Trees of the Northern United States Part 26

5. =Fraxinus platycarpa=, Michx. (WATER-ASH.) Leaflets 5 to 7, 3 to 5 in. long, ovate or oblong, acute at both ends, short-stalked, slightly serrate. Branchlets terete, smooth to p.u.b.escent. Fruit broadly winged, in. wide, often 3-winged, tapering to the base. A medium-sized tree in deep river-swamps, Virginia and south.

[Ill.u.s.tration: F. sambuciflia.]

6. =Fraxinus sambuciflia=, Lam. (BLACK ASH.) Leaflets 7 to 11, sessile, oblong-lanceolate, tapering to a point, serrate, obtuse or rounded at base, green and smooth on both sides; when young, with some rusty hairs along the midrib. Fruit without calyx at base and with wing all around the seed-bearing part, blunt at both ends. A slender tree, 40 to 70 ft.

high, with dark-blue or black buds.

[Ill.u.s.tration: F. excelsior.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Var. monophlla.]

7. =Fraxinus excelsior=, L. (EUROPEAN ASH.) Leaflets 11 to 13 (in some cultivated varieties reduced to 1 to 5), almost sessile, lanceolate-oblong, ac.u.minate, serrate, wedge-shaped at base. Flowers naked, somewhat dioecious, and so the fruit does not form on all the trees. Keys linear-oblong, obtuse, obliquely notched at apex. This species in its very numerous varieties is common in cultivation. One of the most interesting is the Weeping Ash (var. _pendula_). The most remarkable is the one with simple, from pinnatifid to entire leaves (var. _monophylla_).

[Ill.u.s.tration: F. rnus.]

8. =Fraxinus rnus.= (FLOWERING ASH.) Leaflets 7 to 9, lanceolate or elliptical, attenuated, serrated, entire at the stalked bases, villous or downy beneath. Flowers fringe-like, white, in large terminal drooping cl.u.s.ters, of 4 or 2 petals. May to June. Fruit small, lance-linear, obtuse, attenuate at each end. A small tree, 15 to 30 ft. high, planted in parks. Not hardy north of New York City without some protection.

GENUS =61. OSMaNTHUS.=

Shrub or small tree with opposite, thick, evergreen, nearly entire leaves. Flowers small, white, in panicles or corymbs in late spring.

Fruit a spherical drupe, in. long, with a 2-seeded stone; hanging on during the winter.

[Ill.u.s.tration: O. Americana.]

=Osmanthus Americana, L.= (DEVIL-WOOD.) Leaves thick, evergreen, oblong-lanceolate, entire, acute, narrowed to a petiole, 4 to 5 in.

long. Flowers dioecious, very small. May. Fruit globular, about in.

in diameter, violet-purplish; ripe in autumn, and remaining on the tree through the winter. A small tree, 15 to 20 ft. high, from southern Virginia southward, in moist woods.

GENUS =62. SYRiNGA.=

Leaves simple, entire, opposite; flowers ornamental, in large, dense cl.u.s.ters. The Lilacs are all beautiful, but form mere shrubs, except the following:

[Ill.u.s.tration: S. j.a.ponica.]

=Syringa j.a.ponica.= (j.a.pAN LILAC. GIANT TREE LILAC.) Leaves deciduous, opposite, oval to cordate, thick, dark green, glossy; flowers white, 4-parted, odorless, in very large, dense, erect, terminal cl.u.s.ters, blooming in summer; fruit dry 2-celled pods with 2 to 4 seeds. A magnificent small tree, 20 to 30 ft. high; from j.a.pan; probably hardy throughout.

GENUS =63. CHIONaNTHUS.=

Low trees or shrubs with simple, deciduous, opposite, entire, thick, smooth, petioled leaves. Flowers 4-parted, with long, slender, delicate white lobes, drooping in cl.u.s.ters from the lower side of the branches and forming a fringe; in early summer. Fruit a purple drupe.

