Chapter III: Part 3

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 3-6 inches long, nearly orbicular in outline, or with 3-5 lobes, coarsely serrate, dark green and usually slightly rough above, paler and hairy beneath.

=Flowers=.—May-June; monoecious or dioecious; the staminate in dense spikes 1-2 inches long; the pistillate arranged in the same way but in shorter spikes.

=Fruit=.—July-August; very small drupes aggregate in a dense cylindric cluster about 1 inch long, blackish when ripe, sweet, juicy and edible.

=Bark=.—On trunks, brownish-gray, roughened by narrow ridges.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, tough, coarse-grained, very durable, light orange color.

=Range=.—Massachusetts to Florida, west to Kansas and Nebraska.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Found in scattered growth throughout the State.

=Habitat=.—Grows best in rich bottoms, but is found scattered with other hardwoods in various locations.

=Notes=.—The Mulberry is easily distinguished in summer by its irregular leaf forms and peculiar fruits. It is not important as a lumber tree, though the wood is attractive and durable.

CUCUMBER TREE

=Magnolia acuminata=, L.

=Form=.—Height 50-90 feet, diameter 2-4 feet; trunk long, clear, straight; crown usually pyramidal with spreading lower branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, ovate, 4-12 inches long, apex pointed, entire, thin, smooth above, pale and downy beneath.

=Flowers=.—April-June; perfect, upright, solitary, bell-shaped, greenish-yellow, about 3 inches long.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn; fleshy, cucumber-shaped, about 2½ inches long, composed of 1-2-seeded carpels; seeds scarlet, drupe-like, attached by slender extensile threads.

=Bark=.—Grayish-brown, furrowed, with loose scales.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, close-grained, durable, yellowish, resembling Yellow Poplar, and used for interior finish and other purposes in buildings.

=Range=.—New York to Georgia, west to Kansas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—With other hardwoods throughout the State. Most plentiful in the mountainous and high hilly sections.

=Habitat=.—Prefers rich soils of bottoms and hillsides.

=Notes=.—The Cucumber is valuable as a forest and shade tree and should be propagated for these purposes. It can be distinguished from the other West Virginia magnolias by its smaller leaves, its greenish-yellow flowers, and its usually larger size.

UMBRELLA TREE

=Magnolia tripetala=, L.

=Form=.—Height 25-50 feet, diameter 10-15 inches; trunk straight, with spreading branches which form a broad, round-topped crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, arranged near the ends of the branches in an umbrella-like circle, simple, obovate-lanceolate, pointed at both ends, 12-24 inches long, with short stout petioles, entire, smooth on both sides when old.

=Flowers=.—Appear in May; perfect, solitary, erect, surrounded by a whorl of leaves, petals creamy white, 4-5 inches long, slightly scented.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn; cylindric or oblong, cone-like, 2-4 inches long, fleshy, composed of numerous rose-colored follicles which split on the back at maturity and liberate small flat, red seeds.

=Bark=.—Smooth, light gray, sometimes roughened by scattered irregular projections.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, close-grained, not strong, light brown, with white sapwood.

=Range=.—Southern Pennsylvania to Georgia, west to northern Mississippi and Arkansas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Found on swamp borders or along streams in the following counties: Boone, Braxton, Fayette, Kanawha, Logan, McDowell, Mingo, Nicholas, Randolph, Raleigh, Upshur, Webster, Wyoming.

=Habitat=.—Prefers rich soil of streams and swamps.

=Notes=.—The Umbrella Magnolia is chiefly valuable as an ornamental tree. It is especially attractive in autumn when the bright, rose-colored fruits are mature.

MOUNTAIN MAGNOLIA

=Magnolia Fraseri=, Walt.

=Form=.—Height, 30-50 feet, diameter 12-18 inches; trunk straight or inclining, undivided for half its length, or separating near the ground into several stems.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, oblong-obovate or spatulate, eared at the base, bluntly pointed at the apex, glabrous 10-24 inches long, often crowded in whorls.

=Flowers=.—May; perfect, solitary, 8-10 inches in diameter, creamy white, sweet-scented.

=Fruit=.—Matures in early autumn; an oblong cone-like aggregate of fleshy, rose-colored follicles, with sharp-pointed tips; seeds obovoid, compressed, ⅝ inch long.

=Bark=.—Smooth, or on old trunks roughened by irregular excrescences or scales, dark brown.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, not strong, close-grained, brown with light sapwood.

=Range=.—West Virginia to northern Georgia and Alabama, west to northern Mississippi and eastern Tennessee.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Infrequent, found scattered through the mountainous parts of Clay, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Randolph, Upshur and Webster counties; growing at 3,500 feet elevation on the head of Cherry River.

=Habitat=.—Borders of streams and rich mountain-sides.

=Notes=.—Like the Umbrella Tree this species is of little value for forestry purposes, but is highly ornamental. Its chief distinguishing mark in summer is the leaf base which is prominently eared.

TULIP TREE

=Liriodendron tulipifera=, L.

=Form=.—Height 80-150 feet; diameter 3-10 feet; trunk long, clear and straight; crown open, conical, of slender branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 5-6 inches long, and about as broad, usually with four lobes, two at the truncate apex and one on each side, smooth, bright green above, paler beneath; petioles angled, slender, 5-6 inches long.

=Flowers=.—May-June; solitary, terminal, perfect, tulip-shaped 1½-2 inches long, greenish yellow with orange spots; petals 6, in two rows; sepals greenish, early falling.

=Fruit=.—Matures in early autumn; oblong, cone-like, composed of numerous brown flat pointed carpels, each bearing a 1-2-seeded nutlet at its base.

=Bark=.—Rough on old trunks, with prominent parallel connected ridges, and deep fissures, light grayish-brown.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, not strong, easily worked, light yellow with creamy white sapwood.

=Range=.—Rhode Island and Michigan, south to Florida and Arkansas, not of commercial size at the extremes of its range.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Found throughout the State below the Spruce belt, rare on the Potomac waters.

=Habitat=.—Prefers rich, moist soil of stream valleys and coves, but adapts itself to less favorable situations.

=Notes=.—This tree, commonly known as Yellow Poplar, is of first importance for forestry purposes; it reproduces readily from the seed, is a rapid grower, and its wood is easily worked and desirable for many purposes.

COMMON PAWPAW

=Asimina triloba=, Dual.

=Form=.—Height 10-50 feet, diameter 8-12 inches; trunk usually straight and slender, bearing a broad or restricted crown of straight branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, thin, obovate-lanceolate, pointed, 4-12 inches long, margin entire, smooth except when young, dark green above, paler beneath.

=Flowers=.—April-May, with the leaves; scattered along the twigs, perfect, 1-1½ inches wide, dark reddish purple, borne on stout hairy stalks.

=Fruit=.—Matures in early autumn; short, cylindric, resembling a banana, 3-5 inches long, with a thin, greenish-yellow skin, enclosing a yellow pulpy edible mass through which is scattered several brown shiny seeds.

=Bark=.—Rather smooth, brown, often blotched, thin and close.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, coarse-grained, brown with yellowish sapwood.

=Range=.—Western New York and central New Jersey, south to Florida and west to Texas, Kansas and Michigan.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Scattered groups throughout the State, except in the Spruce belt, and in the higher adjacent sections. Common along the Ohio and Potomac river valleys.

=Habitat=.—Prefers moist soils along streams, but grows well on loamy slopes.

=Notes=.—The Pawpaw or Custard Apple is not important as a forest tree but is interesting and attractive on account of its peculiar fruits. It is very tolerant of shade and is suitable for underplanting where production of wood is not the object.

