Chapter I: Preface (1)

This simple key and guide to the woody plants—trees, shrubs and woody vines—which grow naturally in Dallas County, Texas, has been prepared to help beginners of any age in getting better acquainted with these leafy neighbors and friends. Woody plants offer one of the best places to begin a study of nature: first because there are but few kinds to learn in comparison with many other living forms—about 90 of these plants against estimated numbers for the county of about 300 birds, 500 to 1000 other flowering plants and over 25,000 insects; second, woody plants remain in one place, freely available for observation at any hour or season and year after year—if they escape human interference. And what more helpful link toward acquaintance with other interesting forms of natural life can be found than an intimate friendship with their mutual friends, the trees!

The distinctions between trees and shrubs or between shrubs and woody vines are often purely arbitrary, depending in part on age. A plant which grows at least twenty feet tall and usually (not always) has just one woody, self-supporting stem at the ground is considered a tree. A plant which rarely grows taller than twenty feet, in a given region, and usually has more than one woody stem rising from the ground is considered a shrub. The separation of herbs from woody plants divides those plants which usually die down to the ground each winter from those having woody stems which persist above ground year after year. Some ninety different woody plants are distinguished from one another and briefly described in this key and guide. Each description represents a single species with the exception of the cactus, yucca, red oaks and red haws; the differences between the various species of these plants are too complex for this brief manual.

Scientific names are included here, not with any thought that they should be memorized or that they need be used in ordinary conversation, but to avoid the possibility of misunderstandings such as often arise from some common names which are used by different persons to designate different plants. Many plants have more than one common name and often one common name is used for two or more quite unlike plants. Common names listed first are the ones considered more suitable.

The first part of the scientific name represents the genus (plural, genera), a degree of relationship or grouping smaller than the family but more inclusive than the species. The second name represents the species or specific kind of plant; species are occasionally divided into varieties (var.). The abbreviation following the scientific name stands for the name of the botanist who first described or named the plant, scientifically. L. stands for Linnaeus, “the father of modern botany”, who first used this double-name (binomial) system of scientific classification.

More extended descriptions and further information about these plants may be found in some of the reference books listed in the back of this booklet; many, if not all of them, are available in the Dallas Public Library. Only the more necessary technical words have been used and these are defined or illustrated herein. Although this booklet endeavors to include all the woody plants growing naturally in Dallas County, no doubt omissions and errors will be found and the author will be glad to be informed of them.

Grateful acknowledgement is made to Dr. W. M. Longnecker and Dr. E. P. Cheatum of the Department of Biology, Southern Methodist University, and to Dr. B. C. Tharp of the Department of Botany and Bacteriology, University of Texas, for their most helpful suggestions and criticisms. Although this booklet is based upon the field observations of the author and her husband, Jerry E. Stillwell, who assisted her in many ways, she has made free use of such technical information as was needed from the volumes listed in the bibliography.

The illustrations used in this publication were drawn for it by Alice Ferguson.

NORMA STILLWELL,
Dallas, Texas.

Copyright 1939 by the author.

HOW TO USE THE KEY

This key is based chiefly on leaves and twigs, as they offer the easiest clues for identification, especially in this climate where leaves are present about three-fourths of the year. The best method of study is to carry this booklet to the woody plant or plants you want to know. If this is not convenient, have at least a leafy twig in hand. When collecting specimens for study (a large-paged magazine will do for carrying and pressing), notes should include the date and location, any peculiarities of the bark, nature of thorns if not on the specimen taken, color of twigs or any other features which might change in drying, flowers or seeds or any such extra clues which might help to find the right name for the plant. Small specimens of leafy twigs may be taken in suitable locations without endangering or damaging woody plants provided they are always cut, never torn from the branches.

The sizes as well as shapes of leaves are usually more typical on older plants or on the higher branches of trees. When either leaves or twigs are described as opposite, this condition will be found to be true for both, although sometimes the opposite member is missing; but leaflets (leaf-like units of a compound leaf) may sometimes be opposite when the complete leaves are not—the position of leaves, not leaflets, is used in this key. The terms rare, common or abundant are used to apply solely to Dallas County.

Begin with the numbers 1 in the key and decide which of these fits the woody plant whose name you are seeking. Turn to the key number following the 1 you have chosen and again choose between the two descriptions bearing the same number. Continue this process until you have reached the name of a plant. This name will be followed by some number above 200; turn to this number in the guide and see whether this more complete description fits. If each of your choices in the key has been correct you now know the name of your plant. If this description in the guide does not fit your plant, go over the key again, selecting this time the other choice at any number where you may have been in doubt.

Whenever it has been necessary to use an obscure or variable characteristic an effort has been made so to arrange the key that the right answer will be reached whichever the choice. That is why some plant names appear more than once in the key. If the following points are noted any careful observer should be successful in identifying the native woody plants of Dallas County by the use of this key. It will be found helpful in other regions where the native plants are similar to those of Dallas County.

1. Look carefully for thorns or prickles.

2. Notice anything unusual about the bark of trunk and branches—knotty, flaky, peeling, color, etc.

3. Try to choose mature leaves of typical shapes and sizes rather than the unusual ones.

4. Look for flowers, fruits or seeds on or under a tree or other woody plant. These may furnish just the confirmation you need to feel sure of the right name.

GLOSSARY

axil: the angle where a leaf stem joins a twig.

deciduous: losing its leaves in winter, not evergreen.

dioecious: bearing staminate, or male, flowers on separate plants from
the pistillate, or fruit-bearing flowers; hence some plants of
certain species never bear fruits or seeds.

fruit: that part of any plant which contains the seeds.

lenticel: air pore in the bark.

monoecious: bearing the two kinds of flowers on the same plant.

opaque: not admitting or transmitting light.

perfect: having both stamens and pistils in one flower, as most showy
flowers have.

pistillate: possessing a pistil or pistils and lacking stamens; female,
or fruit-bearing.

staminate: possessing stamens and lacking a pistil; male, or
pollen-bearing.

translucent: admitting some light but not clear or transparent.

