Live oak tree named `SDLN`

A distinct variety Quercus virginiana named `SDLN` which is distinctive in having a dense, upright, canopy; and dominant leader; small lateral branches without included bark in the branch unions; mature dark evergreen foliage with leaves typically being about one to two inches long and about one-half inch wide; and true evergreen habit. The canopy is very dense with foliage held on shaded interior twigs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Quercus
 virginiana (Live oak) referred to by the varietal name `SDLN.`
 The `SDLN` initially discovered tree was found as a seedling growing in a
 cultivated area of the Shadowlawn Nursery in Penney Farms, Fla., among a
 group of cultivated Live Oak seedlings. These seedlings were grown from
 acorns collected from an open-pollinated unnamed, unpatented mature Live
 Oak tree in Leesburg, Fla. The male parent tree is unknown.
 `SDLN` was observed to have an upright habit and a dominant leader,
 dark-green foliage color, dense foliage arrangement, and true evergreen
 habit. Compared to common Live Oak trees observed by the inventor, this
 initially discovered tree had a rapid growth rate, lacked included bark,
 had small diameter lateral branches, had leaves which were about one inch
 to two inches long by about one-half inch wide and which were consistently
 dark green when mature, and exhibited a dense, narrow-oval canopy. The
 female parent Live Oak tree is a wide-spreading (about 60 feet wide by
 about 40 feet tall) tree with a multiple leader branching arrangement. In
 comparison, the new variety has an upright habit of growth and a dominant
 leader. These characteristics of my new variety have been observed to be
 fixed and reproduces true to type in progeny asexually propagated from
 cuttings taken from the initially discovered tree. Asexual propagation was
 performed at a nursery in Penny Farms, Fla.
 SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY
 The `SDLN` variety has not been observed under all growing conditions and
 thus variations may occur as a result of different growing conditions. The
 observations are of trees growing in Penney Farms, Fla.
 `SDLN` has an unusually narrow, oval canopy with consistently dark green
 and truly evergreen foliage compared to the species in general.
 The common Live Oak trees observed by me in the same geographic area of my
 observations of the new variety typically shed leaves in December and
 remain bare until new leaves appear in early February. The new `SDLN`
 variety, however, sheds its leaves as it buds in February. Therefore, the
 tree has a true evergreen habit rather than being bare of leaves for a
 substantial period of time. Additionally, the leaves of `SDLN` variety are
 slightly darker than those of common Live Oak trees which I have observed
 growing in the same general area and mature leaves have been observed to
 not change color significantly with the seasons.
 Unlike the common Live Oak trees I have observed, the `SDLN` variety has
 superior apical dominance with a single dominant leader. Common Live Oak
 trees observed by the inventor have a massive, spreading growth habit
 where the width of the canopy substantially exceeds the height of the
 tree. In `SDLN,` however, the tree forms a very dense, distinctive and
 desirable upright, oval growth habit due to an unusual number of secondary
 twigs and short shoots held along main branches.
 Branches arise at a wide angle (most lateral branches have branch crotch
 angles greater than sixty degrees), minimizing formation of included bark.
 Small diameter lateral branches make this plant easier to prune into a
 strong structure with a central leader. Unlike common Live Oak trees the
 inventor has observed, this new variety is easy to root. For example, in a
 specific observation, there was about a sixty-nine percent take for
 cuttings directly from the initially discovered tree and, in another
 observation, about eighty-two percent of the cuttings from the
 fourteen-month old second-generation trees rooted.
 This extremely high asexual reproduction rate was obtained by preparing the
 cutting wood in the following manner.
 a) Three inch-long stem and terminal cuttings, each with three to four
 leaves, were collected in the second week of May from the initially
 discovered tree.
 b) Cuttings were quick dipped in a solution of 7500 ppm of KIBA (Potassium
 salt Indole-3-butyric acid) and 5000 ppm of KIAA (Potassium salt
 Indole-3-acetic acid).
 c) Cuttings were placed in 2.25 inch Tree Band containers filled with
 appropriate media.
 d) Plants were placed in a mist house with ten seconds mist spray every
 five minutes.
 e) Sixty-nine percent of the cuttings rooted.
 f) In the first week of July, cuttings were collected from the
 fourteen-month old plants originating from the initially discovered tree
 and were handled as described above. Eighty-two percent of these cuttings
 rooted.
 The `SDLN` variety has a slightly higher growth rate compared to common
 Live Oak trees observed by the inventor and growing in the same area. The
 trunk diameter, taken at 12 inches above ground of the initially
 discovered tree of the new variety, aged seven years and growing in Penny
 Farms, Fla., measured approximately six inches caliper while common Live
 Oak trees of the same age and observed by the inventor growing in the same
 area had a four to five inch caliper. The initially discovered tree has an
 upright habit and a dominate leader.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
 The following is a description of my new variety of Live Oak tree, at age
 seven years from acorn, with color terminology in accordance with The
 Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S), except where the context
 indicates a term having it ordinary dictionary meaning.
