cc. Buds not conspicuously stalked; bud-scales visible, 2-3

pairs; bark not white-striped; large tree. _A. platanoides_, p. 189.

bb. Buds bright green; opposite leaf-scars not meeting. _A. pseudo-platanus_, p. 191.

+ACERACEAE+

+Striped Maple. Moosewood. Whistlewood+

_Acer pennsylvanicum L._

HABIT.--A small tree at best, more often a large shrub, seldom attaining a height of more than 30 feet, with a short trunk 5-8 inches through. The striped, upright branches form a rather compact crown.

LEAVES.--Opposite, simple, 5-6 inches long and nearly as broad; 3-lobed above the middle with short, tapering lobes; palmately 3-nerved; sharply doubly serrate; rounded or heart-shaped at the base; glabrous, yellow-green above, paler beneath, turning pale yellow in autumn; petioles stout, grooved.

FLOWERS.--May-June, when the leaves are nearly full grown; usually monoecious; large, bright yellow, bell-shaped, in slender, drooping racemes 4-6 inches long; calyx 5-parted; petals 5; stamens 7-8; ovary downy.

FRUIT.--Ripens in autumn; glabrous, paired samaras in long, drooping, racemose clusters, the wings 3/4 inch long, widely divergent, and marked on one side of each nutlet by a small cavity.

WINTER-BUDS.--Bright red; terminal bud nearly 1/2 inch long, short-stalked, with bud-scales keeled; lateral buds smaller, appressed.

BARK.--Twigs light green, mottled with black, smooth; trunk and branches red-brown, marked longitudinally by broad, pale stripes.

WOOD.--Light, soft, close-grained, pinkish brown, with thick, lighter colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Abundant in the Upper Peninsula, extending southward as far as Roscommon County in the Lower Peninsula.

HABITAT.--Cool, rocky or sandy woods, usually in the shade of other trees.

NOTES.--In the Northwoods the green shoots are browsed by deer and moose. Valued mostly for its aesthetic qualities. Of little or no economic value.

+ACERACEAE+

+Mountain Maple+

_Acer spicatum Lam._

HABIT.--A bushy tree sometimes 25-30 feet high, with a short trunk 6-8 inches in diameter; small, upright branches form a small, rounded crown. More often a straggling shrub.

LEAVES.--Opposite, simple, 4-5 inches long and two-thirds as broad; 3-lobed above the middle, the lobes coarsely crenate-serrate with pointed teeth, the sinuses usually wide-angled and acute at the base; thin; glabrous, dark green above, covered with a whitish down beneath, turning scarlet and orange in autumn; veining prominent; petioles long, slender, with enlarged base.

FLOWERS.--June, after the leaves are full grown; polygamo-monoecious; small, yellow-green; in erect, slightly compound, many-flowered, long-stemmed, terminal racemes; calyx downy, 5-lobed; petals 5; stamens 7-8; ovary tomentose.

FRUIT.--July; bright red, turning brown in late autumn; small, glabrous, paired samaras, in pendulous, racemose clusters.

WINTER-BUDS.--Small, flattish, acute, bright red, more or less tomentose; the terminal 1/8 inch long, containing the flowers.

BARK.--Twigs reddish, slightly hairy; very thin, red-brown, smooth or slightly furrowed on the trunk.

WOOD.--Light, soft, close-grained, light brown, with thick, lighter colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Common in the Upper Peninsula; extends as far south as Saginaw Bay.

HABITAT.--Damp forests; rocky woods; along streams; always in the shade of other trees.

NOTES.--Forms much of the undergrowth of our northern forests. Little used, except for fire-wood.

+ACERACEAE+

+Sugar Maple. Hard Maple. Rock Maple+

_Acer saccharum Marsh._ [_Acer saccharinum Wang._]

HABIT.--A stately tree 60-100 feet in height, with a trunk diameter of 3-4 feet; in the open forming stout, upright branches near the ground, in forests making remarkably clean trunks to a good height; the crown is a broad, round-topped dome.

LEAVES.--Opposite, simple, 3-5 inches long and broad; usually 5-lobed (sometimes 3-lobed), the lobes sparingly wavy-toothed, the sinuses broad and rounded at the base; thin and firm; opaque, dark green above, lighter and glabrous beneath, turning yellow and red in autumn; petioles long, slender.

FLOWERS.--May, with the leaves; polygamo-monoecious or dioecious; on thread-like, hairy pedicels in nearly sessile corymbs; greenish yellow; calyx campanulate, 5-lobed; corolla 0; stamens 7-8; ovary hairy.

FRUIT.--September-October, germinating the following spring; paired samaras, glabrous, with wings about 1 inch long, diverging slightly.