Spike
Cyme
Umbel
Panicle
Catkin
Twigs
Opposite
winter bud
leaf scar
Alternate
Flower Parts
anther
pistil
stamen
sepal
petal
Pea Shaped Flower

Elliptical
Acute Tip
Coarsely Serrate (toothed) Margin
Lobed
Rounded
Pointed
Oblong
Crenate Margin
Midrib
Ovate
Acuminate Tip
Notched Margin
Truncate Base
Linear
Heart
Serrate Margin
More than one main vein at the base
Sickle
Obovate
Doubly Serrate Margin
veins united near margin

Pinnate
odd leaflet
Palmate
Twice Pinnate
leaflet

KEY TO NATIVE WOODY PLANTS OF DALLAS COUNTY
_Based Principally On Leaves_

_Numbers below 200 refer to the key,
above 200 to the guide (p. 20)._

1. Leaves evergreen 2
1. Leaves deciduous 7

2. Leaves pinnately compound 71
2. Leaves not pinnately compound 3

3. Plants with very thick, fleshy, flattened, leaf-like stems, usually
covered with many prickles prickly-pear cactus 269
3. Leaves not very thick and fleshy and not prickly except at tips 4

4. Leaves in large rosette close to ground 5
4. Leaves needle-like, not in rosettes 6

5. Leaves sword-shaped yucca 205
5. Leaves fan-shaped palmetto (rare) 203

6. Inner bark yellowish brown, berries light blue red cedar 201
6. Inner bark darker brown, berries larger and darker, purplish
mountain cedar (rare) 202

7. Leaves simple 8
7. Leaves compound 67

8. Leaves and twigs alternate 9
8. Leaves and twigs opposite 54

_Leaves Simple and Alternate_

9. Leaves linear (long and narrow) 11
9. Leaves not linear 10

10. Leaves smooth and very glossy on both sides, broadly truncate at
base, stems flattened cottonwood 207
10. Leaves not possessing all three characteristics as given in 10
above 12

11. Leaves usually less than ¾ inch wide, midrib yellowish and
prominent on both sides willow 206
11. Leaves usually more than ¾ inch wide, midrib not yellowish nor
prominent on both sides peach 239

12. Trunks or twigs with thorns or spines 13
12. Trunks and twigs without thorns or spines 18

13. Thorny vines greenbrier 204
13. Thorny trees or shrubs 14

14. Leaf margins entire (smooth) 17
14. Leaf margins not entire, variously serrate or toothed 15

15. Leaves either blunt at tip or shallowly lobed or cut, primary
veins usually straight to margins, often doubly serrate red haws
232
15. Leaves pointed at tip, serrate, not cut or lobed, veins united or
curving near margins 16

16. Leaf width more than half the length, leaf flat, glands, if
present on leaf-stem near leaf, dark wild plum (tree) 237
16. Leaf width less than half the length, tending to fold lengthwise,
usually two bright red glands on leaf-stem near leaf
dwarf plum 238

17. Leaf smooth or glossy, tip pointed, juice of stem milky bois
d’arc or Osage orange 226
17. Leaf wooly on under side, especially when young, usually rather
blunt at tip, juice of stem not milky wooly bumelia, chittam wood
or gum elastic 272

18. Leaves either lobed or coarsely toothed 33
18. Leaves neither lobed nor coarsely toothed, sometimes doubly
toothed 19

19. Leaf margin serrate or crenate or doubly toothed 20
19. Leaf margin smooth or wavy 47

20. Vines rattan 261
20. Not vines 21

21. Leaf margins doubly toothed (large and small teeth) 22
21. Leaf margins not doubly toothed 25

22. Leaves 3 to 7 inches long, twigs not corky winged 23
22. Leaves 1 to 3 inches long, twigs sometimes corky winged 24

23. Inner bark mucilaginous (“slippery” when chewed), leaves rough
above, downy below red or slippery elm 220
23. Inner bark not mucilaginous, leaves rather smooth above and downy
below white or American elm 221

24. Leaves 1 to 2½ inches long, rather blunt tips, flowers in fall
cedar elm 222
24. Leaves 1½ to 3 inches long, tapering point, flowers in spring
winged elm (rare) 223

25. Bark of trunk with warty or knotty projections rough-leaved
hackberry 224
25. Bark of trunk without warty projections 26

26. Leaf length more than 4 times width peach 239
26. Leaf length less than 3 times width 27

27. Larger twigs with whitish cross-streaks, flowers and fruit in
catkin-like racemes wild cherry (rare) 236
27. Twigs without whitish cross-streaks, flowers and fruits not in
racemes 28

28. Lowest pair of primary leaf veins much longer than others New
Jersey tea 260
28. Lowest pair of primary leaf veins not much, if any, longer than
others 29

29. Leaf veins and midrib yellowish and prominent on under side,
primary veins closely and evenly spaced Indian cherry 259
29. Leaf veins and midrib not yellowish, if prominent on under side
not closely and evenly spaced 30

30. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long (rarely much larger), sometimes
mitten-shaped or, on young shoots, intricately lobed, margins
rather coarsely serrate or toothed red mulberry 227
30. Leaves 1 to 3½ inches long, margins finely serrate or crenate, not
lobed 31

31. Leaves 1 to 2 inches long, margins crenate, veinlets not
conspicuous, twigs pale gray swamp holly 253
31. Leaves 2 to 3½ inches long, margins serrate, veinlets netted and
conspicuous below, twigs purplish or reddish 32

32. Width of leaves more than half their length, flat, glands on
leaf-stem dark wild plum (tree) 237
32. Width of leaves less than half their length, tending to fold
lengthwise, usually 2 bright red glands on leaf-stem near leaf
dwarf plum 238

33. Lobed or coarsely toothed leaves on vines 34
33. Lobed or coarsely toothed leaves not on vines 38

34. Leaf margins smooth, though sometimes slightly lobed 35
34. Leaf margins deeply lobed or coarsely toothed or both 36

35. Leaves 2 to 4 inches long Carolina moonseed (sarsaparilla) 229
35. Leaves 4 to 10 inches long Canada moonseed (very rare) 230

36. Leaf surfaces not downy or wooly 37
36. At least lower leaf surfaces somewhat wooly grapes 266 and 267

37. Leaves mostly 3-divided or deeply lobed or cut, fleshy cow-itch
vine 264
37. Leaves coarsely toothed, not divided or deeply lobed, grapelike
except thin and smooth, or nearly smooth Cissus ampelopsis 265

38. Leaves as broad as long sycamore 231
38. Leaves not as broad as long 39

39. Leaves toothed, not tough, rough above, not broader toward tip,
often lobed on young trees red mulberry 227
39. Leaves tough, not rough above, lobed or notched 40

40. Leaves regularly notched but not deeply lobed 44
40. Leaves deeply lobed or else broader toward tip, not regularly
notched 41

41. Lobes few and shallow or sharp-pointed at tips 42
41. Lobes not sharp-pointed at tips 45

42. Lobes, if any, few and shallow and near tip, leaves decidedly
broader toward tip 43
42. Leaves with several to many sharp-pointed lobes, some of them
always fairly deep, variously shaped, (more than one species) red
oaks 219

43. Leaves 4 to 10 inches long black jack oak 218
43. Leaves 2 to 3 inches long water oak, duck oak or pin oak 217

44. Leaf notches pointed chinquapin oak 216
44. Leaf notches rounded swamp chestnut oak 215

45. Leaves 6 to 12 inches long bur oak 214
45. Leaves less than 6 inches long 46

46. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long post oak 212
46. Leaves less than 3 inches long scrub oak 213

