobes, the apex is sometimes almost rounded and the position where the lobes usually occur is indicated by three primary veins which end in a bristle, the apex of the leaf is generally about equally divided into three lobes by two very shallow rounded sinuses, the lobes are rounded or merely acute; sometimes the terminal lobes develop a secondary lobe, leaves very pubescent both above and beneath when they first appear, becoming smooth and glossy above at maturity, and remaining more or less pubescent beneath; acorns sessile or nearly so, single or in pairs; nuts ovoid or oblong, 1-1.5 cm. long, broadly rounded at the base, rounded or somewhat conic at the apex, enclosed for about half their length in the cup-shaped cup; scales blunt, not closely appressed, pubescent on back, light reddish-brown; kernel bitter.