WINTER-BUDS.--Small, acute, red-brown, glabrous or somewhat pubescent toward the apex, the terminal 1/4 inch long, the lateral smaller, appressed.

BARK.--Twigs smooth, pale brown, becoming gray and smooth on the branches; old trunks dark gray, deeply furrowed, often cleaving up at one edge in long, thick plates.

WOOD.--Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, tough, durable, light brown, with thin, lighter colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Found throughout the entire state.

HABITAT.--Prefers moist, rich soil in valleys and uplands and moist, rocky slopes.

NOTES.--The most important hardwood in Michigan. The tree which produces the bulk of the maple sugar of the market.

+ACERACEAE+

+Black Maple. Black Sugar Maple+

_Acer saccharum nigrum (Michx. f.) Britt._ [_Acer nigrum Michx._]

HABIT.--A stately tree, sometimes reaching a height of 80 feet, with a trunk diameter of 2-3 feet; branches stout, forming a broad, rounded, symmetrical crown.

LEAVES.--Opposite, simple, concave, 5-7 inches across, the breadth usually exceeding the length; usually 5-lobed at maturity, the two lower lobes being small, often reduced to a mere curve in the outline, the pointed lobes undulate or entire and narrowed from the broad, shallow sinuses; thick and firm; glabrous above, downy beneath; petioles stout, usually pendent, tomentose. The sides of the larger leaves often droop giving to the tree an air of depression.

FLOWERS.--May, with the leaves; monoecious; in nearly sessile, umbel-like corymbs; about 1/4 inch long, yellow, on slender, hairy pedicels 2-3 inches long; calyx campanulate, pilose, 5-lobed; corolla 0; stamens 7-8; ovary hairy.

FRUIT.--Ripens in autumn; glabrous, paired samaras, clustered on drooping pedicels; wings set wide apart, but only slightly diverging.

WINTER-BUDS.--Small, ovoid, acute, with dark red-brown, acute scales, hoary-pubescent on the outer surface.

BARK.--Twigs smooth, pale gray; becoming thick, deeply furrowed and sometimes almost black on the trunk.

WOOD.--Hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, creamy white, with thin, lighter colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Lower Peninsula, south-eastern portion.

HABITAT.--Prefers low, moist, rich soil of river-bottoms, but does well on gravelly soils and uplands.

NOTES.--Very variable. A very good shade tree because of its dense foliage. It is claimed by some that the finest grades of maple sugar are made from the sap of this tree.

+ACERACEAE+

+Silver Maple. Soft Maple+

_Acer saccharinum L._ [_Acer dasycarpum Ehrh._]

HABIT.--A beautiful tree, growing to a height of 60-80 feet, with a trunk diameter of 2-4 feet, usually separating near the ground into 3-4 upright stems which are destitute of branches for a considerable distance. Usually the long, slender branches bend downwards, but with their tips ascending in a graceful curve. Crown broad, especially in its upper portion.

LEAVES.--Opposite, simple, 3-6 inches long and nearly as broad; usually 5-lobed by narrow, acute sinuses which extend nearly to the midrib, the lobes often sublobed, sharply toothed; light green above, silvery white beneath, turning pale yellow in autumn; petioles long, slender, drooping.

FLOWERS.--March-April, before the leaves; polygamo-monoecious or dioecious; small, yellow-green, in crowded, sessile umbels; calyx 5-lobed (sometimes each lobe again divided); corolla 0; stamens 3-7; ovary hairy.

FRUIT.--May, germinating as soon as it reaches the ground; paired samaras, large, glabrous, curving inwards, one samara often aborted.

WINTER-BUDS.--Dark red, blunt; the terminal about 1/4 inch long, with bud-scales often apiculate at the apex; flower-buds clustered on side spurs.

BARK.--Twigs smooth, red-gray, lustrous; young trunks gray, smooth; old trunks dark gray, more or less furrowed, separating into thin, loose scales.

WOOD.--Hard, strong, close-grained, rather brittle, perishable, pale brown, with thick, lighter colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Lower Peninsula south of Saginaw Bay.

HABITAT.--Prefers low, rich bottom-lands, subject to occasional inundation, but not in swamps.

NOTES.--A rapid grower, adapting itself to a variety of soils. Does not do well on dry, elevated ground. The first tree to blossom in early spring.

+ACERACEAE+

+Red Maple. Soft Maple+

_Acer rubrum L._

HABIT.--A medium-sized tree 40-50 feet high, occasionally in swamps 60-75 feet; trunk 1-3 feet in diameter; upright branches, which form a low, rather narrow, rounded crown.