_Leaf Margins Smooth or Wavy, Not Lobed or Toothed_

47. Vines 48
47. Not vines 50

48. Leaves 2 to 4 inches long Carolina moonseed 229
48. Leaves 4 to 10 inches long 49

49. Leaves deeply heart-shaped at base, wooly, leaf margin not
extending beyond base of stem, not angled or lobed wooly pipevine
228
49. Leaves not always deeply heart-shaped at base, not wooly, leaf
margin extending slightly beyond base of stem, leaves often angled
or shallowly lobed Canada moonseed (very rare) 230

50. Leaves broad, at least nearly as broad as long, more than one main
vein at base redbuds 240 and 241
50. Leaves decidedly longer than wide, one main vein at base 51

51. Leaves smooth or shiny above 52
51. Leaves not smooth, or shiny above southern hackberry 225

52. Leaf midrib and veins yellow and very prominent beneath, primary
veins closely and evenly spaced, not branched Indian cherry 259
52. Leaf veins not very prominent beneath, not yellow, not evenly
spaced 53

53. Leaves broader toward tip, sometimes lobed 43
53. Leaves not broader toward tip, not lobed persimmon 273

_Leaves Simple and Opposite_

54. Upper pairs of leaves often united around stem 55
54. Upper pairs of leaves not united around stem 56

55. A vine, leaves evergreen coral honeysuckle (rare) 282
55. A shrub, though some of stems long and straggling bush
honeysuckle 283

56. Leaf margins entire or wavy 57
56. Leaf margins serrate or coarsely toothed 63

57. Leaves ½ to 1½ inches long 58
57. Leaves 1½ to 10 inches long 59

58. Leaves light yellowish green, glossy, narrowly oblong-obovate St.
Andrew’s cross (sandy land) 268
58. Leaves dark green above, lighter and downy beneath, not glossy,
ovate Indian currant 284

59. Leaves glossy above, often in whorls of three or sometimes more,
midrib broad and yellow button bush 281
59. Leaves not glossy above, not in whorls, midrib not yellow 60

60. Leaves 7 to 10 inches long catalpa or cigar tree (rare) 279
60. Leaves less than 6 inches long 61

61. Twigs dark, with conspicuous light dots, primary veins not
prominent below nor indented above, usually less than 2½ inches
long swamp privet 277
61. Twigs without conspicuous light dots, primary veins prominent
below and indented above, usually over 2½ inches long 62

62. Leaves smooth but not glossy above, tending to cluster towards
ends of twigs flowering dogwood (rare) 270
62. Leaves rough above, distributed along branchlets dwarf or
rough-leaved dogwood 271

63. Twigs bright green, often 4-sided or ridged, leaves smooth but not
glossy, acuminate tips waahoo 254
63. Twigs neither green nor 4-sided 64

64. Leaves very glossy above black haw 285
64. Leaves not glossy above 65

65. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long, rather coarsely toothed French
mulberry 278
65. Leaves ¾ to 3 inches long, finely serrate or crenate 66

66. Leaves blunt at tip spring herald 276
66. Leaves tapering at both ends swamp privet 277

67. Compound leaves alternate 68
67. Compound leaves opposite 91

_Leaves Compound and Alternate_

68. Trunks or twigs with spines or thorns 69
68. Trunks and twigs without spines or thorns 74

69. Low shrubs, 6 inches to 2 feet high pasture rose 234
69. Not low shrubs 70

70. Leaves with 3 to 5 leaflets 71
70. Leaves with more than 5 leaflets 72

71. Stems trailing, usually on the ground dewberries 235
71. Stems climbing prairie rose (rare) 233

72. Thorns long, often branched honey locust 243
72. Thorns or prickles short 73

73. Leaflets ovate and with odd leaflet at tip prickly ash 246
73. Leaflets oblong and without odd leaflet at tip mesquite 240

74. Vines 75
74. Not vines 78

75. Leaves twice-pinnately compound pepper vine 263
75. Leaves palmately compound or with 3 leaflets 76

76. Three leaflets 77
76. Five or more leaflets Virginia creeper 262

77. Leaves succulent (thick and juicy), sometimes three-lobed instead
of parted cow-itch vine (rare) 264
77. Leaves not succulent, leaflets always fully parted, plant often
shrubby when young poison oak or poison ivy 251

78. Leaves twice-pinnately compound chinaberry 248
78. Leaves not twice-pinnate 79

79. Three leaflets (sometimes 5 on wafer ash) 80
79. More than 3 leaflets 82

80. Leaflets less than 2 inches long aromatic or ill-scented sumac 252
80. Leaflets 2 to 5 inches long 81

81. All leaflets stemless, twigs glossy wafer ash (rare) 247
81. Terminal leaflet longer stemmed than other two, twigs not glossy
poison oak or poison ivy 251

82. Leaflets rounded toward tips 83
82. Leaflets acute or acuminate 84

83. Twigs dark green, leaflets not gland-dotted Eve’s necklace 244
83. Twigs not green, leaflets dotted with tiny amber glands river
locust 245

84. Leaf margins smooth or nearly so 84A
84. Leaf margins distinctly toothed or serrate 86

84A. Leaves 1 to 3 feet long, 13 to 41 leaflets, twigs very stout
tree of Heaven (rare) 248A
84A. Leaves less than 1 foot long, 8 to 21 leaflets, twigs not very
stout 85

85. Leafy wings along stems between leaflets with odd leaflet at tip
winged or dwarf sumac 250
85. Leaf stem not or rarely winged between leaflets without odd
leaflet at tip soapberry (wild chinaberry) 257

86. Leaflets 5 to 7 87
86. Leaflets 9 to 31 88

87. Terminal leaflet usually broader toward tip and at least twice as
large as lowest pair hickory 211
87. Terminal leaflet not broader toward tip and not much larger than
others Spanish or Texas buckeye 256

88. Twigs reddish or purplish, a shrub smooth sumac 249
88. Twigs neither reddish nor purplish, trees 89

89. Pith of twigs dark and chambered black walnut 208
89. Pith of twigs not dark, continuous 90

90. Nut nearly cylindric, seed sweet pecan 209
90. Nut 4-angled, seed bitter bitter pecan (rare) 210

_Leaves Compound and Opposite_

91. Vines 92
91. Not vines 94

92. Leaves palmately compound (alternate) Virginia creeper 262
92. Leaves not palmately compound 93

93. Twice-pinnately compound (alternate) pepper vine 263
93. Once-pinnate trumpet creeper 280

94. Palmately compound fetid or Ohio buckeye 258
94. Not palmately compound 95

95. With terminal leaflet 96
95. Without terminal leaflet mesquite 240

96. Twice-pinnately compound (alternate) chinaberry 248
96. Once-pinnate 97

97. Leaflets 5 to 11, usually 7, twigs not bright green 98
97. Leaflets 3 to 5 (rarely 7 or 9), twigs bright green box elder 255

