# What are these?



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I found these in the trail this evening. I'm fairly certain they came from an oak tree but not positive.


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

I don't know, but want to follow along to hopefully find out.

Side note. Clicking the picture link made me laugh, cause for a second I got the same chills I get when my youngest walks up from being outside and bring something he wants identified. I always pray its at least not alive. Very low sense of personal safety with those kids sometimes!


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I'm wondering if they are undeveloped acorns.


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

I'm wondering if it's some type of gall. Try cutting into one and see what inside. If it's a gall, there'll be an insect of some sort inside.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

"Striped pea gall" brings up some kind of close pictures.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

The inside is full with some light colored solid. It looks like an undeveloped acorn to me even on the inside.

I think they're kind of neat looking.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

A retired forester friend says they are acorns.

I could see someone stringing them like beads.


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## Snowfan (Nov 6, 2011)

New flavor of M&M's?


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

How do they fly in a slingshot?


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

Look like pin oak acorns.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

It was a red oak tree overhead. I think they are also called pin oaks.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

The leaves of Pin Oak and Red Oak look similar but are two different species. Pin oak leaves look like skinny Red Oak leaves. I believe those are Pin Oak acorns.


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

Just a FYI for those that don't know, there are 2 basic types of oaks, white and red. The red oak family is also called the black oak family. So, pin oaks are a type of red oak.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

Nope, two different species. There are over 600 species of Oak.


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

Yes, there are many different types of oaks, but only 2 basic types, red (also called black) and white. Pin oak is a type of red oak. So for someone to say that a pin oak is a red oak is not wrong.

http://www.eatcology.com/how-squirrels-identify-oak-trees


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

We also call the white oaks burr oak.


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

Snowfan said:


> New flavor of M&M's?


"Smart pills", especially if deer or rabbits are around!


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

Don't confuse common names with botanical names. The California Live Oak ( Quercus agrifolia) is an evergreen. Would that be a Red oak or a White oak? I say neither. It is a separate species. Like humans and chimpanzees. The Red Maple (Acer rubrum) is also known as the rock maple, swamp maple, and black maple. Only the botanical name defines it worldwide for the separate species it is. The white oak (Quercus alba) and the Burr oak (quercus macrocarpa) are also separate species. The red oak (quercus rubra) is a red oak and the Pin oak (quercus palustris) is a pin oak. Just because Ford makes 4x4 trucks does not mean that all 4x4 trucks are Fords.


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

If you're addressing that to me, I'm not. The majority of people do not know one oak from another, nor do they care. For most knowing the difference between a red oak and a white oak is as specific as they want to get. You get deeper than that, and you lose them-unless you're pointing out one w/leaves that don't look like oak leaves such as, chestnut oak, (_Quercus prinus_-a type of white oak, willow oak, _Quercus phellos_-a type of red oak, sawtooth oak, _Quercus acutissima_-which is kind of between the 2 and is not a native tree.

To tell someone that a pin oak is not a red is kind of like saying a Ford Ranger is not a Ford pickup truck. However, if you say that pin oak, _Quercus palustris_, and red oak, _Quercus rubra_, are both a type of red oak but are not the same tree, then you are correct.

You gave no scientific names, only common. Then, you drag the scientific names in after I tried to point out that red and pin are both in the red oak family. There are many trees that people not in the know call red oak. Around here, we have southern red oaks, _Quercus falcata_. Many people call them plain red oak, or Spanish oak. We also have black oaks, _Quercus velutina_, which many call a red oak. Less common are pin oaks, which people call red oak and scarlet oak, _Quercus coccinea_, also referred to as red oak. 

The problem w/common names is they do not mean the same thing in all areas. I have heard people around here call southern red oak turkey oak because the leaves resemble a turkey foot. But there is another oak, _Quercus laevis,_ that is also called turkey oak and doesn't grow around here.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

Not starting an argument. I just don't like generalities. Spent too many years in the nursery industry explaining that just because Grandma called it that doesn't mean that's what it is. People would call and ask why the Red Maple they bought does not have red leaves. Defining things by Family cuts a mighty wide path. I think people are smart enough to handle it.


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

But yet you had to argue w/me that a pin oak is not a red oak w/out looking at the content that I was talking about. I never once claimed that a pin oak was _Quercus rubra_, only that it was in the red oak family. You felt the need to try and correct me and argue that it wasn't a red oak. I have no idea how much you know or don't know. I don't know what training you have. And while I'm currently unemployed-by choice-I have worked and have the training as a naturalist. So, IDing trees, flowers, bugs, birds, etc. is what I do.

Even on nature walks that I go on hoping to learn something new, it' not unusual for me to find myself doing some teaching, even though I'm not getting paid for it. At times, I know more than the person doing the walk, but unless they're giving out wrong info-like the person who tried to say that horse chestnuts were safe for human consumption-I try not to say much since I don't want to step on their toes.

I'm done w/the subject. In the future, I probably won't do any more IDing on here. It's not worth it.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

Unbunch your panty's friend. All I'm saying is that if someone goes into a Nursery wanting a Pin Oak and they ask for a Red Oak, they are not getting a Pin Oak. The original post was asking what was it he found. He found Pin Oak acorns.


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

I wasn't going to say anything else, but I have to and this is the last thing I will say. You are comparing apples to oranges. I have never once said that pin oak and red oak are the same tree, only that they are in the same family, the red oak family. Yet you are wanting to argue that a pin oak is not a red oak. It is a red oak, just not _Quercus rubra_. All pin oaks are red oaks, but not all red oaks are pin oaks. Even your California live oak that you brought up is a member of the red oak family. 

If I came your nursery and knew very little about oaks, and said I wanted a red oak, would you just assume I wanted _Quercus rubra_, or would you ask me what type of red oak? It just may be that what I actually want is a pin oak or a scarlet oak but don't know it by that name. And if you sold me the red oak and I realized later that it was not the tree I wanted, I can assure you that I would be very upset. It happens. I've had to tell people that the tree they bought is not the tree they were after.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

I will bow to your amazing intellect. I can see that you are "voluntarily unemployed" on a regular basis.


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## FLAndy (Nov 6, 2015)

Wow, that went South and, yes, those are Pin Oak acorns...a member of the red oak family.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

FLAndy said:


> Wow, that went South and, yes, those are Pin Oak acorns...a member of the red oak family.


Yes, Dizzy was correct in what he stated


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

dizzy said:


> Just a FYI for those that don't know, there are 2 basic types of oaks, white and red. The red oak family is also called the black oak family. So, pin oaks are a type of red oak.


Even easier to break down.. Red oak has open cell wood, an white oak has closed cell, which is why white oak is used to make barrel staves from, and also was used for ship building while red was not.

As far as Black oak and Bur oak, they are a sub species of the two types of oak.. (Quercus alba vs. Quercus rubra) Black being a red, and Bur being a white. Black and Bur are not replacements for the word red or white..

EDIT: Now I see we're on page two and didn't notice tat.. and I see that things did get broken down even more... ...


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