Tree to 12 m (40 ft) tall and 30 cm (1 ft) diameter, with rounded crown. Bark pale gray, fissured into scaly plates. Twigs gray or brown, hairy when young, ending in a cluster of small pointed reddish brown finely hairy buds. Leaves alternate, obovate to elliptic, 10-23 cm (4-9 in) long, 5-15 cm (2-6 in) wide, broadest above middle, gradually narrowed toward base, edges wavy with 10-14 rounded teeth on each side, shiny dark green above, gray-green and hairy below. Fruits are acorns maturing in the first year, egg-shaped, 25-30 mm (1-1.2 in) long, about 1/3 covered by the cup.
Distribution: Native to the Coastal Plain and Mississippi Valley.
Habitat: wet bottomland forests
NWI status: FACW
Comment: Quercus is the ancient classical name for the European oaks; michauxii honors the French-American botanist Francois Michaux.
Distribution in Oklahoma: found only once in the state, on Mountain Fork River in Beavers Bend State Park.
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Last update: 9/16/99
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