98. Twigs brownish gray, lenticels obscure, flowers and fruits in
cymes, shrubs elderberry 286
98. Twigs greenish gray or gray, whitish lenticels noticeable, flowers
and fruits in panicles, trees 99

99. Leaves bright or yellowish green on both sides, leaf-scar of twig
straight or nearly so on upper edge green ash 275
99. Leaves dark green above, paler below, leaf-scar of twig concave or
notched on upper edge white ash 274

260 New Jersey tea; fruit
276 spring herald
261 rattan vine
268 St. Andrew’s cross
252 aromatic sumac
264 cow-itch vine
284 Indian current
253 swamp holly

254 waahoo
265 _Cissus ampelopsis_
285 black haw
278 French mulberry
271 dwarf dogwood
283 bush honeysuckle
282 coral honeysuckle
277 swamp privet

280 trumpet creeper
244 Eve’s necklace
246 prickly ash
245 river locust
249 smooth sumac
256 Texas buckeye

248 chinaberry
262 Virginia creeper
250 winged sumac
263 pepper vine
257 soapberry
258 Ohio buckeye

247 wafer ash
251 poison ivy
230 Canada moonseed
259 Indian cherry
286 elderberry
255 box elder
229 Carolina moonseed
228 wooly pipevine

GUIDE TO NATIVE WOODY PLANTS OF DALLAS COUNTY

_Capital letters and page numbers following the descriptions of a few
of these plants refer to the bibliography at the end of this guide._

PINE FAMILY

201. RED CEDAR (_Juniperus virginiana_ L.) abundant tree of medium height. Habitat: all soils, especially limestone hills in southwestern part of county. Leaves: small, thick, scale-like or like short needles. Bark: thin, reddish brown, shreddy, inner layers yellowish brown. Twigs: of young shoots bear the sharper-pointed leaves. Flowers: dioecious, in February or March; staminate minute, numerous, rusty; pistillate purplish, inconspicuous. Fruit: light blue, spherical, ¼ inch diameter. Wood: reddish at heart, sapwood light, used for cedar chests, rustic work, and fence posts; for the last inferior only to bois d’arc as it is very lasting in contact with the soil.

202. MOUNTAIN CEDAR (_Juniperus mexicana_ Spreng.) rare tree except at Camp Wisdom and vicinity. Habitat: dry uplands, this about its eastern limit but abundant westward. Leaves: similar to red cedar. Inner bark: darker brown than on red cedar. Fruit: larger and darker than red cedar, purplish. Wood: light brown, hard and close-grained but weak, used for fuel, fence posts, poles and landscape planting.

PALM FAMILY

203. DWARF PALMETTO (_Sabal minor_ Pers.) low shrub of the river bottom, rare. Leaves: 15 to 20 inches long, spreading, fan-shaped, from an underground stem; browsed by cattle and mostly destroyed when Bois d’Arc Island was cleared for cultivation. Flowers: whitish, small, from a slightly branched central stalk. Fruit: black, spherical, smooth, dry, about ¼ inch across. L (p. 223) (_S. glabra_). M (p. 240.)

LILY FAMILY

204. GREENBRIER (_Smilax bona nox_ L.) abundant vine; locally called stretchberry, saw-brier, cat-brier. Habitat: woodlands and thickets, becoming especially obnoxious in heavily pastured woodlands. Leaves: 1½ to 4½ inches long, ½ to 3 wide, alternate, oval or somewhat heart-shaped, margins entire; smooth, thick, shining, many remaining green and some mottled with brown in winter; all primary veins running lengthwise of leaf. Stems: long, evergreen, often very prickly, climbing by tendrils. Flowers: small, inconspicuous, yellowish or greenish, dioecious, in umbels, six “petals”. Fruit: black, shining or covered with a bloom, round or nearly so, size of small peas. This vine’s greatest virtue seems to be that it offers food and shelter to the birds.

205. YUCCA, bear-grass, Spanish dagger (_Yucca_ species) more than one species in the county; abundant in meadows and along roadsides. Leaves: grasslike but large, thick and tough, in rosettes, often with white threads on margins; sharp-pointed. Woody stem: very short in our species. Flowers: greenish white or creamy, many along a central stalk two or three feet tall; each cupped flower about an inch or two long, fertilized by a small white moth which lays its egg inside. Fruit: a short, thick, cylindrical pod containing layers of flat, black seeds.

WILLOW FAMILY

206. WILLOW (_Salix nigra_ Marsh.) the black willow is probably the only native species growing in the county. The weeping willow (_Salix babylonica_) has not been observed growing in the county except where planted. Willows grow close to water or in low ground, are very common and grow very rapidly where they have an abundant supply of water; very valuable in checking soil erosion as their roots help to hold the soil in place. Leaves: simple, alternate, 3 to 6 inches long, ⅛ to ¾ wide, acuminate, with fine, incurved serrations. Bark: rough, shaggy on old trees, usually light brown. Twigs: conspicuously yellowish orange in winter, smooth or glossy, very slender. Flowers: in catkins, yellowish, dioecious. Fruit: cottony-covered seeds. Wood: soft, light, weak, used for a special charcoal in manufacturing gunpowder, some species for artificial limbs.

207. COTTONWOOD (_Populus deltoides_ var. _virginiana_ Sudw.) common, large tree, also called Carolina poplar. Habitat: prefers lowlands and stream banks although will grow in dry soil. Leaves: simple, alternate, 3 to 5 inches each way, commonly glossy on both sides, broad and straight across at the base, coarsely toothed or crenate, stems flattened. Bark: thick, light gray, deeply furrowed on trunks to smooth and yellowish green on branches. Twigs: stout, greenish yellow to pale gray, smooth; lenticels large, pale, lengthwise; buds large, scales very sticky-resinous. Flowers: staminate are red catkins, pistillate greenish yellow, dioecious. Fruit: cottony-covered seeds. Wood: soft, light weight, warps easily but cheap because of rapid growth of tree; new methods of rapid kiln-drying have lessened warping.

WALNUT FAMILY

208. BLACK WALNUT (_Juglans nigra_ L.) tree, common in rich bottomlands. Leaves: alternate, pinnately compound, one to two feet long, 15 to 23 leaflets, each about 3 inches long, tapering and toothed; with a characteristic odor when crushed. Bark: thick, dark, rough. Twigs: have dark, chambered pith shown by splitting lengthwise through center. Flowers: greenish, male in catkins, female inconspicuous, both kinds on the same tree. Fruit: green to black husk does not split, round; shell rough, very hard, dark; nut rich and sweet. Wood: hard, strong, rich brown color, very valuable for gunstocks, furniture, etc.