SASSAFRAS

=Sassafras variifolium=, (Salis.) Kuntze.

=Form=.—Height 40-50 feet, diameter 1-3 feet; trunk usually short, stout, and bearing an open crown of contorted branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, ovate in outline, entire, or 2-5 lobed, 4-6 inches long, smooth, dark green above, paler beneath.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; dioecious; both sexes about ½ inch long, greenish yellow, in few-flowered, drooping racemes.

=Fruit=.—Matures in early autumn; a dark blue, berry-like drupe, one-third inch long, borne on a bright red thickened stalk with persistent calyx.

=Bark=.—Rough, with shallow fissures and flat-topped connected ridges, light brown.

=Wood=.—Soft, weak, brittle, durable in the soil, aromatic, dull orange-brown with thin lighter sapwood.

=Range=.—Massachusetts to Florida, and west to Texas, Kansas and Michigan.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A common tree distributed throughout the State except at high elevations.

=Habitat=.—Prefers sandy loam. Common in thin soil of worn out fields and along fence rows.

=Notes=.—This species is commonly considered a weed among trees. The wood is very durable when in contact with the ground but is not often used. The fruits are eagerly eaten by birds and the aromatic bark is used for flavoring candy and medicine.

WITCH HAZEL

=Hamamelis virginiana=, L.

=Form=.—Height 15-25 feet, diameter 4-10 inches; trunk short, often inclined, bearing an irregular crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, oval, 4-6 inches long, rounded at the apex, wavy-toothed, somewhat downy when young.

=Flowers=.—October and November; perfect; with 4 slender, strap-shaped yellow petals, clustered at the leaf axils.

=Fruit=.—Ripens in autumn from flowers of the previous year; a two-celled, woody, nut-like pod, ½ inch long, containing black shining seeds which are propelled a distance of several feet when the pods burst open.

=Bark=.—Smooth or scaly, thin, light brown and blotched.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, close-grained, light brown.

=Range=.—Ontario to Florida, west to Texas and Minnesota.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Found throughout the State.

=Habitat=.—Prefers moist rocky soils but thrives in a variety of situations.

=Notes=.—This small abundant tree is interesting in that it blossoms in the fall at the same time its fruit is maturing. It is not important for forestry uses, and is seldom planted for any purpose.

SWEET GUM

=Liquidambar styraciflua=, L.

=Form=.—Height 50-100 feet, diameter, 2-4 feet; trunk usually tall and straight with narrow crown, except when grown in the open.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 3-5 inches long, irregularly star-shaped, with five unequal pointed lobes, broader than long, margins of lobes serrate, bright shining green above, paler beneath, petioles long and round.

=Flowers=.—April-May; usually monoecious; the staminate green, borne in terminal racemes; the pistillate in heads on long axillary stalks.

=Fruit=.—A long-stalked spherical head, 1-1½ inches in diameter, composed of numerous capsules, covered with curved, blunt, spine-like appendages.

=Bark=.—On old trunks gray with deep furrows and scaly ridges. Corky bark is often present on limbs and twigs.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, reddish-brown with whitish sapwood.

=Range=.—Southern Connecticut to Florida, west to Missouri and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Found locally along the Great Kanawha, New, Gauley, Elk, Tug Fork, and for short distances up several of the tributaries of these rivers.

=Habitat=.—Prefers deep rich soils along streams.

=Notes=.—Sweet Gum cannot be classed as a valuable forest tree in West Virginia, though in other states its wood is extensively used for boxes, interior finish, etc. It is very desirable for planting in parks or on lawns and is especially attractive when the leaves change color in the fall.

SYCAMORE

=Platanus occidentalis=, L.

=Form=.—Height 100-150 feet, diameter 4-10 feet; trunk massive, usually short, often inclined; crown open, irregular, of large limbs and irregular branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, broadly oval, 4-10 inches long, 3-5-sinuate lobed, the short lobes sharp-pointed, bright green above, pale and somewhat pubescent or woolly beneath.

=Flowers=.—May; monoecious; the staminate dark red on short axillary stalks, the pistillate greenish on long, slender terminal stalks.

=Fruit=.—October, persisting through the winter, in brown heads about 1 inch in diameter and suspended on long slender stalks. The chaffy achenes which compose the head are about ¾ of an inch long.

=Bark=.—Covered with broad curling scales which are shed off exposing the smooth greenish-white surface beneath.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, difficult to split, reddish-brown with light sapwood.

=Range=.—Maine to Florida, west to Texas and Minnesota.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common throughout the State along streams below 3,000 feet elevation.

=Habitat=.—Moist soil of stream borders.

=Notes=.—The wood of Sycamore is considered valuable for interior finish, furniture, crates and tobacco boxes. Its growth should be encouraged whenever possible both as a forest and shade tree.

AMERICAN CRAB APPLE

=Pyrus coronaria=, L.

=Form=.—Height 15-25 feet, diameter 10-14 inches; trunk short and usually armed with many stubby, thorn-like branches; crown narrow when in a thicket but broad and flat-topped in the open.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, ovate, or elliptic, 3-4 inches long; sharp-pointed apex, rounded base, serrate, smooth, dark green above, paler beneath.

=Flowers=.—May, with the nearly full-grown leaves; perfect, rosy-white, 1½-2 inches across, arranged in umbel-like cymes; very fragrant.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn; a depressed globose pome, 1-1½ inches in diameter, yellowish green, fragrant, flesh firm and bitter.

=Bark=.—Roughened with flat, scaly ridges; brownish-gray or reddish.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, light reddish brown.

=Range=.—Southern Canada to Alabama, west to Louisiana, Missouri and Michigan.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in most sections. Rare in Boone, Logan, Mingo and other southwestern counties. Abundant in the hilly regions of the central and northern parts of the State.

=Habitat=.—Prefers a moist soil and is usually found in thickets in open woods and neglected fields.

=Notes=.—The Crab Apple is best known on account of its fragrant blossoms. The wood is sometimes used for tool handles, turned articles, and engravings.

MOUNTAIN ASH

=Pyrus americana= (Marsh.) D. C.

=Form=.—Height 20-30 feet, diameter 8-12 inches; trunk short, supporting a round-topped crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound, 6-9 inches long; leaflets 9-17, 2-3 inches long, nearly sessile, except the terminal one, lanceolate, taper-pointed, sharply serrate above the entire base; glabrous, dark green above, paler beneath.

=Flowers=.—Appear in May; perfect, in flat cymes 3-4 inches across, white.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn, persistent on the tree through the winter; a round berry-like pome, ¼ inch in diameter, bright red, acid, in large flat-topped clusters.

=Bark=.—Smooth or slightly roughened, light gray.

=Wood=.—Light, close-grained, soft, weak, light brown with lighter sapwood.

=Range=.—Newfoundland west to Manitoba and Iowa, south along the mountains to North Carolina.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Confined to high swamps and mountains. Observed in the following counties: Pendleton, Pocahontas, Preston, Randolph and Tucker.

=Habitat=.—Moist soil of swamps and rocky slopes.

=Notes=.—This tree has no commercial value, being rare and of small size. Its form, foliage, flowers and bright persistent fruits make it a desirable tree for ornamental planting.

SHAD BUSH

=Amelanchier canadensis=, (L.) Medic.

=Form=.—Height 10-40 feet, diameter 4-16 inches; trunk short; crown shallow and usually narrow, with numerous slender branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 3-4 inches long, ovate to ovate-oblong, finely serrate, smooth when old, dark green above, paler beneath.

=Flowers=.—April; perfect, white, borne in drooping racemes.

