MO Trees: Sowing Dragon's Teeth Multi-Cache

Daylight hours only, please! Twin Lakes Recreation Area is open from 6 AM to 11 PM.

Tree name: Sawtooth Oak (Quercus acutissim)

Identification

Open up a Missouri tree guide and you may find this specimen difficult to pin down. The long, oblong leaves with tooth-like edges are reminiscent of an American Chestnut. Medium to dark grey ridged bark is akin to several types of oak. And the fruit! Whoever thought acorns could have a cap with such strange, triangular, spiny scales? What in the world could this tree be?

You stand before what is known as a Sawtooth Oak. Introduced to the United States from eastern Asia in 1862, it was originally planted to attract turkey and deer. What critter wouldn't want to eat from a tree that drops abundant amounts of fruit sooner than others? Seeds don't stray far meaning the species propagates slowly. A tolerance for various soils also makes the tree ideal for ornamental use. With the right conditions, trees like the one in front of you may grow swiftly up to sixty feet tall!

This variety is not always welcome, however. Fast growth means that the Sawtooth Oak has the potential to crowd out native species. Naturalization has already begun in several parts of North America. Some states, including those on the east coast and Wisconsin, consider the tree an ecological threat that should no longer be sold or planted.

The Geocache

Walk up the wooden path and take a seat on a bench close to the tree. Relax and enjoy the shade. When you're ready, you'll be collecting some information to help you find the geocache. Counting and substitution will give you a set of latitude / longitude coordinates.

In your repose, glance down at the bench upon which you sit. Many slats of wood come together to form a surprisingly comfortable surface. How many slats make up each bench seat? Your answer is what you will use for A.

Resting seems to be the intention of the woodwork upon which you sit. How many benches surround the mature Sawtooth Oak? Count them and add your answer to the potential height of a Sawtooth Oak. Then, add A. The final result is B.

Finally, you will notice that each bench is held up by solid, wooden posts. How many posts hold up each bench? The number for C is your answer added to B.

That's it! Now take the numbers you have calculated and enter them into the coordinates below:

N 38° 55.CA W 92° 22.AB

Expect a walk of around half of a mile round trip from the parking area near the posted coordinates. Please be stealthy to keep this geocache out of sight and in play.

Permission was obtained to place this geocache.