209. PECAN (_Carya pecan_ Engl. & Graebn.) abundant, the state tree. Habitat: rich bottomlands preferred. Leaves: similar to black walnut but average fewer leaflets, 9 to 17. Twigs: do not have dark, chambered pith. Bark: somewhat variable in appearance but generally lighter in color than walnut and not as flaky as soapberry both of which it resembles. Fruit: very valuable crop in Texas, many cultivated varieties tending toward larger size of nuts and thinner shell. Wood: not valuable, hard but brittle and not strong.

210. BITTER PECAN (_Carya texana_ Schn.) rare tree of low woodlands. The nuts are 4-angled and the seeds bitter. Wood tough and strong.

211. HICKORY (_Carya buckleyi_ Durand) uncommon in this county. Observed in sandy woods. Leaves: pinnately compound, of 5 to 9 leaflets, the terminal 4 to 6 inches long, 2 to 2¼ wide, twice as large as the lowest, obovate and tapering at each end. Bark: dark, rough, close. Fruit: resembles pecan but broader; shell thick, somewhat wrinkled, light in color; seed sweet. Wood: hard, brittle, little used except for fuel.

BEECH FAMILY

White Oak Group: _Fruit requires 1 year to mature; leaves without
sharp points to lobes_ (_except chinquapin oak leaves_). Bark:
_usually lighter gray than on black or red oaks_.

212. POST OAK (_Quercus stellata_ Wang) most abundant tree of dry, sandy, upland woods. Leaves: 3 to 5 inches long, with 5 rounded lobes wider toward the outer end; like bur oak but smaller; dead leaves often cling in winter, especially on young trees. Flowers: as in other oaks, male in catkins, female inconspicuous, both kinds on same tree. Fruit: an oval acorn, ½ to 1 inch long in a rather shallow cup. Bark: rough, with deep grooves. Twigs: very fuzzy when young. Wood: hard, durable in soil but difficult to season, used mainly for fuel, fence posts and crossties.

213. SCRUB OAK: or dwarf post oak (probably a variety of _Q. stellata_). Habitat: on limestone hills where common. Leaves: similar to post oak but less than 3 inches long and less deeply lobed. Bark: thin, light gray, with loose scales. Sometimes attains tree size though usually shrubby and growing in dense thickets, typically not over 20 feet high.

214. BUR OAK or mossy-cup oak (_Quercus macrocarpa_ Michx.) common large tree of lowlands; heavy, thick branches make it the sturdiest looking of our oaks. Leaves: 6 to 12 inches long, deeply 5 to 7 lobed with the lobes rounded and larger toward the tip, upper lobe largest and wavy margined or shallowly lobed. Acorns: large, 2 inches or more in diameter, the cup usually deep and heavily fringed. Wood: for cabinetmaking and all sorts of construction, shipbuilding, etc.

215. SWAMP CHESTNUT OAK or basket oak (_Quercus prinus_ L.) Habitat: rich bottomlands, not common. Leaves: obovate, margins deeply wavy or with small, regularly rounded notches, downy beneath, 3 to 8 inches long. Bark: light gray, with broad flakes. Acorns: about 1½ inches long by 1 inch wide, shiny brown, with a shallow cup, eaten by cows (cow oak). Wood: used for lumber, veneer, cooperage, wheels, implements, and baskets.

216. CHINQUAPIN OAK or chestnut oak (_Quercus muehlenbergii_ Engelm.) Habitat: various, prefers limestone soil, common. Leaves: similar to preceding species but more sharply notched. Bark: thick, usually silvery gray, large, loose scales on surface. Acorns: smaller than preceding and have very short stems. Branches: typically fewer, larger and more irregular than preceding. Wood: hard, strong, close-grained, durable, used for cooperage, furniture, crossties, fuel.

Black or Red Oak Group: _Fruit requires two years to mature, leaves
have sharp points on lobes._

217. WATER OAK, duck oak, or pin oak (_Quercus nigra_ L.) Habitat: low, sandy land, rare. Leaves: usually about 2½ inches long and 1½ wide, narrow toward base, usually broader toward tip, shallowly lobed toward tip or entire, smooth and dark green above, tardily deciduous. Bark: rather smooth, reddish brown. Fruit: acorns usually solitary, very short-stalked, light brown, ½ to ⅔ inch long. Wood: heavy, hard, strong, little used except for fuel and crossties.

218. BLACK JACK OAK (_Quercus marilandica_ Muench.) Habitat: dry, upland woods, sandy soil, with post oaks where few other trees grow, common. Leaves: 4 to 10 inches long, very wide at tip, narrow toward base, only very shallowly lobed, dark above, leathery, dead leaves often clinging to young trees in winter. Bark: rough, dark, broken into small, hard flakes. Fruit: an acorn about ¾ inch long with a cup enclosing about half the nut which is yellowish brown and often striped. Wood: heavy, hard and strong but little used except as fuel.

219. RED OAK (_Quercus_ species). Several species of red oak are not easily distinguished except by specialists and the problem is complicated by the fact that many species interbreed readily, thus producing many variations from the typical forms. Probably _Q. shumardii_ var. _schneckii_ is the most common red oak around Dallas. The leaves are similar in shape to the black oak but are thinner and lack the prominent rusty hairs in the forks of the veins; lobes are usually from 5 to 7 and vary greatly as to length and width. The Texas red oak (_Q. texana_ Buckley) is a closely related smaller tree of dry uplands. The Spanish oak (_Q. rubra_ L.) is another red oak of dry uplands; it is easily recognized when the leaves assume one typical form which is narrow and rounded at the base with the three or more narrow lobes occurring near the tip. For more complete descriptions of these trees the reader is referred to the latest edition of Sargent’s “Manual of the Trees of North America.”

NETTLE FAMILY

220. RED OR SLIPPERY ELM (_Ulmus fulva_ Michx.) Habitat: principally in rich soil on low hillsides or stream banks, a common tree. Leaves: doubly toothed, unequal at the base, 3 to 7 inches long, rough on both sides. Twigs: somewhat mucilaginous or “slippery” when chewed; buds covered with rusty hairs. Inner BARK: very mucilaginous, used in medicine; outer BARK: grayish brown with flat ridges. Flowers: small, inconspicuous, appearing very early in spring, before the leaves; in clusters, each flower on a long drooping stalk. Fruit: green-winged seeds, disk-shaped, notched at tip but without incurved tips. Wood: close-grained, tough, heavy, hard, used for fence posts, crossties, implements, ribs for small boats, etc.

