Editing Quercus velutina (section)

==Description==
In the northern part of its range, ''Quercus velutina'' is a relatively small tree, reaching a height of {{Convert|20-25|m|abbr=off}} and a diameter of {{Convert|90|cm|abbr=off}}, but it grows larger in the south and center of its range, where heights of up to {{cvt|42|m|ft}} are known.

The [[leaves]] of the black oak are alternately arranged on the twig and are {{cvt|10|–|20|cm|in|0}} long with 5–7 bristle-tipped lobes separated by deep U-shaped notches. The upper surface of the leaf is a shiny deep green, and the lower is yellowish-brown. There are also stellate hairs on the underside of the leaf that grow in clumps.<ref name=FNA /> Some key characteristics for identification include that leaves grown in the sun have very deep U-shaped sinuses and that the buds are velvety and covered in white hairs.{{r|FNA|vt}}

Black oak is [[monoecious]]. The [[staminate]] flowers develop from leaf axils of the previous year and the [[catkin]]s emerge before or at the same time as the current leaves in April or May. The [[pistillate]] flowers are borne in the [[axil]]s of the current year's leaves and may be solitary or occur in two- to many-flowered spikes. The fruit, an [[acorn]] that occurs singly or in clusters of two to five, is about one-third enclosed in a scaly cup and matures in 2 years. Black oak acorns are brown when mature and ripen from late August to late October, depending on geographic location.

The [[fruit]]s or [[acorn]]s of the black oak are medium-sized and broadly rounded.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Zim |first1=Herbert S. |last2=Martin |first2=Alexander C. |date=1987 |title=Trees: A Guide to Familiar American Trees |series=[[Golden Guide]]s |publisher=Golden Books |isbn=9780307240569 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/trees00herb }}</ref> The cap is large and covers almost half of the nut.<ref name=FNA />

{{Gallery
|Bark black oak 8771.jpg|Detail of mature bark
|Quercus velutina leaves.jpg|Young leaves are densely pubescent (hairy)
|Quercus velutina (23537664393).jpg|Winter twig
|Quercus velutina (23837102639).jpg|Acorns
}}