LEAVES.--Opposite, simple, 3-4 inches long and nearly as broad; 3-5-lobed by broad, acute sinuses, the lobes irregularly doubly serrate or toothed; glabrous, green above, whitish and generally glabrous beneath, turning bright scarlet in autumn; petioles long, slender.

FLOWERS.--March-April, before the leaves; polygamo-monoecious or dioecious; in few-flowered fascicles on shoots of the previous year, the pistillate red, the staminate orange; sepals 4-5; petals 4-5; stamens 5-8; ovary smooth.

FRUIT.--May-June, germinating immediately after reaching the ground; samaras small, on drooping pedicels 2-4 inches long; wings about 1 inch long, diverging at about a right angle.

WINTER-BUDS.--Dark red, blunt; terminal bud about 1/8 inch long, with bud-scales rounded at the apex; flower-buds clustered on side spurs.

BARK.--Twigs bright red, lustrous, becoming smooth and light gray on the branches; old trunks dark gray, ridged, separating into plate-like scales.

WOOD.--Heavy, close-grained, not strong, light brown, with thick, lighter colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Throughout the entire state.

HABITAT.--Prefers swamp-lands or banks of streams; rarely found on hillsides.

NOTES.--A valuable shade and ornamental tree. Sugar has been made in small quantities from the sap.

+ACERACEAE+

+Norway Maple+

_Acer platanoides L._

HABIT.--A tall, handsome tree, with a height of 40-60 feet, and a trunk diameter of 1-2 feet, having a round, spreading crown of stout branches, resembling _A. saccharum_. Twigs coarse.

LEAVES.--Opposite, simple, 5-7 inches broad, and almost as long; thin; 5-7-lobed at maturity, lobes remotely coarse-toothed with the teeth drawn out into filamentous points, separated by rounded, scallop-like sinuses; glabrous, bright green both sides, turning pale yellow in autumn; petioles long, slender, exuding a milky juice when cut.

FLOWERS.--May-June, before or with the leaves; dioecious; large, yellow-green, in erect, short, flat racemes; sepals 5; petals 5; stamens 8.

FRUIT.--Ripens in autumn and germinates the following spring; pendent on long stalks; large, glabrous, paired samaras, with wings 2 inches long, diverging by nearly 180°.

WINTER-BUDS.--Yellow-green, red or dull red-brown; terminal bud about 1/4 inch long, broad, short-stalked, with bud-scales strongly keeled; lateral buds small, appressed; buds exuding a milky juice when cut.

BARK.--Twigs lustrous, light brown to greenish; trunk dark gray, becoming closely fissured, not scaly.

WOOD.--Moderately heavy, hard, close-grained, whitish or brownish, with white sapwood.

NOTES.--Exotic from Europe. Extensively planted in cities for its abundant shade. The roots strike deep and spread laterally, enabling the tree to hold its own in a city environment. It holds its leaves two weeks longer in autumn than do our native maples. A rapid grower.

+ACERACEAE+

+Sycamore Maple+

_Acer pseudo-platanus L._

HABIT.--A thrifty tree 50-60 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 2-3 feet; the crown roundish, spreading.

LEAVES.--Opposite, simple, 4-7 inches across, and as long as broad; thick; pentagonally 5-lobed, the lobes more or less ovate, separated by very narrow, acute sinuses extending about half-way to the midrib, the lobes coarsely and irregularly blunt-serrate, crenate-serrate, or slightly lobed; upper surface dark green and shining, somewhat wrinkled, but paler dull green and glaucous beneath; petioles long, stout.

FLOWERS.--April, before the leaves; polygamo-monoecious; large, greenish yellow, in pendent racemes of umbellate cymes of about three each; sepals 5; petals 5; stamens 8, hairy; ovary hairy.

FRUIT.--Ripens in autumn and germinates the following spring; pendent on long stalks; large, glabrous, paired samaras, with wings 1-1/2 inches long, diverging at about a right angle.

WINTER-BUDS.--Bright green; terminal bud 1/4-1/2 inch long, ovoid to subglobose, blunt, with bud-scales more or less keeled; lateral buds small, divergent.

BARK.--Twigs lustrous, brown or gray, becoming slate colored on the branches; trunk gray or brownish, smooth or flaking off in short scales.

WOOD.--Moderately heavy, hard, compact, brownish, with white sapwood.

NOTES.--Exotic from Europe. Much planted in our cities, where it is thrifty, but short-lived. The crown is rather too broad for planting anywhere except on our widest streets. The leaves last two weeks longer in autumn than do those of our native maples.

