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Oaks are easily recognized by their characteristic leaves and especially by their peculiar fruit, the well-known acorn.

Oak

Oaks are easily recognized by their characteristic leaves and especially by their peculiar fruit, the…

Here is a representation of the acorn which has germinated. The roots go down while the stalk goes up.

Germinating Acorn

Here is a representation of the acorn which has germinated. The roots go down while the stalk goes up.

This shows a sprouting acorn (Keeler, 1915).

Acorn

This shows a sprouting acorn (Keeler, 1915).

This shows the acorn of Post Oak, Quercus minor, (Keeler, 1915).

Post Oak Acorn

This shows the acorn of Post Oak, Quercus minor, (Keeler, 1915).

This shows the acorn of Bur Oak, Quercus macrocarpa, (Keeler, 1915).

Bur Oak Acorn

This shows the acorn of Bur Oak, Quercus macrocarpa, (Keeler, 1915).

This shows the acorn of chestnut Oak, Quercus prinus, (Keeler, 1915).

Chestnut Oak Acorn

This shows the acorn of chestnut Oak, Quercus prinus, (Keeler, 1915).

This shows the acorn of Yellow Oak, Quercus acuminata, (Keeler, 1915).

Yellow Oak Acorn

This shows the acorn of Yellow Oak, Quercus acuminata, (Keeler, 1915).

This shows the acorn of Chinquapin Oak, Quercus prinoides, (Keeler, 1915).

Chinquapin Oak Acorn

This shows the acorn of Chinquapin Oak, Quercus prinoides, (Keeler, 1915).

This shows the acorn of Swamp White Oak, Quercus platanoides, (Keeler, 1915).

Swamp Oak Acorn

This shows the acorn of Swamp White Oak, Quercus platanoides, (Keeler, 1915).

This shows the acorn of Red Oak, Quercus rubra, (Keeler, 1915).

Red Oak Acorn

This shows the acorn of Red Oak, Quercus rubra, (Keeler, 1915).

This shows the acorn of Scarlet Oak, Quercus coccinea, (Keeler, 1915).

Scarlet Oak Acorn

This shows the acorn of Scarlet Oak, Quercus coccinea, (Keeler, 1915).

This shows acorns of Spanish Oak, Quercus digitata, (Keeler, 1915).

Spanish Oak Acorn

This shows acorns of Spanish Oak, Quercus digitata, (Keeler, 1915).

This shows the acorn of Pin Oak, Quercus palustris, (Keeler, 1915).

Pin Oak Acorn

This shows the acorn of Pin Oak, Quercus palustris, (Keeler, 1915).

This shows the acorn of Bear Oak, Quercus ilicifolia, (Keeler, 1915).

Bear Oak Acorn

This shows the acorn of Bear Oak, Quercus ilicifolia, (Keeler, 1915).

This shows the acorn of Black Jack Oak, Quercus marilandica, (Keeler, 1915).

Black Jack Oak Acorn

This shows the acorn of Black Jack Oak, Quercus marilandica, (Keeler, 1915).

This shows the acorn of Shingle Oak, Quercus imbricaria, (Keeler, 1915).

Shingle Oak Acorn

This shows the acorn of Shingle Oak, Quercus imbricaria, (Keeler, 1915).

This shows the acorn of Willow Oak, Quercus phellos, (Keeler, 1915).

Willow Oak Acorn

This shows the acorn of Willow Oak, Quercus phellos, (Keeler, 1915).

A seedling of the oak with a section of acorn.

Seedling

A seedling of the oak with a section of acorn.

In this acorn the nut is surrounded by a scaly cup.

Acorn

In this acorn the nut is surrounded by a scaly cup.

Oak trees grow in many parts of the country.

Oak

Oak trees grow in many parts of the country.

Barnacles that look like acorns.

Acorn Barnacles

Barnacles that look like acorns.

"a, larva within acron; b, acorn infested with the larva; c, head and thoracic segments of larva; d, one of the abdomincal segments of view; f, moth; g, basal joint antenna in the male moth."-Whitney, 1902

Acorn-moth

"a, larva within acron; b, acorn infested with the larva; c, head and thoracic segments of larva; d,…

Acorn

Acorn

Acorn

The seed or fruit of an oak.

Acorn

The seed or fruit of an oak.

A couple of ants retreating from their flooding acorn home.

Acorn Home

A couple of ants retreating from their flooding acorn home.

Two bugs outside of their acorn home arguing about their gas bill.

Bugville

Two bugs outside of their acorn home arguing about their gas bill.

Half of an acorn, cut lengthwise, filled by the very thick cotyledons, the base of which encloses the minute caulicle.

Acorn

Half of an acorn, cut lengthwise, filled by the very thick cotyledons, the base of which encloses the…

Nut (acorn) of the Oak, with its cup or cupule.

Acorn

Nut (acorn) of the Oak, with its cup or cupule.

An acorn from a dicotyledon.

Acorn

An acorn from a dicotyledon.

A longitudinal section of an acorn, showing two cotyledons and the embryo.

Longitudinal section of an acorn

A longitudinal section of an acorn, showing two cotyledons and the embryo.

