The leaves of Quercus muhlenbergii are simple, alternate and very shallowly lobed. The lobes are more or less acute in shape, but they end in a small blunt "callus" rather than a hairlike tip. The leaves are most likely to be confused with Quercus bicolor, but can be distinguished by the acute lobe tips, acorns lacking stalks and the very dry habitat, compared to Q. bicolor with blunt-tipped lobes, conspicuously stalked acorns and wet habitats.

Quercus muhlenbergii is widely distributed in the eastern United States (except near the Atlantic and Gulf coasts), extending west to Texas, eastern Kansas and Iowa. It is very rare in Wisconsin, barely reaching the southwestern corner of the state on a few very dry sites near the Mississippi River.