=3.= =Quercus Muhlenbérgii= Engelmann. Chinquapin Oak. Sweet Oak. Yellow Oak. Chestnut Oak. Plate 42. Large trees; leaves on petioles 1-3 cm. long, blades very variable in size, shape and leaf margins, generally 10-20 cm. long, oblong-lanceolate to broadly obovate, narrowed or rounded and more or less unequal at the base, taper-pointed at the apex, the apex always forming an acute angle, margins coarsely and rather regularly toothed, primary veins beneath regular and straight, and end in a prominent gland in the point of the teeth, teeth more or less incurved, leaves smooth and dark green above, and grayish pubescent beneath; acorns generally sessile, but often on short stalks up to 1 cm. long; nut ovoid to oblong ovoid, 10-18 mm. long, enclosed for 1/4-1/2 its length in a very thin cup; scales of cup ovate, blunt-pointed or merely acute, sometimes tuberculate near the base of the cup, grayish pubescent without; kernel sweet, and the most edible of all of our oaks. [Illustration: Plate 41. QUERCUS BICOLOR Willdenow. Swamp White Oak. (× 1/2.)] [Illustration: Plate 42. QUERCUS MUHLENBERGII Engelmann. Chinquapin Oak. (× 1/2.) Detached acorns and leaves from different trees.] =Distribution.=--Vermont, southwestern Ontario to Wisconsin and south to Florida and west to Texas. Found in limited numbers in all parts of Indiana, although Hill's record for Lake county is the only record in the block of the 12 northwest counties. It is without a doubt found in every county south of the Wabash River. It is a rare or an infrequent tree in practically all parts of its range. It is generally found on the dry banks of streams, river terrace banks, rocky bluffs of streams, and only rarely in level dry woods. In the southern counties it is sometimes found on clay or rocky ridges. In most of its range it is now so rare that most of the inhabitants do not know the tree. =Remarks.=--Wood similar to white oak, and with the same uses. In White County a pioneer was found who knew the tree only by the name of pigeon oak. He said it received this name from the fact that the wild pigeons were fond of the acorns. The leaves of this tree vary greatly in size, shape, and leaf margins. The fruit also varies on different trees in the shape of the nut, and the depth of the cup. These variations have lead some authors to separate the forms and one histological study[34] seems to support minor differences. It has been observed that the leaves in the top of some trees may be thick, narrow and with long incurved teeth, while the leaves of the lower branches will be strongly obovate, thinner, and the teeth more dentate. In a general study it is best to include the polymorphic forms under one name. The distribution of the shallow and deep cup forms is so general that no regional or habitat areas can be assigned to either of them in Indiana.