=Fruit=.—June-August; a berry-like, globular pome, one-third-½ inch long, borne in racemes, red to purple, sweet and edible.

=Bark=.—Smooth, or somewhat rough, with narrow scaly ridges on old trees.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, warps and checks easily, dark reddish-brown with thick whitish sapwood.

=Range=.—Newfoundland and Ontario, south to Florida and west to Louisiana and Kansas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in nearly all parts of the State.

=Habitat=.—Dry, light soils of upland woods and hillsides. Grows in a variety of soils and exposures.

=Notes=.—Service tree and Juneberry are two other names of this tree. The wood is rarely used for any purpose.

At least two shrubby species of Amelanchier are native to West Virginia.

COCKSPUR THORN

=Crataegus crus-galli=, L.

=Form=.—Height 10-25 feet, diameter 6-12 inches; trunk short; crown broad and flat-topped.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, ovate-obovate, 1-3 inches long, sharply serrate except toward the base, long tapering at the base, rounded or blunt-pointed at the apex, thick, dark green and glossy above, paler beneath.

=Flowers=.—June; perfect; white, two-thirds of an inch across, arranged in many-flowered corymbs; stamens 10; styles 1-3.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn; an ovoid or sub-globose pome two-fifths-½ inch long, greenish to dull red, containing usually 2 boxy nutlets which are 2-3-grooved on the back.

=Bark=.—Grayish brown, roughened on old trees by small scales.

=Wood=.—Hard, heavy, close-grained, reddish brown with thick light-colored sapwood.

=Range=.—Southern Canada to northern Georgia, west to Missouri and Michigan.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A common thorn throughout the State.

=Habitat=.—Borders of woods and abandoned fields on many kinds of soils.

=Notes=.—As indicated by the name, this species is armed with long, curved thorns. The taper-based, serrate, glossy leaves and the dull red-green fruits will help the student in identifying this common tree.

DOTTED THORN

=Crataegus punctata=, Jacq.

=Form=.—Height 10-35 feet, diameter 8-14 inches; trunk thick and short; crown very broad and flat-topped.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, oblanceolate-obovate, 1½-3 inches long, tapering at the base, rounded or blunt-pointed at apex, irregularly serrate or sometimes lobed, dull grayish-green and strongly impressed-veined above.

=Flowers=.—May-June; perfect; white, about ¾ of an inch across, in corymbs with tomentose stalks; stamens usually about 20.

=Fruit=.—Ripens in autumn; an ovoid pome, ½-1 inch thick, red (var. _rubra_, Ait.) or yellow, (var. _aurea_, Ait.) nutlets usually 3-4 with 2-5 ridges on the back.

=Bark=.—Gray, with thin scales on old trunks.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, close-grained.

=Range=.—Minnesota and western New England, southward along the mountains to Georgia.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A common tree, especially at high elevations. Found growing on Spruce Knob, Pendleton County, at altitude 4,860 feet. Forming almost pure stands on Bickle Knob, Randolph County, near Durbin, Pocahontas County, in Canaan Valley, Tucker County, and at many places along the Alleghanies.

=Habitat=.—Prefers rich sandy soil of stream borders and mountain flats.

=Notes=.—The large red or yellow fruits of this thorn help in the identification of the species and give it a very attractive appearance in the fall. The fruits are eaten by the Ruffed Grouse and other birds, and are sometimes used for making jelly. The spines are straight and from 1½ to 2¾ inches long.

BLACK CHERRY

=Prunus serotina=, Ehrh.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 2-5 feet; trunk when in close stands tall and straight, bearing a rather open irregularly-oblong crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, lanceolate-oblong, taper-pointed, 2-5 inches long, thickish, serrate-crenate, with incurved teeth, smooth, dark green above, paler beneath.

=Flowers=.—May-June; perfect; ¼ inch wide, white arranged in drooping many-flowered racemes.

=Fruit=.—Matures in late summer and persists for two or three months; a nearly black drupe, in drooping clusters, one-third-½ inch thick, with purplish juicy slightly bitter edible flesh.

=Bark=.—On old trunks roughened by thick, blackish, irregular plates; inner bark aromatic, bitter.

=Wood=.—Light, strong, close-grained, light reddish brown, with thin yellowish sapwood.

=Range=.—Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Dakota and Arizona.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A common timber tree in the more mountainous parts of the State; once plentiful on rich soils of upland flats and stream valleys of Tucker, Randolph, Barbour, Webster, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Greenbrier, and Monroe counties. Smaller and less common in most other sections.

=Habitat=.—Thrives best in rich, loose soils of slopes and mountain flats.

=Notes=.—This tree, which is usually called Wild Cherry, produces excellent lumber for furniture, and interior finish. It can be distinguished from the Choke Cherry, which it most closely resembles, by its larger size, longer narrower leaves, and rougher bark. Wild cherry trees large enough for lumber are now becoming scarce.

CHOKE CHERRY

=Prunus virginiana,= L.

=Form=.—Height 15-30 feet, diameter 6-12 inches; trunk usually short with a rounded crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 2-4 inches long, oval, oblong, or obovate, abruptly pointed, very sharply serrate, with slender teeth, glabrous, dull dark green above, paler beneath.

=Flowers=.—May-June; perfect; about ½ inch broad, white, arranged in a drooping, many-flowered raceme 3-6 inches long.

=Fruit=.—Ripens in late summer; a globular, dark crimson drupe, borne on short pedicels in drooping clusters, astringent.

=Bark=.—Smooth, dark gray, somewhat roughened on old trunks by shallow fissures. Inner bark has a disagreeable odor.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, close-grained, light-brown; sapwood light colored.

=Range=.—Newfoundland to Manitoba, south to Georgia and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Rare in most sections. Scattered trees grow at high elevations along the Alleghanies. Most common and of largest size on the borders of swamps from Cranesville, Preston County, southward to Canaan Valley, Tucker County.

=Habitat=.—Prefers damp soils of swamp borders, streams and thickets.

=Notes=.—The Choke Cherry is in no sense a timber tree but is attractive when growing wild or planted.

WILD RED CHERRY

=Prunus pennsylvanica=, L. f.

=Form=.—Height 20-35 feet, diameter 8-12 inches; trunk straight, short, tapering, with upright branches forming a narrow crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 3-5 inches long, oblong-lanceolate, pointed, finely and sharply serrate, glabrous, thin, bright green above, paler beneath.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; perfect; about ½ inch wide, white on slender pedicels in 4-5-flowered umbels.

=Fruit=.—Ripens in July and persists until autumn; a globular drupe, about ¼ inch in diameter, bright red, thick-skinned, sour.

=Bark=.—Smooth, or somewhat roughened by loose, papery plates, reddish brown.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, close-grained, light brown with thin yellowish sapwood.

=Range=.—Labrador to British Columbia and southward to North Carolina and Colorado.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in West Virginia along the mountains, especially in areas from which other timber has been destroyed by fire.

=Habitat=.—Sandy soils of burned-over mountain-sides and flats, and along streams at lower elevations.

=Notes=.—Fire Cherry and Bird Cherry are two common names of this tree, the first denoting its habitat and the second the attractiveness of its fruit to birds. This species performs its principal service in covering otherwise bare, fire-burned areas to which the seeds have been carried and dropped by birds.

WILD PLUM

=Prunus americana=, Marsh.

=Form=.—Height 10-25 feet, diameter 6-12 inches; trunk short supporting a wide-spreading crown of horizontal and drooping branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple 2-4 inches long, narrowly obovate, long taper-pointed at apex, sharply and doubly serrate, firm, dark green and rough above, paler and hairy below.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; perfect; 1 inch wide, white, arranged in 2-5-flowered umbels.