 All Live Oak trees of my new variety, insofar as have been observed, have
 been indentical in all characteristics described below. Other than as set
 below, as of this time no other characteristics have been observed which
 are different from common Live Oak trees which have been observed by the
 inventor.
 Parentage: Seedling of unknown parentage grown from an acorn collected from
 an unnamed mature Live Oak tree in Leesburg, Fla.
 Lacality where grown and observed: Penney Farms, Fla.
 Leaves:
 Arrangement and shape.--Alternate, simple; elliptic to oblong or obovate;
 base -- typically acute, sometimes observed as cuneate to rounded; apex --
 typically obtuse, sometimes observed as acute; prominent mid-rib
 underneath with typically 11 to 15 main veins from the mid-rib, typically
 yellow-green 151C; margin -- entire with occosional acute lobes or teeth;
 slightly tomentose underneath; stiff.
 Size.--Length, variable, typically one to two inches; width, variable,
 typically one-half inch wide.
 Color.--Evergreen tree; emerging leaves -- typical upper surface maroon,
 like, red-purple, 178A, typical lower surface yellow-green, like 148D;
 young summer leaves -- typical upper surface green, like 137A, typical
 lower surface yellow-green, like 148A; mature summer leaves -- typical
 upper surface, green, like 136A, typical lower surface yellow -- green,
 like 148D.
 Petiole.--Length variable, one-sixteenth inch to one-eighth inch long is
 typical; width variable, one thirty-second inch to one-sixteenth inch wide
 is typical; upper surfave color is red-purple, like 60A; lower surface
 color is variable, observed from red-purple, like 60A, toyellow-green,
 like 151C.
 Bud: Subglobose, dark brown (grayed-orange 177A), length, variable,
 typically one-thirty second to one-sixteenth inch; width, variable,
 typically one thirty-second inch to one-sixteenth inch.
 Flowers and reproductive organs: Typical of species male in catkins, female
 in axils of leaves; initial flowering season is March in northeast
 Florida.
 Fruit: The initially discovered tree has produced acorns typical of the
 species; typically one acorn per cluster, sometimes observed as two acorns
 per cluster; acorns mature in one growing season and typically fall from
 the tree in October and November in northeastern Florida; acorns are oval
 to ovate and short pointed at the apex; acorns are marked with a circular
 scar at the base, the scar is three-sixteenths to seven thirty-seconds
 inch across and colored greyed-orange (greyed-orange 164C); typical and
 observed acorns are three-quarters to seven-eights inch in length and
 three-eighths to seven-sixteenths inch wide; typical upper acorn
 coloration, under the acorn cap, colored greyed-orange (greyed-orange
 165C) and typical lower acorn coloration is brown (brown 200B); typical
 acorn cap is three-eighths to seven-sixteenths inch in width and
 three-eighths inch in length; colored greyed-orange (greyed-orange 197D),
 and scaly with a finely serrated edge; typical acorn cap has a large
 number, typically 100, greyed-orange (greyed-orange 166A) spots that are
 one sixty-fourth to one ninety-sixth inch wide; acorn cap typically
 encloses one-quarter of the acorn; typical peduncle is one-quarter to
 three-eighths inch in length, one-sixteenth to three thirty-seconds in
 diameter, and colored greyed-brown (greyed-brown 99A)
 Stem: Emerging young stems maroon (red-purple 178A) turning light gray
 (grayed-green 197B); glabrous; branches of an eight year old tree are
 three to eleven feet in length and three-quarters inch to three inches in
 diameter, measured at a distance of six inches from the main trunk;
 branches arise randomly at a typical branch angle of sixty to ninety
 degrees from the main trunk, branches on this tree were spaced four to
 fifteen inches apart.
 Trunk: Smooth light grey (greyed-green 197B) becoming slightly fissured and
 darker on older sections.
 Growth habit: Upright, oval.
 Vigor: The initially discovered tree and young rooted plants have been
 observed to grow about three feet in height each year, and the trunk
 diameter has been observed to increase in caliper one inch each year after
 the first year.
 Propagation: Holds to distinguishing characteristics through succeeding
 propagation by rooted cuttings.
 Disease and pest resistance: Young propagative material sometimes observed
 with powdery mildew on the upper leaf surface during exceedingly wet
 weather; gall insects sometimes found on small branches; no other diseases
 or insects observed on trees to date.