Trees of the Northern United States Part 12

[Ill.u.s.tration: M. purpurea.]

11. =Magnlia purpurea=, Sims. (PURPLE j.a.pAN MAGNOLIA.) Leaves obovate, pointed at both ends, dark green. Flowers erect, of 3 sepals and 6 obovate, purple petals; blooming about as the leaves expand. A low tree, or usually merely a shrub, from j.a.pan; often cultivated.

Besides the Magnolias here given, there are quite a number of varieties and hybrids in cultivation, from China and j.a.pan, most of them blooming before the leaves expand in spring.

GENUS 2. =LIRIODeNDRON.=

Trees with alternate, deciduous, smooth, stipulate, 4-lobed leaves, the stipules large, attached entirely around the stem, and leaving a ridge when they drop off, as in the genus Magnolia. Flowers tulip-shaped, large (3 in.), greenish-yellow. May to June. Fruit a pointed cone, 3 in.

long, hanging on the tree till autumn.

[Ill.u.s.tration: L. tulipifera.]

=Liriodendron tulipifera=, L. (TULIP-TREE.) Leaves large, smooth on both sides, somewhat 3-lobed, the end one seemingly cut off, leaving a shallow notch; stipules light-colored, large, oblong, attached all around the stem, often remaining on through half the season. A very large (80 to 150 ft. high), beautiful, rapidly growing tree, with soft, straight-grained, greenish wood, of great use for inside work. Southern New England and southward. Especially abundant and large in the Western States. Also cultivated.

GENUS 3. CERCIDIPHLLUM.

Shrubs or trees with opposite, rarely subalternate, simple, deciduous leaves. Fruit short-stemmed, with divergent pods, 2-4 in number, splitting open on the outer edges; each one-celled, with one row of lapping, pendulous seeds with membranous wings.

[Ill.u.s.tration: C. j.a.ponic.u.m.]

=Cercidiphllum j.a.ponic.u.m.= (KATSURA-TREE.) Leaves broadly heart-shaped, palmately veined with 5-7 ribs, and with an apparently entire margin, dark green above, somewhat glaucous beneath. Under a magnifying gla.s.s the margin will be found to have pellucid crenulations. Leafstalk dark red and jointed above the base, the veins somewhat red-tinted. A beautiful, upright tree with birch-like, dotted, brown bark; of recent introduction from j.a.pan, and probably completely hardy throughout the region.

ORDER =II. BIXiNEae.=

A rather small order of mostly tropical trees or shrubs, with alternate, simple leaves.

GENUS 4. =IDeSIA.=

Large trees with terminal and axillary panicles of very small flowers and berries.

[Ill.u.s.tration: I. polycarpa.]

=Idesia polycarpa=, Hook. Leaves large, heart-shaped, serrate, palmately veined with 5 ribs; leafstalk very long, red, with two glands near the base; twigs also glandular; berries very small ( inch), with many seeds. A large tree recently introduced from j.a.pan, which may prove hardy from Pennsylvania south, but is killed by the climate of Ma.s.sachusetts.

ORDER =III. ANONaCEae.=

(CUSTARD-APPLE FAMILY.)

An order of tropical trees and shrubs except the following genus:

GENUS =5. ASiMINA.=

Small trees or shrubs with simple, deciduous, alternate, entire, pinnately-veined leaves. Flowers large, dull purplish, solitary in the axils of last year's leaves. Fruit a large, oblong, several-seeded, pulpy berry.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A. triloba.]

=Asimina triloba=, Dunal. (COMMON PAPAW.) Leaves large (8 to 12 in.

long), oblong-obovate, ac.u.minate, thin, lapping over each other in such a manner as to give the plant a peculiar imbricated appearance. Flowers 1 in. broad, appearing before the leaves. Fruit 3 in. long, 1 in.

thick, yellowish, fragrant, about 8-seeded, ripe in the autumn. Small (10 to 20 ft. high), beautiful tree with dark-brown twigs. All parts have a rank, fetid smell. Wild in New York and southward along streams; cultivated.

ORDER =IV. TAMARISCiNEae.=

A small order, consisting mostly of shrubs (from the Old World) with minute leaves.

GENUS =6. TaMARIX.=

Leaves simple, very small, alternate, clasping; old ones almost transparent at the apex. Flowers in spike-like panicles, small, red, or pink, rarely white.

[Ill.u.s.tration: T. Gallica.]

=Tamarix Gallica=, L. (FRENCH TAMARISK.) Leaves very small, acute; spray very slender, abundant. A sub-evergreen shrub or small tree, 5 to 20 ft.

high; with very small pinkish flowers, in spike-like cl.u.s.ters, blooming from May to October. A very beautiful and strange-looking plant, which, rather sheltered by other trees, can be successfully grown throughout.

ORDER =V. TERNSTROEMIaCEae.=

(TEA OR CAMELLIA FAMILY.)

An order of showy-flowered trees and shrubs of tropical and subtropical regions, here represented by the following genera:

GENUS =7. STUaRTIA.=

Shrubs or low trees with alternate, simple, exstipulate, ovate, serrulate leaves, soft downy beneath. Flowers large (2 in.), white to cream-color, solitary and nearly sessile in the axils of the leaves; blooming in early summer. Fruit a 5-celled capsule with few seeds; ripe in autumn.

[Ill.u.s.tration: S. pentagyna.]

1. =Stuartia pentagyna=, L'Her. (STUARTIA.) Leaves thick, ovate, ac.u.minate, acute at base, obscurely mucronate, serrate, finely p.u.b.escent, 3 to 4 in. long, one half as wide. Flowers whitish cream-colored, one petal much the smallest; stamens of the same color.

Pod 5-angled.

Handsome shrub or small tree (10 to 15 ft.), wild south in the mountains, and hardy and cultivated as far north as New York City without protection. In Ma.s.sachusetts it needs some sheltered position.

[Ill.u.s.tration: S. Virginica.]

2. =Stuartia Virginica=, Cav. (VIRGINIA STUARTIA.) Leaves elliptic-ovate, ac.u.minate at both ends, 2 in. long, 1 in. wide, thin, serrate, silky p.u.b.escent beneath. Flowers white with purple filaments and blue anthers. Pod globular and blunt; ripe in October. A beautiful shrub rather than tree (8 to 12 ft.), wild in Virginia and south; hardy as far north as Washington.

GENUS =8. GORDNIA.=

Shrubs or small trees with alternate, simple, feather-veined leaves.

Flowers large (3 to 4 in. wide), white, showy, solitary in the axils of the leaves. Blooming in summer. Fruit a dry, dehiscent, conical-pointed, 5-celled capsule with 10 to 30 seeds, ripe in the autumn.