A cross-section of an acorn.

Cross-section of an acorn

A cross-section of an acorn.

Leaves - simple; alternate; edge evenly and sharply (or sometime bluntly) toothed. Outline - very narrow oval (or sometimes wide). Apex - taper-pointed. Base - pointed or blunt. Leaf/Stem - three fourths to one inch long. Leaf - usually about five to seven inches long, by one and one half to two inches wide, but sometimes so wide as to resemble Q. prinus), from which, however, it is distinguished by its think bark. Of all the "chestnut-oak: leaves it most closely resembles the chestnut leaf. It is smooth above, whitish and minutely downy beneath. Bark - of trunk, light, flaky, and thin. Acorn - nearly stemless. Cup - about five twelfths to seven twelfths of an inch across; rounded; thin, with very small, closely pressed scales. Nut - seven twelfths to nine twelfths of an inch long; egg-shape or narrow oval, light brown, about one third covered by cup; sweet. October. Found - from Massachusetts to Delaware, along the mountains to Northern Alabama and westward. Very common west of the Alleghany Mountains. General Information - A tree forty to sixty feet high, with strong and durable wood. Quercus, possible from a Celtic word meaning to inquire, because it was among the oaks that the Druids oftenest practised their rites.

Genus Quercus, L. (Oak)

Leaves - simple; alternate; edge evenly and sharply (or sometime bluntly) toothed. Outline - very narrow…

Leaves - simple; alternate; edge slightly lobed at the upper part (edge of the lobes entire). Outline - abruptly widening above. Apex - of lobes, rounded or sometimes slightly pointed, and bristle-tipped, at least until old. Base - heart-shape or rounded. Leaf - three to four inches long (on vigorous shoots much longer); dark green, smooth, and shining above; below rusty and roughish, thick and tough; ribs distinct above. Lobes - three (sometimes five), very short, and above the middle of the leaf. Bark - of tree, rough and blackish. Acorn - nearly or quite stemless. Cup - top-shaped, coarsely scaly. Nut - one half to two thirds of an inch long; rounded egg-shape; darkish brown when ripe; nearly one half covered by the cup. October. Found - on Long Island, southward and westward. Very common through the Southern States. General Information - A small tree, eight to twenty-five feet high; of slight value except for fuel. Quercus, possible from a Celtic word meaning to inquire, because it was among the oaks that the Druids oftenest practised their rites.

Genus Quercus, L. (Oak)

Leaves - simple; alternate; edge slightly lobed at the upper part (edge of the lobes entire). Outline…

Leaves - simple; alternate; edge lobed (edge of the lobes mostly entire, but oftenest with a few teeth toward the end). Outline - reverse egg-shape or oval. Base - usually rounded. Ends of the lobes and of the few teeth, sharp and bristle-pointed, especially when young. Leaf - five to eight inches long; three to five inches wide; very variable. The two types, a and b, are often found on the same tree; b is a variation toward the leaf of the Scarlet Oak. The upper surface is roughish, becoming smoother when mature; the undersurface, rusty-downy until mid-summer, when the down mostly disappears, except from the angles of the ribs. Bark - of trunk, blackish and deeply and roughly furrowed, with an inner bark that is very thick and yellow and bitter. Acorns - variable; usually small; on short stems. Cups - thick; somewhat top-shaped; scales distinct and rather large. . Nut - one half to two thirds of an inch long; rounded; nearly one third covered by the cup. Kernel, bright yellow or orange and bitter. October. Found - from Southern Maine southward and westward. Very common, especially in the Atlantic forests. General Information - A tree fifty to a hundred feet high, with wood that is inferior to that of the White Oak. The yellow inner bark (quercitron of the shops) is a valuable dye, and is rich in tannin. Late in the autumn the leaves turn to a rich yellowish-brown or russet. It is very probable that the "Black Oak" and the "Scarlet Oak" ought to be considered as one, and described, not as species and variety, but as slightly different forms of the single species Q. coccinea. Though the most distinctive leaves of the "Black Oak" are easily recognized, often others are so nearly like those of the "Scarlet Oak" that it is not easy to distinguish between then; and the same is true of the fruit and the bark. Michaux f. says: "The only constant difference between the acorns of the Scarlet Oak and the Black Oak is in the kernel, which is white in the Scarlet Oak and yellow in the Black Oak." The Gray Oak (Q. c., ambigua, Gray) is a variety sometimes found along the northeastern boundary of the States (as far as Lake Champlain) and northward. It combines the foliage of the Red Oak with the acorn of the Scarlet Oak. Quercus, possible from a Celtic word meaning to inquire, because it was among the oaks that the Druids oftenest practised their rites.

Genus Quercus, L. (Oak)

Leaves - simple; alternate; edge lobed (edge of the lobes mostly entire, but oftenest with a few teeth…

"Acorn barnacle, with arms extended." -Cooper, 1887

Acorn Barnacle

"Acorn barnacle, with arms extended." -Cooper, 1887

"Acorn-shell (Balanus tintinnabulum). T., tergum; CR., thoracic legs; R., outer shell in section; D., aperture of oviduct; F., mantle cavity; X., depressor muscle of tergum; AN., antennae; OV., ovary; G., depressor of scutum; H., oviduct; AM., adductor muscle of scuta; S., scutum." -Thomson, 1916

Acorn Shell

"Acorn-shell (Balanus tintinnabulum). T., tergum; CR., thoracic legs; R., outer shell in section; D.,…

A branch of the camphor tree, Cinnamomum camphora.