221. WHITE OR AMERICAN ELM (_Ulmus americana_ L.) Habitat: similar to red elm, less common. Leaves: similar except usually rather smooth above and downy below, veins prominent below and parallel from midrib to leaf edge. Twigs: brownish and smoother, buds without rusty hairs, not, or very slightly, mucilaginous. Cross section of BARK shows alternate layers of brown and white; surface dark gray with irregular, flat-topped ridges. Flowers: very short-stalked. Seed: wings notched, with incurving tips. Wood: hard, strong, tough, difficult to split, coarse-grained, used for wheel-hubs, saddletrees, floors, boats.

222. CEDAR ELM (_Ulmus crassifolia_ Nutt.) Habitat: varied, our most abundant elm, resists drouth and root rot, hence recommended as a shade tree. Leaves: 1 to 2 inches long, usually blunt tipped. Young TWIGS: reddish and slightly downy, sometimes have corky wings. Flowers and Fruit: in late summer and early autumn. Branches: relatively short and numerous, making dense shade in spite of small size of leaves. Wood: brittle, sometimes used for hubs, furniture and fencing; mostly for fuel and charcoal.

223. WINGED ELM (_Ulmus alata_ Michx.) Usually found on low, sandy land; not common. Leaves: 1½ to 3 inches long, pointed at the tip. Twigs: usually with many broad, corky wings, though sometimes absent. Flowers: in spring. Wood: similar to other elms.

224. ROUGH-LEAVED HACKBERRY (_Celtis occidentalis_ var. _crassifolia_ Gray). Habitat: varied, more common on rich soil. Leaves: ovate, toothed at least toward the long point, 2 to 4 inches long. Fruit: a roundish, dark purple berry ripening in early fall, often clinging to the tree through the winter and forming a popular food for many birds; about ¼ inch in diameter. Bark: of trunk usually conspicuous with its characteristic warty projections. Wood: heavy but soft and weak, decays rapidly when exposed, little used except for fuel. The characteristic brown gall on the twigs is almost a mark of recognition in winter, when trees are too small to show the typical warty bark.

225. SOUTHERN HACKBERRY (_Celtis laevigata_ Willd.) Less common than previous species. Distinguished by the smooth margins of the slightly longer and narrower LEAVES and by the orange or yellowish color of the FRUIT. Both trees are widely planted for shade as they are resistant to root rot.

226. BOIS D’ARC OR OSAGE ORANGE (_Maclura pomifera_ Schn.) also called horse-apple. Abundant in rich bottomland. Leaves: entire, dark green and glossy, oval, pointed at tip, 3 to 5 inches long. The yellowish-brown BARK distinguishes it from any other thorny tree, contains tannin and that of root a yellow dye. Flowers: monoecious, the female in a rounded ball, male in an elongated cluster. Fruit: resembles a very rough, large, bright green orange. Wood: bright orange in color, most durable in contact with the soil, used principally for posts.

227. RED MULBERRY (_Morus rubra_ L.) Common in rich lowlands, often in the shade of larger trees. Leaves: 3 to 5 inches long or rarely much larger in dense shade, toothed, ovate, pointed at tip, rounded or heart-shaped at base; on young trees often mitten-shaped or deeply and variously lobed, rough above. Flowers: monoecious or dioecious, in drooping catkins, the female shorter. Fruit: red to black, resembles blackberry, ripens through May, very attractive to many birds, especially the migrating thrushes. Bark: thin, dark grayish brown, breaking into long scales. Twigs: slender, somewhat zigzag, with milky juice. Wood: light, soft, weak, used for fence posts, cooperage and boat building.

BIRTHWORT FAMILY

228. WOOLY PIPEVINE (_Aristolochia tomentosa_ Sims.) or Dutchman’s pipe. Habitat: low, rich woods, not abundant. Leaves: large, round-heart shaped, downy, soft, margins entire. Stems: slender, very high climbing. Flowers: tube u-curved like a Dutchman’s pipe, with lobes turned back; small yellowish, inconspicuous flowers not to be confused with the leather flower (Viorna) which is also sometimes called pipevine; Viorna has four thick, leathery, purplish petals shaped like the bowl of a pipe. Fruit: many flat, black, shiny, pie-shaped seeds packed in a six-angled, cylindrical seed case about 1 to 2 inches in diameter and 2 to 3 inches long. A closely related cultivated vine is often planted where a dense screen is desired. B (Vol. I, p. 646).

MOONSEED FAMILY

229. CAROLINA MOONSEED (_Cocculus carolinus_ (L) DC.) also called wild sarsaparilla or coral vine. Habitat: hedgerows and thickets, edges of woods, a common vine. Leaves: variable, oval to slightly heart-shaped, usually blunt or rounded at the tip, usually about 2 or 3 inches long. Stems: slender, green and somewhat fuzzy when young. Flowers: dioecious, small, greenish, 6-parted. Fruits: size of small peas, soft, scarlet, one-seeded, in small, dense clusters; very decorative in winter and excellent bird attraction.

230. CANADA MOONSEED (_Menispermum canadense_ L.) very rare vine of low woods. Stems: 6 to 12 feet long. Leaves: 3 to 7-angled or shallowly lobed, broader than long, 4 inches or much more. Flowers: small, white, 6-8 petals, 12-24 stamens. Fruit: black with a bloom, resembling small grapes; seed spirally curved. B (Vol. II, p. 131).

PLANE TREE FAMILY

231. SYCAMORE or buttonwood (_Platanus occidentalis_ L.) a common tree, along stream banks and in low woods, often the largest tree in its locality as it grows rapidly. Bark: thin, smooth, greenish gray, flaking off in large patches and exposing the under bark which is whitish like that on limbs, especially conspicuous in winter woods. Leaves: 4 to 7 inches long and about as broad, very coarsely toothed, often shallowly 3 or 5-lobed, light green above, paler below. Twigs: slender, rather shiny and zigzag; bud with a single, cap-like scale, enclosed by the base of the leaf-stalk. Fruit: a compact ball about 1 inch across, remaining on its drooping stem all winter, composed of many seeds which separate and are blown away in spring. Often planted as street tree because of rapid growth and resistance to drouth, but the large leaves and flaking bark cause unsightly litter. Wood: coarse-grained, hard, not strong, heavy, hard to split; used for butchers’ blocks, furniture, interior trim, and tobacco boxes.

ROSE FAMILY

232. RED HAW or hawthorn (_Crataegus_ species) probably about four species in the county. Three are easily distinguished by the shapes of the leaves and the size of the fruits:

(a) Leaves: very wooly when young, broad near base and nearly as broad as long, doubly toothed and often shallowly lobed; especially susceptible to the cedar rust. Fruit: red, resembling large rose hips, edible, mealy, about ¾ inch across, ripening in September and falling early. Grows in the vicinity of White Rock Creek and Lake. Leaves and flowers in early April.

(b) Leaves: usually obovate, tapering at base and somewhat blunt at tip, darker and smoother than (a). Fruit: about ½ inch or less across, ripening October or November, clinging late into winter. Flowers and leaves both smaller and appearing later than (a). Same region.

