Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean: Vol. 6, Pt. 3

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BOTANY.
-Description.-A tree of medium size; leaves deeply sinuate, three principal lobes on either
side, which terminate in several acute points, glabrous above and below. Fruit solitary or
clustered, nearly sessile, gland roundish-ovoid, or, more commonly, elliptical, terminating in
an accute projecting point, greenish brown in color, 1 to 12 inch long, cup hemispherical, covered
with elongated acute scales.
This oak is found in different parts of California, but, apparently, does not extend northward
beyond the Oregon line. I have specimens collected both south and north of San Francisco, in
the coast mountains, and we found it occurring in considerable numbers between Fort Reading
and Lassen's butte, on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, in northern California. Where
we observed it, it forms a tree of small, or, at most, moderate size, and of a straggling, irregular
growth. About MIcCumber's it is the only deciduous tree growing in the pine forest.
Its resemblance to Q. tinctoria and to Q. coccinea of the eastern States is striking, but it is
difficult to say to which it is most closely allied. The leaves are smoother and the lobes more
acute than is usual with those of Q. tinctoria; in these respects more resembling Q. coccinea.
In the general aspect of the trunk and bark it is, however, more like Q. tinctoria.
The fruit is much larger and generally of a different form from that of either of the allied
species, the acorn being frequently more than an inch in length by i of an inch in diameter;
when fully grown they are rather cylindrical than ovoid, uniformly rounded at the ends, and
with a prominent point at the summit. The cup is hemispherical, covered with ovoid acute
scales.
The differences of habit from the eastern species which it exhibits, as well as the differences ot
leaves and fruit, lead me to regard it as distinct; and I have dedicated it to my friend Dr. A.
Kellogg, of San Francisco, who is devoting himself with so much industry and success to the
study of the plants of his adopted State.+
QUERCUS HINDSII. (Plate I.) The long-acorned oak.
Q. HINDSII. Benth. Bot. Sulph7. _p. 55.
Q. LONGIGLANDA. Torr. Fremont's Geog. Mem. of California.
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Fig. 7.
Fig. 7. Branch, leaves, and acorn of Q.l Hindsii, i natural size.
Description. A very large tree, allied to Q. alba of the eastern States; bark thick and rough;
leaves deeply and unequally lobed; lobes numerous, rounded, obtuse; young leaves pubescent