LEAVES.—Alternate, simple, 4-6 inches long, 2-4 inches broad; obovate to ovate; 5-7-lobed by deep, wide, rounded sinuses, the lobes few-toothed, bristle-tipped; thin and firm; very lustrous, dark green above, paler beneath; petioles slender.
FLOWERS.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in hairy catkins 2-4 inches long; the pistillate tomentose, borne on short, tomentose peduncles; calyx 4-5-lobed, hairy; corolla 0; stamens 4-5, with yellow anthers; stigmas recurved, bright red.
FRUIT.—Autumn of second season; sessile or short-stalked acorns; cup saucer-shaped with scales closely appressed, dark red-brown, inclosing only the base of the nut; nut nearly hemi-spherical, about 1/2 inch in diameter, light brown; kernel bitter.
WINTER-BUDS.—Terminal bud 1/8 inch long, ovoid or conical, acute, light brown, smooth.
BARK.—Twigs dark red and tomentose at first, becoming lustrous, green, finally gray-brown; thick, gray-brown and smoothish on the trunk.
WOOD.—Heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained, light brown, with thin, darker colored sapwood.
DISTRIBUTION.—Confined to the most southern portions of the Lower Peninsula.
HABITAT.—Prefers moist, rich soil; river-bottoms; borders of swamps.
NOTES.—Grows rapidly and uniformly. Easily transplanted. The tiny branchlets at a distance give the impression of the tree being full of pins.