=Fruit=.—Ripens in early autumn; a globose, red drupe about 1 inch in diameter, the flesh sweet and edible; stone flattened.

=Bark=.—Grayish-brown and rough on old trunks with thin, flat plates.

=Wood=.—Hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, red-brown, with thin light sapwood.

=Range=.—New York to Florida, west to Texas and Montana.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Scattered throughout the State but nowhere common except in small areas.

=Habitat=.—Grows principally on swamp borders and along streams.

=Notes=.—The Wild Plum is found growing in dense thickets in some of our upland swamps where it produces large crops of fruit. The tree is of little importance commercially but is sometimes used as a stock upon which domestic plums are grafted.

HONEY LOCUST

=Gleditsia triacanthos=, L.

=Form=.—Height 40-50 feet, diameter 1-2 feet; trunk usually short and armed with branched thorns; crown broad, round-topped.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, singly or doubly compound, 7-8 inches long, the single compound leaves having 18-28 leaflets; the double compound leaves 8-14 divisions each, with 18-20 leaflets; leaflets lanceolate-oblong, somewhat serrate.

=Flowers=.—May-June; polygamous; small, greenish.

=Fruit=.—A flattened and twisted pod, 10-18 inches long, containing oval brownish seeds.

=Bark=.—Sometimes smooth but often roughened on old trunks, by shallow fissures and thick ridges with projecting edges, and by branched thorns.

=Wood=.—Hard, heavy, strong, durable in contact with the soil, bright reddish brown heartwood, whitish sapwood.

=Range=.—Ontario to Florida, west to Kansas and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Not common in any part of West Virginia, but found in scattered stands throughout the State, except at high elevations. Rare in Upshur and other high hilly counties west of the Alleghanies, and also in the Eastern Panhandle.

=Habitat=.—Thrives best in fertile soil of river bottoms, but grows well in other situations.

=Notes=.—The wood of Honey Locust is used principally for fencing, wheel hubs, and general construction; but the tree is too rare and not of sufficient size to give it any commercial importance.

RED BUD

=Cercis canadensis=, L.

=Form=.—Height 15-25 feet, diameter 6-10 inches; trunk usually inclined and short; crown broad, open and shallow.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, rounded, 3-5 inches long, with heart-shaped base, and blunt apex; smooth, entire, bright pale green above, paler beneath.

=Flowers=.—April, before the leaves; perfect; in form like the sweet pea, red-purple, arranged in umbel-like clusters along the branches of the last or preceding years.

=Fruit=.—A flattened, many-seeded pod, the upper suture with a winged margin.

=Bark=.—Thin, with shallow fissures and scaly reddish brown ridges.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, not strong, reddish brown with thick whitish sapwood.

=Range=.—Ontario to Florida, west to Minnesota and Kansas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in most parts of the State, forming thickets along borders of woods and streams. Rare in the higher counties.

=Habitat=.—Rich moist soil of abandoned fields, open woods and stream banks.

=Notes=.—This tree is chiefly ornamental. Its profuse purplish flowers give it attractiveness early in the spring, when the Service and Flowering Dogwood are in bloom.

COMMON LOCUST

=Robinia Pseudo-Acacia=, L.

=Form=.—Height 50-75 feet, diameter 2-3 feet; trunk when grown in the forest often tall and free from limbs; crown loose and more or less irregular.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound, odd-pinnate, 8-14 inches long; leaflets 7-21, ovate or oblong, 1-2 inches long, entire, very thin, smooth, dull green above, paler beneath; stipules thorny or spine-like.

=Flowers=.—May, after the leaves; perfect, pea-shaped, white, very fragrant, borne on slender pedicels in loose drooping racemes 4-5 inches long.

=Fruit=.—A flat pod 3-4 inches long, containing 4-8 small brown seeds.

=Bark=.—Deeply furrowed into firm, prominent ridges, reddish-brown.

=Wood=.—Heavy, very hard and strong, close-grained, very durable in contact with the soil, brownish with thin yellow sapwood.

=Range=.—Pennsylvania to Georgia west to Iowa and Kansas. Naturalized over a large area in America and extensively cultivated in Europe.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common throughout West Virginia, but most abundant and healthiest in high limestone areas.

=Habitat=.—Prefers rich limestone soil, but adapts itself to other soils and to almost all exposures and elevations.

=Notes=.—Black Locust, Yellow Locust, and False Acacia are other names of this tree. According to Sargent’s “Manual of the Trees of North America” locust trees are “most abundant and of largest size on the western slopes of the Alleghanies of West Virginia.” It is a rapid grower, its wood is unsurpassed for many purposes and, as a legume, it adds fertility to the soil wherever it grows.

HOP TREE

=Ptelea trifoliata=, L.

=Form=.—A shrub occasionally attaining the size and form of a small tree.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound, 3-foliate, the leaflets entire, ovate, pointed, downy when young.

=Flowers=.—June; polygamous; small, greenish-white, arranged in compound terminal cymes.

=Fruit=.—A 2-celled, 2-seeded, nearly circular samara, winged all around, in drooping cymes; bitter, used as a substitute for hops.

=Bark=.—Smooth, light brownish-gray.

=Range=.—Long Island to Minnesota and southward.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Rare, collected in Summers and Morgan counties.

=Habitat=.—Prefers sandy soils of river banks.

=Notes=.—This small, shrubby tree is useful only for ornamental planting for which purpose it will be found very interesting and attractive.

STAGHORN SUMACH

=Rhus typhina=, L.

=Form=.—A shrub or small tree sometimes reaching a height of 15-20 feet and a diameter of 8-10 inches; trunk short, bearing a broad crown of ascending branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound, 16-24 inches long, and with 11-31 leaflets; leaflets oblong, 2-5 inches long, nearly sessile, oblanceolate, pointed, serrate, when mature dark green and smooth above, pale beneath.

=Flowers=.—May-June; polygamous, arranged in compact oblong yellowish-green panicles.

=Fruit=.—Matures in late summer and persists through the winter; numerous dry drupes aggregate in a compact pyramidal panicle, 5-8 inches long; drupes thickly studded with red acid hairs, not poisonous.

=Bark=.—On old trunks somewhat roughened by loose brown scales. Twigs and leaf stalks are densely velvety-hairy.

=Wood=.—Soft, light, coarse-grained, orange-colored, showing plainly the annual growths.

=Range=.—New Brunswick to Minnesota, south to Georgia and Alabama.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common throughout the State and reaching higher altitudes than some of the other sumachs.

=Habitat=.—Fertile dry upland soil, preferring abandoned fields, borders of woods and fence rows.

=Notes=.—The wood of this species is sometimes used for sugar spiles and for the manufacture of napkin rings, cups, etc. The leaves are rich in tannin; the wood has little commercial value. Its beautiful foliage and red fruit spikes give it value for ornamental planting.

DWARF SUMACH

=Rhus copallina=, L.

=Form=.—A shrub or small tree often attaining in West Virginia a height of 15-20 feet and a diameter of 3-5 inches; trunk straight or angular, supporting a loose irregular crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound, 6-12 inches long, with petioles wing-margined between the 9-21 oblong or ovate lanceolate, nearly entire leaflets which are smooth and shining above and pubescent beneath.

=Flowers=.—July; polygamous; in terminal compact panicles.

=Fruit=.—Matures in late summer; small dry drupes in compact erect panicles, red, turning dark later in the year, the panicles finally drooping; not poisonous.

=Bark=.—Roughened on old trunk by brown papery scales or elevated brown projections.

=Wood=.—Soft, coarse-grained, light brown, richly striped with yellow and black.