(c) Leaves: deeply and sharply cut. Fruit: ¼ inch or less across, many in a drooping cluster. River bottoms in southeastern part of county.

A fourth species is distinctive for its loose, flaky bark.

Wood: tough and hard but all trees in this region too small to be of commercial importance.

233. PRAIRIE ROSE (_Rosa setigera_ Michx.) rare, climbing or trailing, vine-like shrub of low sandy land. Leaves: compound leaflets; mostly three, or five. Stems: green, with stout, scattered prickles, sometimes 20 feet long, usually much less. Flowers: bright pink, styles united into a column. Fruit: rounded, red in autumn, nearly ½ inch in diameter. B (Vol. II, p. 283.)

234. PASTURE ROSE (_Rosa foliolosa_ Nutt.) a common, very low shrub. Habitat: meadows, roadsides, open woods, White Rock Lake, etc. Flowers: white or pale pink, solitary, sweet-scented. Stem: 6 to 12 inches tall, reddish, slender, with few prickles. Fruits: red, haw-like, in fall and winter. Leaves: pinnately compound, small leaflets 7 to 11, red in autumn or green and tardily deciduous. D (p. 106.)

235. DEWBERRY (_Rubus trivialis_) abundant trailing “shrub” of woods, roadsides, thickets and ditches. Leaves: compound, 3 to 5 leaflets, rose-like, evergreen or nearly so. Stems: green, prickly, usually lying on the ground, several feet long. Flowers: white, 5 petals, like small single roses. Fruit: black, many-seeded, juicy, ripe April-May, popular with birds, boys and redbugs.

236. WILD BLACK CHERRY (_Prunus serotina_ Ehr.) a rare, small tree observed in low, sandy woods. Leaves: oval or longer, pointed at tip, finely serrate, dark red glands at base; glossy above, paler below. 2-6 inches long. Flowers: in grape-like clusters, drooping, white, in late March. Fruit: resembling small grapes, bitter but edible. Bark: of branches and young trunks glossy, reddish brown, marked with white, horizontal lines, finally becomes rough and broken into irregular plates. Wood: is second in value only to black walnut, reddish brown, fine grained, used for furniture, and interiors. Fruit: used to flavor rum, the bark in medicines.

237. WILD PLUM (_Prunus mexicana_ S. Watson) common tree in woodlands, especially in low, rich ground. Leaves: oval, finely toothed, 2 to 3 inches long, downy or smooth but not shiny. Flowers: white, sweet-scented, in February and March. Fruit: oval, about 1 inch diameter, red, with a bloom; makes a delicious, tart jelly; different trees ripen from August into October. Winter TWIGS: smooth, dark purplish, the smaller ones often thorny-tipped. Bark: smooth on branches but peeling, finally rough and dark gray. J (p. 565.)

238. DWARF PLUM (_Prunus angustifolia_ var. _varians_ Wight & Hedr.) a shrub, often flowering when 1 or 2 feet high, rarely a very small tree, common on dry hillsides, meadows and fence rows, often forming thickets. Leaves: slightly narrower than those of the tree plum, smooth or shiny above, often tending to fold together lengthwise. Flowers: small, white, in March. Fruit: about ½ inch in diameter, bright red, ripe in midsummer. Twigs: very glossy and dark reddish purple, with sharp thorns. J (p. 570.)

239. PEACH (_Prunus persica_ (L.) Sieb & Zucc.) an uncommon escape from cultivation, growing readily from seeds along roadsides, etc. These trees usually bear small, hard, flavorless fruit but may be used as parent stock on which to graft desirable cultivated varieties. Flowers: showy, pink.

PEA FAMILY

240. MESQUITE (_Prosopis glandulosa_ Torr.) an abundant small tree with a short trunk and open, spreading crown. Habitat: hilly pastures west of the Trinity River. Flowers: tiny, yellow, in catkins, blooming about May first and often again after summer rains. Pods: 4 to 9 inches long, somewhat constricted between the seeds, containing a sweet pulp as well as 10 to 20 seeds; valuable as food for livestock. Leaves: Twice-pinnately compound, alternate, 8 to 10 inches long, composed of one or two pairs of primary divisions each bearing 12 to 20 leaflets usually much less than two inches long. Twigs: have spines, usually in pairs at the leaf-axils. Wood: heavy, hard, closegrained, durable in soil, used for fence posts, underpinnings of buildings and fuel. The roots are large and heavy, giving rise to the saying that West Texans dig for their wood.

241. REDBUD (_Cercis canadensis_ L.) a medium or small tree common in woodlands. Leaves: heart-shaped or truncate at base and blunt or slender-pointed at tip, 3 to 5 inches long and wide, smooth above, margin entire. Twigs: smooth, dark reddish brown, slender. Bark: of larger trunks finally divided into long, narrow plates, the surface separating into thin scales. Flowers: pea-shaped, pink with a red calyx, ½ inch long, in clusters close to the branches and sometimes even down on the trunk. Fruit: reddish brown pods 2 to 4 inches long, about ½ inch wide, flattened, often persistent into winter. Wood: dark brown, hard but weak, not valued commercially. The tree is common in cultivation because of its attractive early-blooming flowers; it is easily grown from seed.

242. REDBUD (_Cercis reniformis_ Engl.) a small tree or tall shrub of limestone ridges southwest of Dallas. Leaves: kidney-shaped, not pointed, generally more glossy above than _C. canadensis_, “Mountain Redbud.”

243. HONEY LOCUST (_Gleditsia triacanthos_ L.) a very thorny tree common in a variety of soils. Leaves: some once-pinnately compound and some twice, both kinds on the same tree, leaflets numerous, 1 to 1½ inches long and ½ wide, nearly entire, turning yellow in autumn. Twigs: slender, shining, usually reddish brown, distinctive for the large, pronged thorns which they bear in the second year and retain for many years. Bark: of trunk becoming rough, its broad ridges with thick, recurved edges, highly variable as to the number of thorns retained. Flowers: tiny, yellow, in catkins, very sweet-scented. Fruit: flat, reddish brown pods, 10 to 18 inches long, usually twisted, containing a sweetish pulp between the hard seeds; they are widely scattered by many animals which relish the pulp but fail to digest the seeds. Wood: hard, strong, coarse-grained, durable in the soil, bright red-brown, used for fence posts, wheel hubs and in construction. This tree is very resistant to drouth but gives scanty shade and causes much litter.