+ACERACEAE+

+Boxelder. Ash-leaved Maple+

_Acer negundo L._ [_Negundo aceroides Muench._]

HABIT.--A sturdy little tree 30-50 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 1-2 feet. Trunk often divides near the ground into several stout, wide-spreading branches, forming a broad, unsymmetrical, open crown.

LEAVES.--Opposite, pinnately compound. Leaflets 3-5 in number, 2-4 inches long, 1-1/2-2-1/2 inches broad; ovate or oval; nearly entire, irregularly and remotely coarse-toothed above the middle, or sometimes 3-lobed (often giving the leaflet a jagged outline); apex acute, base variable; glabrous or somewhat pubescent at maturity, with prominent veins. Petioles slender, 2-3 inches long, the enlarged base leaving prominent crescent-shaped scars partly surrounding the winter-buds.

FLOWERS.--April, before or with the leaves; dioecious; small, yellow-green; the staminate in clusters on long, thread-like, hairy pedicels; the pistillate in narrow, drooping racemes; calyx hairy, 5-lobed; corolla 0; stamens 4-6; ovary pubescent.

FRUIT.--Early summer, but hanging until late autumn or early spring; narrow, flat, winged samaras, in pairs, clustered in drooping, racemose clusters.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud 1/8-1/4 inch long, acute, inclosed in two dull red scales, often hoary or minutely pubescent; lateral buds obtuse, appressed.

BARK.--Twigs greenish to purple, glaucous; trunk pale gray or light brown, deeply cleft into broad ridges.

WOOD.--Light, soft, close-grained, weak, creamy white, with thick, hardly distinguishable sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Lower Peninsula as far north as Saginaw Bay.

HABITAT.--Banks of streams and borders of swamps. Prefers deep, moist soil.

NOTES.--Accommodates itself to almost any situation. Easily transplanted. Much planted for shade and ornament. Fast-growing, but short-lived.

+SUMMER KEY TO THE SPECIES OF AESCULUS+

a. Leaflets usually 5; foliage ill-smelling when bruised; bark broken into thick plates; prickly bur about 1 inch in diameter. _A. glabra_, p. 199.

aa. Leaflets usually 7; foliage not ill-smelling when bruised; bark broken into thin plates; prickly bur about 2 inches in diameter. _A. hippocastanum_, p. 197.

+WINTER KEY TO THE SPECIES OF AESCULUS+

a. Terminal bud about 2/3 inch long; bud-scales covered with a glaucous bloom, not conspicuously resinous; bark broken into thick plates; prickly bur about 1 inch in diameter. _A. glabra_, p. 199.

aa. Terminal bud 1-1-1/2 inches long; bud-scales conspicuously sticky-resinous, glistening; bark broken into thin plates; prickly bur about 2 inches in diameter. _A. hippocastanum_, p. 197.

+SAPINDACEAE+

+Horse-chestnut+

_Aesculus hippocastanum L._

HABIT.--A handsome tree, with a height of 40-60 feet and a trunk diameter of 1-2 feet, forming a broad, conical crown. The regularly occurring branches ascend from the trunk at first, gradually bend downwards as they lengthen, and end in a thick, upturning spray.

LEAVES.--Opposite, digitately compound. Leaflets usually 7, rarely 5, 5-7 inches long, 1-1/2-2-1/2 inches broad; obovate, wedge-shaped at the base; irregularly and bluntly serrate; thick; rough, dark green above, paler beneath, turning a rusty yellow in autumn. Petioles long, grooved, swollen at the base.

FLOWERS.--May-June, after the leaves; polygamo-monoecious; large, whitish, in showy, upright, terminal thyrses 8-12 inches long; pedicels jointed, 4-6-flowered; calyx campanulate, 5-lobed; petals 5, white, spotted with yellow and red, clawed; stamens 7, thread-like, longer than the petals.

FRUIT.--October; a leathery, globular capsule about 2 inches in diameter, roughened with short spines; containing 1-3 large, smooth, lustrous, brown nuts, marked by large, pale scars.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal buds 1-1-1/2 inches long, acute, brownish, covered with glistening, resinous gum; inner scales yellowish, becoming 1-1/2-2 inches long in spring, remaining until the leaves are nearly half grown.

BARK.--Twigs smooth, red-brown; trunk dark brown and broken into thin plates by shallow fissures; rich in tannin, bitter.

WOOD.--Light, soft, close-grained, weak, whitish, with thin, light brown sapwood.

NOTES.--A native of Greece, extensively cultivated throughout Europe and America, where it is a favorite shade tree. A double-flowered variety, _Aesculus hippocastanum, v. flòre plèno_, which bears no fruit is a common garden form.

