Trees of the Northern United States Part 27

GENUS =66. CLERODeNDRON.=

Shrubby trees or climbing shrubs with opposite or whorled, usually entire leaves; flowers with an almost regular, 5-parted corolla surrounded by a bell-shaped calyx; fruit drupe-like, with 4 seeds.

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

=Clerodendron trichotomum=, Thunb. (FATE-TREE.) Leaves opposite, long-petioled, cordate, thin, entire, glandular-dotted above, very veiny; lower leaves largest and three-lobed, the upper ovate, long-pointed, all 3-ribbed. Flowers in large, terminal cl.u.s.ters; fruit with juicy pulp covering the 4 seeds. A small tree from j.a.pan; hardy at Washington and south. The figure represents one of the upper leaves.

GENUS =67. ViTEX.=

Shrubs or low trees with opposite, usually palmate leaves, panicled cl.u.s.ters of flowers and drupe-like fruit.

[Ill.u.s.tration: V. Agnus-castus.]

=Vitex Agnus-castus, L.= (CHASTE-TREE.) Leaves long-petioled, palmate, with 5 to 7 lanceolate, acute, nearly entire leaflets, whitened beneath; with an aromatic though unpleasant odor. Branches obtusely 4-sided, hairy; flowers pale lilac, in interrupted panicles, agreeably sweet-scented in late summer. Shrub or small tree, 5 to 10 ft. high, cultivated from southern Europe; hardy at Washington and south. If cultivated further north, it needs protection, at least when young.

ORDER =x.x.xIII. LAURaCEae.= (LAUREL FAMILY.)

An order of aromatic trees and shrubs, chiefly tropical.

GENUS =68. PeRSEA.=

Aromatic, evergreen trees with alternate, entire, feather-veined leaves.

Flowers small, in small close panicles. Fruit small ( in.) 1-seeded drupes.

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

=Persea Carolinensis=, Nees. (RED BAY.) Leaves 2 to 5 in. long, oblong, entire, covered with a fine down when young, soon smooth above. Flowers silky, in small rounded cl.u.s.ters on short stems. May. Fruit an ovate, pointed, 1-seeded, deep-blue drupe, in. long, on a red stalk; ripe in autumn. Usually a small tree, 15 to 70 ft. high, wild in swamps, Delaware, Virginia, and south. Wood reddish, beautiful, hard, strong, durable.

GENUS =69. Sa.s.sAFRAS.=

Aromatic trees or shrubs with alternate, simple, deciduous, often lobed leaves. Juice of bark and leaves mucilaginous. Flowers yellowish-green, in cl.u.s.ters; blooming in early spring. Fruit a small bluish drupe on a thick reddish stem. Ripe in September. Twigs greenish-yellow.

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

=Sa.s.safras officinale=, Nees. (Sa.s.sAFRAS.) Leaves very variable in form, ovate, entire, or some of them 2- to 3-lobed, soon smooth. Flowering as the leaves are putting forth. Tree 15 to 100 ft. high, common in rich woods. The aromatic fragrance is strongest in the bark of the roots.

Wood reddish, rather hard and durable.

GENUS =70. LiNDERA.=

Shrubs with deciduous, alternate, aromatic leaves and small, yellow flowers in close cl.u.s.ters along the branches. Fruit a drupe on a not-thickened stalk.

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

=Lindera Benzin=, Blume. (SPICE-BUSH. BENJAMIN-BUSH.) Leaves alternate, oblong-ovate, entire, pale beneath, very spicy in odor and taste; twigs green; leaf-buds scaly; drupes red, ripe in autumn. Flowers 4 to 5 together in sessile umbels; in early spring, before the leaves expand.

Common in damp woods throughout.

ORDER =x.x.xIV. ELaeAGNaCEae.=

(OLEASTER FAMILY.)

A small order of shrubs or small trees, with the leaves covered with silvery scurf.

GENUS =71. ELaeaGNUS=.

Leaves alternate, entire; flowers axillary, stemmed; fruit drupe-like with an 8-grooved stone.

[Ill.u.s.tration: E. longipes.]

=Elaeagnus longipes.= (SILVER-LEAVED ELaeAGNUS.) Leaves almost evergreen, rather thick, ovate-oblong, rather blunt, entire, smooth and dark green above, but silvery below. Flowers inconspicuous. Fruit about in. long, bright red, with silvery scales, very abundant and beautiful; ripe in July; juicy and edible, with a pungent flavor. Shrub from j.a.pan; hardy throughout.

GENUS =72. SHEPHeRDIA.=

Small trees or shrubs with opposite, deciduous, entire, silvery-scaled leaves. Flowers very small, dioecious. Fruit small, berry-like, translucent, 1-seeded.

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

=Shepherdia argentea=, Nutt. (BUFFALO-BERRY. RABBIT-BERRY.) Leaves opposite, oblong-ovate, tapering at base, silvery on both sides, with small peltate scales. Branches often ending in sharp thorns. Fruit, scarlet berries the size of currants, forming continuous cl.u.s.ters on every branch and twig, but found only on the pistillate plants. They are juicy, somewhat sour, pleasant-tasting, and make excellent jelly; ripe in September. A small handsome tree, 5 to 20 ft. high, wild in the Rocky Mountains, and sometimes cultivated east. Its th.o.r.n.y-tipped branches make it a good hedge-plant. Hardy.

ORDER =x.x.xV. EUPHORBIaCEae.=

(SPURGE FAMILY.)

A large order of mainly herbaceous and shrubby plants of warm countries, with usually milky juice.

GENUS =73. BuXUS.=

Shrubs or trees with opposite, evergreen, entire leaves and small flowers. The fruit 3-celled, 6-seeded pods.

[Ill.u.s.tration: B. sempervirens.]

=Buxus sempervirens=, L. (BOXWOOD.) Leaves ovate, smooth, dark green; leaf-stems hairy at edge. This plant is a native of Europe, and in its tree form furnishes the white wood used for wood-engraving.

Var. _subfruticosa_ (dwarf boxwood) grows only a foot or two high, and is extensively used for edgings in gardens. The tree form is more rare in cultivation, and is of slow growth, but forms a round-topped tree.

ORDER =x.x.xVI. URTICaCEae.= (NETTLE FAMILY.)

A large order of herbs, shrubs and trees, mainly tropical.