Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (20) View all

Common forest trees of North Carolina

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Item’s are ‘child’ level descriptions to ‘parent’ objects, (e.g. one page of a whole book).

  • >-Mj&<~&~£= -e>-^F><«l>-«s -e>-#^<^-«s -e>-^=><j§>-s-e>-^=.<«§!.- CHESTNUT OAK (Quercus montana Willd., formerly Q. prinus L.) CHESTNUT OAK, also known as mountain oak and rock oak, has acquired these names from its leaf, which resembles that of the chestnut, and from its fondness for rocky or mountain ridges. It is found widely distributed throughout the mountains on dry gravelly and rocky slopes, ridges and stream banks, and less commonly in the upland part of the State in similar dry, rocky situations. It is noticeably a spreading tree of medium height; at 15 to 20 feet, the trunk frequently divides into several large, angular limbs, making an open, irregular-shaped head. The bark is dark reddish brown, thick, deeply divided into broad, rounded ridges, and is of high commercial value for the extraction of tannic acid. The leaves are simple, alternate, oblong, often rounded at the point, irregularly scalloped or wavy on the edge (not sharp-toothed as in chestnut), 5 to 9 inches long, and shiny yellowish green above, lighter and slightly fuzzy beneath. The fruit is an acorn about an inch long, oval, shiny brown, and enclosed up to half its length in a cup. It ripens in one season, and, like the acorn of the white oak, sprouts in the autumn soon after falling to the ground. The wood is generally similar to that of the other upland white oaks, heavy, hard, strong, and durable in contact with the soil. It is extensively cut into crossties and heavy timbers for bridge, railroad, and other rough construction, and used for fence posts and fuel. 38 CHESTNUT OAK One-third natural size.
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Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).