244. EVE’S NECKLACE (_Sophora affinis_ Torr. & Gray) a small, slender tree becoming almost vine-like when crowded by other trees, common on stream borders, limestone hills, or prairie ravines. Leaves: pinnately compound of 13 to 19 pointed or blunt leaflets about 1½ in. long and 1 wide with entire or slightly wavy margins. Twigs: dull or glossy green becoming mottled with gray, sometimes zigzag. Bark: thin, gray, finally breaking into many, loose, oblong scales. Flowers: ½ in. long, white to lavender rose, in drooping clusters, pea-shaped. Fruit: dull black pods 1 to 4 inches long, tightly constricted between the seeds, often clinging to the tree with the flowers of the following spring. Wood: light red with 10 or 12 layers of bright yellow sapwood, heavy, hard and strong but too small to be of commercial importance. This little tree is native only to eastern and central Texas and the borders of adjacent states. K (p. 147.)

245. RIVER LOCUST (_Amorpha fruticosa_ L.) or false indigo: a tall shrub fairly common in low, moist ground, more common in sun than shade. Leaves: pinnately compound, of 9 to 25 leaflets, oblong or elliptical, ½ to 1½ in. long, gland-dotted. Flowers: in dense, erect clusters, each floret consisting of one dark purple petal wrapped around the ten gold-tipped stamens and the style. Fruit: pods about ¼ in. long heavily dotted with amber-colored glands. K (p. 160.)

RUE FAMILY

(Citrus Fruits In This Family)

246. PRICKLY ASH (_Xanthoxylum clava-herculis_ L.) also called tear-blanket or toothache tree: a rather small tree common in rich lowlands, “of its largest size on the rich intervale lands of the streams flowing into the Trinity River”. Leaves: pinnately compound of 3 to 9 pairs of leaflets, usually ovate with acute or acuminate tips, 1 to 2½ in. long, shiny above, dull beneath, margins crenate-serrate, aromatic and tingling-spicy as are the fruit and bark. Twigs: have scattered, hooked spines, often black on young shoots. Bark: smooth, bluish gray, conspicuous for its corky, cone-shaped knobs which are sometimes still tipped with sharp spines; bark of root is especially stimulating and tonic, used by negroes for toothache and rheumatism. Flowers: small, white or greenish, in small cymes, opening after the leaves. Fruit: ¼ inch long, and nearly round, pitted capsules split in early autumn to reveal the shiny black seeds; relished by many birds. Wood: light weight, close-grained, light brown with yellow sapwood, not valued as much as the bark.

247. WAFER ASH (_Ptelea trifoliata_ L.) or hop tree: a rare, small tree or shrub of low woodlands. Leaves: pinnately compound, usually composed of three, rarely five leaflets, 2 to 5 inches long, 1 to 3 wide, the terminal generally larger and more tapering toward the base than the others, margins entire or finely serrate, dark and shiny above, gland-dotted beneath. Twigs: dark, glossy, resembling cherry; winter buds rounded, whitish. Bark: of branches resembles cherry, dark and shining but cracks and curls, becoming rough; bitter, tonic. Flowers: greenish white, compound terminal cymes; in midsummer; disagreeable odor. Fruit: winged seed disks similar to those of elm but larger, nearly 1 inch; the drooping clusters conspicuous on winter branches; occasionally used in place of hops in beer brewing. Wood: heavy, hard and close-grained.

MAHOGANY FAMILY

248. CHINABERRY (_Melia azederach_ L.) a familiar cultivated tree occasionally escaped from cultivation; a native of China much planted for shade in the southern states; sometimes found in remote woods where birds must have dropped the seeds. Leaves: alternate, twice-pinnately compound, dark green above, margins of leaflets often shallowly lobed or wavy. Twigs: thick, upright, dark. Bark: dark, somewhat smooth on branches. Flowers: lavender, in large, loose clusters on wood of the previous year, scented, in April or May. Fruit: Opaque, yellow, size of marbles, remaining into winter. Wood: light and brittle, color resembles mahogany but the grain is much coarser and does not polish well. I (p. 353.)

QUASSIA FAMILY

248A. TREE OF HEAVEN, Chinese sumac, (_Ailanthus glandulosa_ Desf.) Several sprouts of this tree were observed in Kessler Park woodlands after this booklet had been set in type. The 1 to 3 foot, pinnately compound LEAVES and very stout TWIGS are ready marks of identification. Flowers: greenish, in large panicles, the staminate ill-scented. Fruit: winged seeds rusty colored. Wood: soft and weak. An escape from cultivation, undesirable because of its numerous root-suckers.

CASHEW FAMILY

249. SMOOTH SUMAC (_Rhus glabra_ L.) abundant tall shrub, in woods or fields, prefers lowlands but also common in shallow depressions of uplands. Leaves: pinnately compound, 6 to 12 inches long, leaflets toothed, dark and smooth above; turning bright scarlet in early autumn. Twigs: smooth, reddish brown or with a whitish bloom; stout; buds entirely encircled by leaf stem or scar, juice milky. Flowers: dioecious, staminate in large, loose clusters of small, creamy flowers; pistillate clusters more compact and soon showing tinge of red. Fruit: dark red, fuzzy, acid skins cover each dry seed, retain color nearly all winter; may be used to make a substitute for lemonade. Wood: too scanty to be of value, center pithy.

250. WINGED OR DWARF SUMAC (_Rhus copallina_ L.) a tall shrub or rarely a small tree, abundant on limestone hills and bluffs. Leaves: pinnately compound, 6 to 8 inches long, leaflets not or remotely serrate on margins, leafy wings along stem between leaflets. Twigs: slightly pubescent (fuzzy), buds not entirely encircled by leaf scar, juice watery. Flowers: similar to R. glabra but later, in August. Fruit: clusters do not retain their bright color as late. Wood: light and soft, greenish brown.

251. POISON IVY, POISON OAK (_Rhus toxicodendron_ L.) an abundant, woody, high-climbing vine, often appearing shrubby when young, or in the absence of a support; preferring woodlands, but also in open places. Leaves: compound, of three leaflets 2 to 5 inches long, coarsely toothed or lobed or more rarely entire. Bark: noticeable for numerous aerial rootlets on large specimens. Branches: extending at right angles from main stem. Flowers: inconspicuous, whitish. Fruit: white, in small, loose clusters. All parts of the plant very poisonous to the touch: the apparent immunity of some persons may be lost at any time and those who have suffered previous attacks seem more subject to the poison thereafter.

252. AROMATIC OR ILL-SCENTED SUMAC (_Rhus trilobata_ and var. _aromatica_) or skunk bush: a spreading, low to medium shrub common in dry upland woods. Leaves: compound, of three leaflets, teeth or lobes usually rounded, ½ to 1½ inches long; both plants and opinions vary as to whether leaves are aromatic or ill-scented when crushed. Twigs: are noticeable in winter for their cone-shaped buds. Flowers: in March, small, yellow. Fruit: small clusters of red stone fruits covered with white hairs, ripe in midsummer, decorative. K (p. 204-5.)

HOLLY FAMILY