=Range=.—Maine to Florida, west to Texas and Nebraska.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in most sections of the State except at high elevations.

=Habitat=.—Dry hillsides and ridges, frequenting abandoned fields.

=Notes=.—This sumach, like others of the genus, is chiefly valuable for landscape work, being especially ornamental in its autumnal foliage. The wood is sometimes used in the manufacture of small wooden novelties.

POISON SUMACH

=Rhus vernix=, L.

=Form=.—A shrub or small tree sometimes reaching a height of 10-15 feet; trunk usually branching near the ground and separating into a loose irregular head.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound, leaflets 7-13, oblong-obovate, entire, poisonous.

=Flowers=.—June-July; polygamous; small, yellowish-green, arranged in long drooping panicles.

=Fruit=.—Small, nearly spherical, glossy, dull white drupes in long, loose, drooping, axillary panicles; ripening in early autumn and persisting into the winter.

=Bark=.—Thin, streaked, smooth, covered with numerous raised lenticels.

=Wood=.—Soft, brittle, light yellow.

=Range=.—Ontario to Florida, west to Louisiana and Minnesota.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Rare, found in swamps at Cowen, Webster County and near Elkins, Randolph County.

=Habitat=.—Thrives best in swamps but may be found on moist slopes.

=Notes=.—Poison Dogwood, Poison Elder, and Poison Oak are other names of this species. This is one of our most poisonous plants and should be avoided except by those who are immune. It has no commercial importance.

AMERICAN HOLLY

=Ilex opaca=, Ait.

=Form=.—Height 15-30 feet, diameter 1-2 feet; trunk short; branches slender, spreading and ascending, forming a conic crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, evergreen, leathery, glabrous, oval, margins wavy with scattered spiny teeth, dark green above, pale green beneath.

=Flowers=.—May to June; dioecious, or polygamo-dioecious, the staminate 2-9 on a common stalk, the pistillate usually solitary; small, white.

=Fruit=.—Matures in late summer and persists through the following fall and winter; a bright red berry-like drupe about the size of a pea, smooth, shining, containing a 4-ribbed, brown nutlet.

=Bark=.—Smooth, or slightly rough with age, grayish or grayish-brown.

=Wood=.—Hard, tough, close-grained, chalky-white in color.

=Range=.—Maine to Florida, west to Texas and Missouri.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Observed in the following counties: Boone, Braxton, Fayette, Logan, Mingo, McDowell, Nicholas, Randolph, Upshur, Webster and Wyoming. Rare east of the mountains and sparsely scattered in other counties along the Ohio River.

=Habitat=.—Prefers moist soil near rivers or rich loamy and rocky ground.

=Notes=.—Holly wood is very valuable for inlaid work, cabinet making, interior finish, and piano keys, but the trees in West Virginia are usually small, and afford little timber. During the holidays the evergreen foliage with bright red fruits are much sought after. The tree is slow-growing but is otherwise very desirable for ornamental planting.

MOUNTAIN HOLLY

=Ilex monticola=, Gray.

=Form=.—Height 15-25 feet, diameter 2-8 inches; a shrub or small tree with short trunk and slender ascending branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, deciduous, 4-5 inches long, ovate or lance-oblong, taper-pointed, thin-membranaceous, smooth, sharply serrate.

=Flowers=.—May-June; polygamo-dioecious; staminate and pistillate flowers on very short pedicels, white, clustered, about one-third of an inch across.

=Fruit=.—Ripens in early autumn; globose, about two-fifths of an inch in diameter, bright scarlet, containing 4-6 striate nutlets ridged on the back.

=Bark=.—Thin, somewhat rough and warty on old trees, light brownish-gray.

=Wood=.—Hard, close-grained, nearly white.

=Range=.—New York, southward along the Alleghanies.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Not common except locally. Found principally at high altitudes. Common near Davis, Tucker County, and in various parts of Randolph and Pocahontas counties.

=Habitat=.—Upland sandy flats, cool mountainsides, and swamp borders.

=Notes=.—This small tree is not important except for ornamental use. Its bright foliage and fruits recommend it for this purpose. The species may easily be confused with Winterberry (_Ilex verticillata_, (L.) Gray) which often grows with it. The nutlets of the latter, however, are smooth and smaller, its flowers are shorter-stalked and its leaves somewhat downy beneath.

STRIPED MAPLE

=Acer pennsylvanicum=, L.

=Form=.—Height 10-25 feet, diameter 6-12 inches; trunk medium short; crown irregular, usually broad.

=Leaves=.—Opposite, simple, 5-6 inches long, nearly as broad, 3-lobed above the middle with short, pointed lobes, sharply and doubly serrate, rounded or cordate at base, rather smooth above and rusty pubescent beneath.

=Flowers=.—May-June; usually monoecious, yellow, bell-shaped, in long, drooping, terminal racemes.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn; paired samaras in long racemose drooping clusters, wing ¾ inch long, widely divergent, marked on one side of each nutlet by a small cavity.

=Bark=.—Smooth, thin, greenish or reddish-brown, marked longitudinally by pale stripes.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, close-grained, pinkish brown, with thick sapwood.

=Range=.—Novia Scotia south along the mountains to Georgia, west to Minnesota.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in shaded ravines and rich slopes in the mountainous parts of the State, especially in Webster, Randolph, Upshur, Pocahontas and Nicholas counties.

=Habitat=.—Thrives best in rich soil of rocky or sandy woods.

=Notes=.—This small maple is also called Moosewood and Goosefoot Maple, the latter name referring to the goosefoot shape of the leaf. It is not a commercially valuable species, but always attracts attention whether growing in its shady mountain habitat or on the lawn.

MOUNTAIN MAPLE

=Acer spicatum=, Lam.

=Form=.—A small tree or shrub sometimes reaching a height of 20-25 feet and a diameter of 6-10 inches.

=Leaves=.—Opposite, simple, 4-5 inches long, 3-lobed, coarsely serrate, the lobes taper-pointed, glabrous and dark green above, somewhat downy beneath, petioles long and slender.

=Flowers=.—May-June; polygamo-monoecious; small, yellow-green, arranged in upright, dense, somewhat compound racemes.

=Fruit=.—Early autumn; small, paired samaras, red, turning brown and drooping when mature, in racemose clusters.

=Bark=.—Nearly smooth, light brown, thin; twigs reddish, slightly hairy.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, close-grained, light brown, with thick sapwood.

=Range=.—Newfoundland and Labrador, south to Georgia and west to Minnesota.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in mountainous sections and sometimes occurring at low elevations adjacent to the mountains. Found growing from elevation 850 feet, in Monongalia County, to elevation 4,800 feet, in Pendleton County.

=Habitat=.—Damp mountain forests, along streams and on rocky slopes; thrives in the shade of other trees.

=Notes=.—The Mountain Maple is often seen fruiting when only 4 or 5 feet high, but it frequently reaches tree size in favorable locations. The wood is not found on the market. This species is one of the most ornamental of the maples and should be planted more generally. The erect flower spikes, small red fruits, reddish twigs, and coarse-toothed leaves are characters that distinguish it from other maples.

SUGAR MAPLE

=Acer saccharum=, Marsh.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 3-5 feet; trunk of trees in close stands long, clear and straight; crown conical or round-topped, with many ascending and horizontal branches.

=Leaves=.—Opposite, simple, 3-5 inches long, 5-lobed with rounded sinuses and sparingly sinuate-toothed margins; smooth and dark green above, paler and somewhat downy on the veins beneath.

=Flowers=.—April-May; polygamo-monoecious or dioecious; both kinds of flowers on thread-like, hairy pedicels in drooping corymbs; greenish yellow.