Camphor Tree Branch

A branch of the camphor tree, Cinnamomum camphora.

"Acorn and cupule of Quercus Skinneri, natural size; 2. cross section of the acorn, showing the lobed embryo." -Lindley, 1853

Acorn

"Acorn and cupule of Quercus Skinneri, natural size; 2. cross section of the acorn, showing the lobed…

An illustration of a large oak tree. Oaks have spirally arranged leaves, with a lobed margin in many species; some have serrated leaves or entire leaves with a smooth margin. The flowers are catkins, produced in spring. The fruit is a nut called an acorn, borne in a cup-like structure known as a cupule; each acorn contains one seed (rarely two or three) and takes 6–18 months to mature, depending on species.

Oak

An illustration of a large oak tree. Oaks have spirally arranged leaves, with a lobed margin in many…

"Roman Ovolo Molding, with Pearl Beading. The ornamentation had to correspond with the massive character of Roman architecture, and consequently became more massive and more copious itself."

Roman Astragal

"Roman Ovolo Molding, with Pearl Beading. The ornamentation had to correspond with the massive character…

"Ornamented Roman Astragal. The ornamentation had to correspond with the massive character of Roman architecture, and consequently became more massive and more copious itself."

Roman Astragal

"Ornamented Roman Astragal. The ornamentation had to correspond with the massive character of Roman…

"Ornamented Cornice with Pearl Beading. The ornamentation had to correspond with the massive character of Roman architecture, and consequently became more massive and more copious itself."

Roman Cornice

"Ornamented Cornice with Pearl Beading. The ornamentation had to correspond with the massive character…

"Richly Ornamented Roman Ovolo. The ornamentation had to correspond with the massive character of Roman architecture, and consequently became more massive and more copious itself."

Roman Cornice

"Richly Ornamented Roman Ovolo. The ornamentation had to correspond with the massive character of Roman…

"Fragment of an Ancient Roman Frieze. The ornamentation had to correspond with the massive character of Roman architecture, and consequently became more massive and more copious itself. This is an example of enrichment of which vegetable objects were the model."

Ancient Roman Frieze

"Fragment of an Ancient Roman Frieze. The ornamentation had to correspond with the massive character…

An illustration of an acorn.

Acorn

An illustration of an acorn.

"Young Balanoglossus: showing proboscis, collar, gill-slits, and gastric region. Balanoglossus, a worm-like animal of much zoological interest as a connecting link between invertebrates and vertebrates." -Hazeltine, 1894

Acorn Worm

"Young Balanoglossus: showing proboscis, collar, gill-slits, and gastric region. Balanoglossus, a worm-like…

"Melanerpes formicivorus bairdi. Californian Woodpecker. Glossy blue-black; rump, bases of all the quills, edge of the wing, and under parts from the breast, white; sides with sparse black streaks; forehead squarely white, continuous with a stripe down in front of hte eyes and thence broadly encircling the throat, there becoming yellowish; this cuts off the black around base of bill and on the chin completely; crown in the male crimson from the white front, in the female separated from the white by a black interval; frequently a few red feathers in the black breast-patch, which is not sharply defined behind, but changes by streaks into the white of the belly. Bill black; eyes white, often rosy, creamy, yellowish, milky, bluish, or brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Californian Woodpecker

"Melanerpes formicivorus bairdi. Californian Woodpecker. Glossy blue-black; rump, bases of all the quills,…

Also known as Quercus cerris. A greenish-white tree with a dark gray bark. The flower produced is a cylindrical cluster of yellow flowers, which are usually wind-pollinated. The fruit is a large acorn, which is bicoloured with an orange bottom half grading to a green-brown tip.

Turkey Oak

Also known as Quercus cerris. A greenish-white tree with a dark gray bark. The flower produced is a…

Also known as Quercus cerris. A branchlet of a turkey oak with an acorn.

Turkey Oak with an Acorn

Also known as Quercus cerris. A branchlet of a turkey oak with an acorn.

"A philosopher, seating himself under an oak tree, and viewing its massiveness, could not understand why so large a tree should produce such small fruit. 'There,' said he, 'is the pumpkin, growing on a slender vine; how much better it would be, if that vine bore acorns, and the great tree the pumpkins; then there would be some harmony and fitness in nature.' As he was meditating on this subject, and examining some ancient theories on the works of creation, an acorn dropped on his head and broke up the train of his reflections. 'How foolish and short-sighted I am, to question the wisdom of Providence,' thought the philosopher, 'if the acorn had been a pumpkin, my head would have been broken.'"—Barber, 1857

Man Thinks Himself Wise, till God Shows Him His Folly

"A philosopher, seating himself under an oak tree, and viewing its massiveness, could not understand…