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

=Chionanthus Virginica, L.= (FRINGE-TREE). Leaves smooth, thickish, large (3 to 6 in. long), oval or obovate, entire. The leaves are occasionally somewhat alternate and thin; they resemble those of the Magnolia. Drupe ovoid, in. long, covered with a bloom. A beautiful small tree or shrub, 8 to 30 ft. high, wild along streams, southern Pennsylvania and southward, and generally cultivated north for its delicate fringe-like flowers. Hardy.

A variety (var. _angustifolia_) with long, narrow leaves is occasionally cultivated.

ORDER =x.x.x. SCROPHULARIaCEae.=

(FIGWORT FAMILY.)

A large order of plants, almost entirely herbaceous; found in all climates; it includes one cultivated tree in this region.

GENUS =64. PAULWNIA.=

Tree with opposite (sometimes in whorls of three), large, deciduous, palmately veined, heart-shaped leaves. Leaf-stem often hollow; minute cup-shaped glands, separated from one another, situated on many portions of the leaf, but quite abundant on the upper side at the branching of the veins. Flowers large, in immense panicles; in spring, before the leaves expand. Fruit a dry, ovate, pointed capsule, 1 in. long, with innumerable flat-winged seeds; hanging on the tree throughout the winter.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. imperialis.]

=Paulwnia imperialis=, (IMPERIAL PAULOWNIA.) Leaves 7 to 14 in. long, sometimes somewhat lobed, usually very hairy beneath; 2 buds, almost hidden under the bark, above each other in the axil. Flowers purple, nearly 2 in. long, with a peculiar, thick, leather-like calyx. A broad flat-headed tree, of rapid growth when young. Cultivated; from j.a.pan; and hardy throughout, but the flower-buds are winter-killed quite frequently north of New York City.

ORDER =x.x.xI. BIGNONIaCEae.=

(BIGNONIA FAMILY.)

An order of woody plants abundant in South America; here including one genus of trees:

GENUS =65. CATaLPA.=

Trees or shrubs with large, simple, opposite (or whorled in threes), heart-shaped, pointed leaves. Flowers irregular, showy, in large panicles; blooming in June. Fruit long pods with many, winged seeds, hanging on till spring. Branches coa.r.s.e and stiff. Wood light and close-grained.

* Flowers bright-spotted; wings of seeds narrowed 1.

* Flowers nearly pure white; wings of seeds broad 2.

[Ill.u.s.tration: C. bignoniodes.]

1. =Catalpa bignoniodes=, Walt. (INDIAN BEAN. SOUTHERN CATALPA.) The large heart-shaped leaf has connected scaly glands in the axils of the large veins on the lower side; usually entire though sometimes angulated, generally opposite though sometimes in whorls of threes, very downy beneath when young, 6 to 12 in. long. Flowers much spotted with yellow and purple, and with the lower lobe entire. Pod thin, 10 in. or more in length. A medium-sized, wide-spreading tree, 20 to 40 ft. high, of rapid growth, with soft, light wood and thin bark; wild in the Southern States, and extensively cultivated as far north as Albany.

[Ill.u.s.tration: C. speciosa.]

2. =Catalpa speciosa=, Warder. (INDIAN BEAN. WESTERN CATALPA.) Leaves large (5 to 12 in. long), heart-shaped, long-pointed. Flowers 2 in.

long, nearly white, faintly spotted, the lower lobes somewhat notched.

Pod thick. A large, tall tree, 40 to 60 ft. high, with thick bark; wild in low, rich woodlands, southern Indiana, south and west.

[Ill.u.s.tration: C. Kaempferi.]

=Catalpa Kaempferi= and =Catalpa Bungei= are dwarf forms from j.a.pan, the latter growing to the height of from 4 to 8 ft., and the former rarely reaching the height of 18 ft. The leaf of C. Kaempferi is figured. It is more apt to have its margin angulated, though all the species occasionally have angulated leaves.

ORDER =x.x.xII. VERBENACEae.=

Herbs, shrubs, rarely small trees, with opposite leaves, irregular flowers and dry 2- to 4-celled fruits.