=Fruit=.—Matures in early autumn; clustered groups of paired samaras, glabrous, with slightly diverging wings about 1 inch long.

=Bark=.—Deeply fissured and with prominent dark gray, flaky ridges.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, durable, light brown to reddish.

=Range=.—Newfoundland to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Found in nearly all parts of the State; most abundant on upland flats and in rich coves along the Alleghanies from Preston County through Tucker, Barbour, Randolph, Pocahontas, Greenbrier and Monroe; common in the high hilly sections lying west of the mountains, rare in the Eastern Panhandle.

=Habitat=.—Moist, rich soils of river valleys, coves, and high flats and rocky loams of hillsides.

=Notes=.—The Sugar, or Rock Maple is one of our best known and most valuable trees. Its timber is becoming more highly prized as other species are disappearing. Interior finish, furniture, shoe-lasts and cross-ties are among the common uses of this wood. It is the principal species from which maple syrup and sugar are made, and one of the very best trees for ornamental planting.

BLACK SUGAR MAPLE

=Acer saccharum nigrum=, (Michx. f.) Britt.

=Form=.—Height 75-90 feet, diameter 2-3½ feet; trunk and crown as in sugar maple.

=Leaves=.—Opposite, simple, 5-6 inches long, wider than long, 3-5-lobed, the lower lobes often reduced to a shallow rounded tooth, thick and firm, green and usually downy beneath.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; monoecious, arranged in umbel-like corymbs, yellow, on slender, hairy pedicels.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn; paired samaras clustered on drooping pedicels, wings slightly diverging.

=Bark=.—Usually very dark gray, furrowed deeply.

=Wood=.—Hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, light yellow or brownish, with thin, lighter sapwood.

=Range=.—Quebec and western New Hampshire, southward and westward.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Less common than sugar maple, but often growing with it on low ground. Observed in the following counties: Lewis, Monongalia, Randolph, Tyler, Upshur, Webster and Wetzel.

=Habitat=.—Moist soil of river bottoms and slopes.

=Notes=.—This tree, which is classed as a sub-species of the common sugar maple, can scarcely be distinguished from the latter, except by the leaves which are thicker, usually dropping, less deeply lobed and slightly hairy beneath.

SILVER MAPLE

=Acer saccharinum=, L.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 2-4 feet; trunk usually short and soon divided into several large, ascending branches which subdivide and form a large open, rounded, or vase-shaped crown.

=Leaves=.—Opposite, simple, 3-6 inches long, deeply 5-lobed, the lobes cut and toothed, sinuses deep, light green above, silvery-white beneath, downy when young, petioles long and slender.

=Flowers=.—March-April; polygamo-monoecious or dioecious, yellow-green in crowded umbels.

=Fruit=.—Matures in May; large paired samaras, with wings 1-2 inches long.

=Bark=.—On old trunks roughened by shallow fissures and flat-topped ridges with thin, loose scales.

=Wood=.—Medium hard, brittle, close-grained, not durable, light brown, with thick whitish sapwood.

=Range=.—New Brunswick to Florida, and west to Indian Territory.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common along the following streams: Potomac River and its larger tributaries, Great Kanawha, New, Elk, Little Coal, Big Sandy, Little Kanawha, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers.

=Habitat=.—Confined to river banks and swamp borders.

=Notes=.—This species, also known as White Maple, River Maple, and Soft Maple, is one of the less valuable of the genus. Its lumber is used principally for flooring, cheap furniture and paper pulp. Silver Maple is extensively planted along streets and in parks. It grows rapidly, often becoming too large, and has a less perfect crown than some of the other maples.

RED MAPLE

=Acer rubrum=, L.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 1-3½ feet; trunk usually more or less inclined or twisted; crown rather narrow and rounded.

=Leaves=.—Opposite, simple, 3-4 inches long, about as broad, lobes 3-5, coarsely toothed, green and glabrous above, whitish beneath.

=Flowers=.—March-April; polygamo-monoecious, or dioecious; in few-flowered clusters on shoots of the previous year; petals linear-oblong, red or orange.

=Fruit=.—May-June; paired samaras, small, smooth, wings about 1 inch long on long, drooping pedicels.

=Bark=.—Thick, roughened by shaggy ridges, gray. The smooth bark of young trees and limbs of large trees are silvery gray.

=Wood=.—Heavy, medium soft, close-grained, light brown, with whitish sapwood.

=Range=.—Southern Canada to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Occurs in all parts of the State. Not common east of the Alleghanies.

=Habitat=.—Thrives best in swamps or on stream borders, but is found also on hillsides and ridges.

=Notes=.—The Red Maple is especially noticeable early in spring on account of the red flowers and fruits, and in autumn when the leaves turn bright scarlet. The wood is used for cheap furniture, turnery, and paper pulp. It cannot be recommended highly for forestry purposes.

BOX ELDER

=Acer negundo=, L.

=Form=.—Height 40-60 feet, diameter 1-2½ feet; trunk usually short dividing into several large, spreading branches, forming an unequal, open crown.

=Leaves=.—Opposite, compound, the 3-5 leaflets 2-4 inches long, ovate, pointed, coarse-toothed above the middle, or sometimes slightly 3-lobed.

=Flowers=.—April; dioecious; small, yellow-green, the staminate on slender drooping pedicels, the pistillate in narrow drooping racemes.

=Fruit=.—Matures in late summer and persists into the winter; paired samaras hanging in racemose clusters.

=Bark=.—Somewhat roughened by narrow, close ridges, gray-brown; twigs greenish.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, close-grained, not strong, creamy-white with scarcely lighter colored sapwood.

=Range=.—Ontario and Vermont to Florida, Texas and Mexico.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common locally along streams at lower elevations. Plentiful in some sections of the following counties: Boone, Braxton, Doddridge, Fayette, Jefferson, Lewis, Monongalia, and Tyler.

=Habitat=.—Deep moist soils of stream banks and swamp borders.

=Notes=.—Box Elder grows naturally along streams but thrives when planted in drier soils. It is not important as a timber tree, nor very desirable for ornamental uses. This tree is sometimes called Ash-leaved Maple.

FETID BUCKEYE

=Aesculus glabra=, Willd.

=Form=.—Height 30-60 feet, diameter 12-20 inches; trunk short supporting a deep, round-topped crown.

=Leaves=.—Opposite, digitately compound, leaflets usually 5, 3-6 inches long, oval, tapered at base, sharp-pointed, irregularly and finely toothed, pale green above, paler beneath, smooth, when old. The foliage is ill-smelling when bruised.

=Flowers=.—April-May; polygamo-monoecious or perfect; most of the flowers with imperfect pistils; borne in downy terminal panicles 5-6 inches long; corolla yellow.

=Fruit=.—Matures in October; a leathery round or pear-shaped prickly pod or capsule about 1 inch in diameter, containing a large, shining, brown nut.

=Bark=.—Roughened by even, scaly, broken gray ridges.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, weak, pale yellow.

=Range=.—Pennsylvania to Alabama and west to Iowa and Oklahoma.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common along the Ohio River at Wheeling. Reported from Wirt, Gilmer and Monongalia counties and from points along the Ohio River north of Wheeling.

=Habitat=.—Moist soils of river banks and ravines.

=Notes=.—The Fetid or Ohio Buckeye is an unimportant tree of stream borders, confined in its distribution here principally to the western part of the State. It can easily be distinguished when in fruit from the common species, next described, by its prickly pods. This tree is sometimes planted on lawns but is less desirable than its European relative the Horse Chestnut (_Aesculus hippocastanum_).

SWEET BUCKEYE

=Aesculus octandra=, Marsh.

