A red oak type, the scarlet oak resembles the black oak, except its inner bark is gray or reddish. The leaves are glossy on top, with five to seven bristle-tipped lobes. Sinuses, indentations between lobes, are deep—more than halfway to the midrib. An unfringed cap encloses the acorn one-half to two-thirds. In Indiana, it is restricted to sandy ridges of the lake region and to crests and slopes in southern Indiana. Its fall color is brilliant red.