This is a widespread southeastern species, but largely restricted to thin woods on seasonally dry infertile soils, especially areas with a history of frequent fire or other disturbance. There are occasional hybrids in Ky. with velutina and probably other species. It has been confused with velutina in much literature before 1900. Leaves of marilandica are less lobed, more coriaceous and generally smaller; acorns are much smaller, as in most red oaks of more open woods (FNA 3). As observed by Michaux (1803), marilandica was originally abundant around margins of fire-maintained "barrens" in parts of w. Ky. Like stellata, marilandica has declined greatly in many areas of the state, especially on deeper soils, due to succession from pyric to submesic forest and conversion to farmland. It is less long-lived than stellata and its disappearance has been even more dramatic. Early reports from the Bluegrass region remain unverified, but the reports of Gm from the Blue Licks area (NICH, ROBE) are believable, considering the unusual influences from ungulate and humans at that locality before Virginian settlement (Campbell 1989; and associated historical citations). The largest known tree in Ky. is at Murray State Univ. in CALL (KDF 2020): 97 cm dbh and 16.7 m tall, with crown 17.5 m wide.