=Form=.—Height 50-80 feet, diameter 1-2½ feet; trunk usually short; crown conical or round-topped.

=Leaves=.—Opposite, digitately compound, leaflets 5-7, oval, 4-10 inches long, long-pointed, finely toothed, smooth and dark green above, somewhat hairy and yellowish-green beneath.

=Flowers=.—April-May; polygamo-monoecious or perfect, borne in terminal panicles 4-12 inches long; corolla yellow, with included stamens.

=Fruit=.—October; a large smooth irregularly rounded or pear-shaped pod or capsule, 1-2 inches thick, 3-celled but usually bearing only one large irregularly rounded, glossy, brown nut, which is somewhat poisonous.

=Bark=.—Evenly furrowed, the gray-brown ridges breaking up into irregular scales.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, yellowish, or nearly white.

=Range=.—Pennsylvania to Georgia, west to Oklahoma and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common locally. Found in the following counties: Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Calhoun, Doddridge, Fayette, Kanawha, Lewis, Logan, Marshall, Mingo, Monongalia, Monroe, Pocahontas, Putnam, Ritchie, Summers, Tyler, Upshur (rare), Webster (rare), and Wyoming.

=Habitat=.—Rich soil, preferring river valleys.

=Notes=.—The wood of Sweet Buckeye is not important commercially, but is used to some extent for veneer, cooperage, candy boxes, paper pulp, etc. The tree is a rapid grower and is sometimes planted with satisfactory results on lawns and in parks. Variety _hybrida_ (D. C.) Sarg. with calyx and corolla tinged with purple has been found at Weston and other points in the State.

BASSWOOD

=Tilia americana=, L.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 2½-4 feet; trunk straight and free from limbs to a considerable height; crown dense, ovoid or round-topped.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 5-6 inches long, obliquely heart-shaped, coarsely serrate, thick and firm, dark-green and shining above, pale green and almost glabrous beneath.

=Flowers=.—June; perfect; yellowish-white, fragrant, 5-20, in drooping cymes, the peduncle or flower stalk attached for half its length to a flat narrow greenish bract.

=Fruit=.—October; a woody, globose, nut-like drupe, about the size of a pea and borne in drooping clusters.

=Bark=.—On old trunks deeply furrowed and with broad, scaly, light brown ridges.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, close-grained, tough, light brownish-red, with thick scarcely lighter sapwood.

=Range=.—Manitoba to Georgia, and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common, especially in the mountainous and high hilly parts of the State, though occurring less frequently than the following species.

=Habitat=.—Rich, well-drained soil of bottoms and slopes.

=Notes=.—The wood of this species is used for paper pulp, wooden ware, furniture, kegs, buckets, barrel heads, boxes, etc. It is one of our valuable forest trees and should be encouraged to grow wherever it is possible. Linden, Lynn, Beetree, and Lime Tree are others of its common names. Its smooth leaves furnish the best distinguishing characteristic.

WHITE BASSWOOD

=Tilia heterophylla=, Vent.

=Form=.—Height 60-90 feet, diameter 2-3 feet; trunk long, straight, and slightly tapering; crown dense and rounded.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, oblong, ovate to orbicular-ovate, 5-8 inches long, firm, apex pointed, truncate or heart-shaped and usually very unequal at base, upper surface bright green, under surface silvery, whitened with a fine down.

=Flowers=.—June-July; perfect; regular, fragrant, yellow-white; 5-15 in drooping cymose clusters; peduncle attached for half its length to a thin, oblong, greenish bract.

=Fruit=.—A spherical, woody, nut-like drupe about the size of a pea, borne singly or in clusters on a common stalk attached to the bract.

=Bark=.—Deeply furrowed, grayish-brown.

=Wood=.—Similar to and used for the same purposes as that of the preceding species.

=Range=.—New York to Florida, west to Alabama and Illinois.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A common tree in Upshur, Randolph, Tucker, Hampshire, Hardy, Grant, Braxton, Lewis, Webster, Nicholas, Roane, Fayette, Kanawha, Gilmer, Monongalia, Marshall, and in several other counties. It is more abundant than the foregoing species of _Tilia_.

=Habitat=.—With other hardwoods in rich soil of mountains and high hills.

=Notes=.—The White Basswood is a valuable forest tree in West Virginia, though the commercial size is now becoming rare in most sections. It is a rapid grower and is easily propagated. This tree is highly recommended for timber and for ornamental use. The most noticeable difference between this species and the foregoing is found in the leaf surface.

HERCULES CLUB

=Aralia spinosa=, L.

=Form=.—A small tree or shrub sometimes attaining a height of 20-30 feet and a diameter of 6-8 inches. The trunk is usually without branches for two-thirds of its length. Branches horizontal, stout, and stubby. The trunk and branches are armed with large prickles.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound or doubly compound, often 3 feet long and 2-2½ feet across; leaflets ovate, pointed, serrate; pale beneath.

=Flowers=.—June-August; polygamous; cream white, arranged in large, spreading panicles made up of numerous small umbels.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn; an ovoid black berry about ¼ inch long each terminated with a black persistent style.

=Bark=.—Smooth, except on old trunks which are roughened by shallow furrows; brown outside, yellow inside, covered with stout prickles.

=Wood=.—Soft, brittle, weak, brown with yellow streaks.

=Range=.—New York to Missouri and southward.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common locally west of the Alleghanies.

=Habitat=.—Often associated with grape vines in thickets on burnt hillsides, and in rich soil of bottom lands and swamp borders.

=Notes=.—Hercules Club or Angelica-tree is often erroneously called Prickly Ash. It has no commercial importance except as an ornament. Whether in bloom or in fruit the tree is very attractive and should be seen more often on the lawn. The fruit is eagerly eaten by birds.

FLOWERING DOGWOOD

=Cornus florida=, L.

=Form=.—Height 15-35 feet, diameter 4-12 inches; trunk short, not often straight; crown broad and round-topped.

=Leaves=.—Opposite, simple, ovate, 3-5 inches long, tapered to an acute apex, wedge-shaped at the base, wavy or entire on margin, bright green above, paler beneath, smooth; mid-rib and primary veins prominent.

=Flowers=.—May; perfect; greenish, small, arranged in a dense cluster and surrounded by a showy, white (or rarely pinkish), 4-bracted corolla-like involucre. The white involucre and the cluster of small flowers which it surrounds are frequently mistaken for a single flower.

=Fruit=.—Ripens in September or October; a scarlet ovoid drupe, with a grooved stone, borne solitary or in clusters of 2-5 on a stalk. Undeveloped pistillate flowers often persist at base of fruit.

=Bark=.—On old trunks broken into quadrangular scales, reddish-brown to blackish.

=Wood=.—Hard, heavy, strong, tough, pale red-brown or pinkish, with lighter sapwood.

=Range=.—Ontario, Michigan and Massachusetts to Florida, west to Texas and Missouri.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in all parts of the State.

=Habitat=.—Prefers moist, well-drained soils of slopes and bottoms.

=Notes=.—This well-known tree is prized for its wood which is used for many purposes about the farm and is also manufactured into shuttles, wedges, golf-stick heads, engravers’ blocks, brush blocks, tool handles and for turnery. As an ornamental tree it beautifies the native woods or the lawn by its clusters of white-bracted flowers, and later in the season by its scarlet fruits.

ALTERNATE-LEAVED DOGWOOD

=Cornus alternifolia=, L.

=Form=.—A small tree or shrub sometimes 20-30 feet high with a diameter of 6-8 inches; trunk short; crown broad, flat-topped and rather dense.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, or sometimes opposite, clustered at the ends of the limbs, ovate, taper-pointed, acute at base, entire, whitish and minutely pubescent beneath.

