Quercus ellipsoidalis - (image 1 of 5)
Taxonomy
Family: Fagaceae
Habitat
Dry upland woods.
Associates
Distribution
Southern MI and adjacent Ontario, west MN to MO.
Morphology
Deciduous tree to 25 m. Leaves alternate, simple, lobes bristle tipped, lobed more than halfway; the bases straight across. Buds rounded. Acorn ellipsoidal; the cap turbinate, 9-14 mm wide, covering about 1/3 of the acorn.
Notes
Flowers mid April to early June
Wetland indicator: Upland
Also called Northern Pin Oak, this tree resembles Q. palustris but is more tolerant of alkaline soils. Swink & Wilhelm lump this tree with Q. coccinea Münchh. (Scarlet Oak). They list the possible distinctions as the following:
Q. ellipsoidalis - Terminal buds 3 mm long, the scale glabrous or vaguely ciliate-pubescent; acorn shiny, ellipsoid; inner bark yellowish or orange.
Q. coccinea - Terminal buds 3 mm or more long, the scales distinctly pubescent on the margins; acorn dull, ovoid to subglobose; inner bark reddish or gray.
Gleason & Cronquist also suggest that this species be included with Q. coccinea.
References
Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY
Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.
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Michael Hough © 2005 |