=Flowers=.—April-May; cream-colored, small, borne in broad open cymes.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn; a deep blue spherical drupe, about one-third inch in diameter, on reddish stalks, in cymose clusters.

=Bark=.—Smooth or slightly roughened by longitudinal fissures on old trunks. The smooth bark of branches is greenish.

=Wood=.—Hard, heavy, tough, close-grained, brown tinged with red.

=Range=.—Nova Scotia to Alabama, west to Minnesota.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Found principally along the Alleghanies and westward. Not common in the eastern part of the State.

=Habitat=.—Prefers stream borders, cool ravines, and moist rich soils of hillsides.

=Notes=.—No uses are reported for the wood of the Alternate-leaved Dogwood. Whether in bloom or in fruit the tree is very attractive in appearance.

BLACK GUM

=Nyssa sylvatica=, Marsh.

=Form=.—Height 40-100 feet, diameter 2-4 feet; trunk usually long, clear and straight when in close stands; crown cylindrical or rounded, of numerous horizontal and ascending slender branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 2-5 inches long, oval-obovate; acuminate, entire, firm, dark green and shining above, paler beneath, often hairy when young.

=Flowers=.—April-May; polygamo-dioecious; greenish, the staminate borne in many-flowered small heads on slender pedicels, the pistillate sessile in several-flowered clusters.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn; an ovoid, blue-black, fleshy drupe, about ½ inch long and borne on long stalks in clusters of 1-3.

=Bark=.—Deeply furrowed, on old trunks, the ridges broken into rectangular or hexagonal blocks; light brown to gray-black.

=Wood=.—Heavy, soft, strong, tough, difficult to split, not durable in the soil, light yellow, with thick whitish sapwood.

=Range=.—Maine and Ontario to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A common tree throughout the State. Least common at high elevations and east of the Alleghanies.

=Habitat=.—Thrives best on low ground and borders of swamps, but is common on dry slopes and ridges.

=Notes=.—Black Gum, also called Tupelo, Pepperidge, and Sour Gum, is one of the less valuable of our forest trees, but its tough, light wood is gaining in value and is used extensively for wheel hubs, boxes, broom handles, wagon beds, ladders, ironing boards, rolling pins, excelsior, baskets, and berry crates.

GREAT LAUREL

=Rhododendron maximum=, L.

=Form=.—A shrub or small tree sometimes reaching a height of 20-25 feet; trunk short and usually twisted and bent, with contorted blanches forming a flat irregular top.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, evergreen, mostly clustered at the ends of branches, elliptical-oblong, 4-10 inches long, very thick, acute apex, narrowed base, entire, smooth, dark green above, light green beneath.

=Flowers=.—June; perfect; pale rose to white, upper petals marked with yellow-green dots, flowers arranged in umbel-like heads 4-5 inches in diameter.

=Fruit=.—Matures in late summer and persists through the winter; a reddish-brown, 5-celled, many-seeded capsule, about ½ inch long, terminated by a long persistent style.

=Bark=.—Roughened by thin, flaky scales, dark red-brown.

=Wood=.—Hard, strong, brittle, close-grained, light brown with lighter sapwood.

=Range=.—Nova Scotia and Lake Erie south along the mountains to Georgia.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common locally throughout the State, most abundant in the mountainous sections.

=Habitat=.—Rich soil of stream banks, rocky mountainsides and flats.

=Notes=.—The wood of Rhododendron is only occasionally used for tool handles, engraving blocks, and other small articles, and is excellent for fuel. On account of its small size the tree is not commercially important. It is one of the most beautiful of our native species and has been appropriately selected as the State flower.

MOUNTAIN LAUREL

=Kalmia latifolia=, L.

=Form=.—A shrub or small tree occasionally attaining a height of 15-25 feet; trunk stout, usually forked and bearing stiff, divergent branches which form an irregular, compact, rounded head.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, evergreen, oblong or ovate-lanceolate, 3-4 inches long, acute at both ends, entire, green above and below, persistent for two seasons.

=Flowers=.—May-June; perfect, pink or white, in many-flowered terminal corymbs.

=Fruit=.—Matures in early autumn; a globose, 5-valved, many-seeded capsule, covered with viscid hairs and with persistent style and calyx.

=Bark=.—Roughened by narrow, thin scales which peel off, exposing brownish inner bark.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, rather brittle, reddish-brown with lighter sapwood.

=Range=.—New Brunswick, south to Florida and west to Arkansas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Found locally in all parts of the State.

=Habitat=.—Growing usually in thickets, sometimes with Great Laurel, on high mountain flats and rocky slopes. Common on thin hillsides.

=Notes=.—Mountain Laurel does not grow large enough to be of much importance as a wood producer. Occasionally small articles, such as bucket handles, penholders, pipes, etc. are made from it. Its rich evergreen foliage and its copious pink and white flowers are scarcely less attractive than those of _Rhododendron Maximum_.

SOURWOOD

=Oxydendrum arboreum=, (L.) D. C.

=Form=.—Height 30-60 feet, diameter 12-18 inches; trunk medium long and slender; crown narrow and round-topped.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, oblong-lanceolate, pointed, serrate, smooth and shining, 5-7 inches long.

=Flowers=.—July; perfect; small, white, in long, one-sided racemes clustered in an open, terminal panicle.

=Fruit=.—Matures in early autumn; a 5-valved capsule, often persistent into the winter.

=Bark=.—Thick, roughened by fissures and broken, grayish ridges.

=Wood=.—Hard, heavy, close-grained reddish-brown with lighter sapwood.

=Range=.—Pennsylvania and Indiana southward mostly along the mountains to Florida and Louisiana.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Found in all sections west of the Alleghanies, rare in the eastern part of the State.

=Habitat=.—Light, well-drained soils of hillsides and bottoms.

=Notes=.—Sour-wood, or Sour Gum, although quite common in most parts of West Virginia, is not often used except for unimportant domestic purposes. The tree is very ornamental when in bloom but is infrequently planted.

COMMON PERSIMMON

=Diospyros virginiana=, L.

=Form=.—Height 25-50 feet, diameter 8-14 inches; trunk usually short; crown broad and rounded when not too much crowded.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, ovate-oblong, 4-6 inches long, smooth, entire, dark-green and shining above, often somewhat hairy beneath.

=Flowers=.—May-June; polygamous, white or pale yellow; the staminate in 2-3-flowered cymes; the pistillate solitary and borne on short stalks.

=Fruit=.—Matures after frost in autumn; a spherical yellowish, plum-like berry, containing from 1-8 large seeds, and with large, persistent calyx; astringent when green, sweet and edible when fully ripe.

=Bark=.—Rough on old trunks, with dark gray ridges which are broken into somewhat rectangular sections.

=Wood=.—Hard, heavy, close-grained, taking a high polish, brown to black with yellowish sapwood, sometimes streaked with black.

=Range=.—Connecticut to Florida and west to Texas and Iowa.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Not abundant but common locally in scattered clumps throughout the State, most common east of the Alleghanies. Not found at high elevations.

=Habitat=.—Thrives best in light sandy soils of bottoms and hillsides.

=Notes=.—This tree is not important as a wood-producer on account of its small size and scattered distribution. It is well known because of its peculiar fruit.

OPOSSUM WOOD

=Halesia Carolina=, L.

=Form=.—A small tree, reaching a height in this State of 30-50 feet with a diameter up to 10 or 12 inches. Farther south it reaches a much larger size.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 4-6 inches long, oblong-ovate, finely serrate, smooth above when old, slightly pubescent beneath.