+SAPINDACEAE+

+Ohio Buckeye+

_Aesculus glabra Willd._

HABIT.--A medium-sized tree 30-50 feet in height, with a trunk not over 2 feet in diameter; usually much smaller; slender, spreading branches, forming a broad, rounded crown; twigs thick.

LEAVES.--Opposite, digitately compound. Leaflets usually 5, rarely 7, 3-6 inches long, 1-1/2-2-1/2 inches broad; ovate or oval, gradually narrowed to the entire base; irregularly and finely serrate; glabrous, yellow-green above, paler beneath, turning yellow in autumn. Petioles 4-6 inches long, slender, enlarged at the base. Foliage ill-smelling when bruised.

FLOWERS.--April-May, after the leaves; polygamo-monoecious; small, yellow-green, in terminal panicles 5-6 inches long and 2-3 inches broad, more or less downy; pedicels 4-6-flowered; calyx campanulate, 5-lobed; petals 4, pale yellow, hairy, clawed; stamens 7, with long, hairy filaments.

FRUIT.--October; a thick, leathery, prickly capsule, about 1 inch in diameter, containing a single large, smooth, lustrous, brown nut. A large pale scar gives the name "Buckeye".

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal buds 2/3 inch long, acute, resinous, brownish; inner scales yellow-green, becoming 1-1/2-2 inches long in spring and remaining until the leaves are nearly half grown.

BARK.--Twigs smooth, red-brown, becoming ashy gray; old trunks densely furrowed and broken into thick plates; ill-smelling when bruised.

WOOD.--Light, soft, close-grained, weak, whitish, with thin, light brown sapwood.

NOTES.--A native of the Mississippi River Valley. Occasionally planted in southern Michigan for ornamental purposes, but is less popular than the Horse-chestnut.

+TILIACEAE+

+Basswood+

_Tilia americana L._

HABIT.--A tree usually 60-70 feet high, with a tall, straight trunk 2-4 feet in diameter; numerous slender branches form a dense, ovoid or rounded crown.

LEAVES.--Alternate, simple, 5-6 inches long, 3-4 inches broad; obliquely heart-shaped; coarsely serrate; thick and firm; glabrous, dull dark green above, paler beneath; petioles slender, 1-2 inches long.

FLOWERS.--June-July, after the leaves; perfect, regular; yellowish white, downy, fragrant; borne on slender pedicels in loose, drooping cymes, the peduncle attached for half its length to a narrow, oblong, yellowish bract; sepals 5, downy; petals 5, creamy white; stamens numerous, in 5 clusters; ovary 5-celled; stigma 5-lobed.

FRUIT.--October; globose, nut-like, woody, gray, tomentose, about the size of peas.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud absent; lateral buds ovoid, acute, often lopsided, smooth, dark red, 1/4 inch long.

BARK.--Twigs smooth, reddish gray, becoming dark gray or brown; dark gray and smooth on young stems, on old trunks thick, deeply furrowed into broad, scaly ridges.

WOOD.--Light, soft, close-grained, tough, light red-brown, with thick sapwood of nearly the same color.

DISTRIBUTION.--Common in most parts of the Lower Peninsula, frequent in the Upper Peninsula.

HABITAT.--Prefers rich, well-drained, loamy soils.

NOTES.--Rapid in growth. Easily transplanted. Recommended for street and ornamental planting.

+SUMMER KEY TO THE SPECIES OF CORNUS+

a. Leaves mostly alternate; branches usually greenish; flowers not surrounded by large petal-like bracts; fruit globular, blue, borne many in loose clusters. _C. alternifolia_, p. 207.

aa. Leaves opposite; branches usually reddish or yellowish; flowers surrounded by large petal-like bracts; fruit ovoid, scarlet, borne in close clusters of 3-4. _C. florida_, p. 205.

+WINTER KEY TO THE SPECIES OF CORNUS+

a. Leaf-scars mostly alternate; buds light brown; branches usually greenish. _C. alternifolia_, p. 207.

aa. Leaf-scars opposite; buds greenish; branches usually reddish or yellowish. _C. florida_, p. 205.

+CORNACEAE+

+Flowering Dogwood. Dogwood. Boxwood+

_Cornus florida L._

HABIT.--A bushy tree with a height of 15-30 feet and a short trunk 8-12 inches in diameter; slender, spreading branches form a flat-topped crown.

LEAVES.--Opposite, closely clustered at the ends of the branchlets, simple, 3-5 inches long, 2-3 inches broad; ovate to elliptical; obscurely wavy-toothed; thick and firm; bright green, covered with minute, appressed hairs above, pale and more or less pubescent beneath, turning bright scarlet in autumn; petioles short, grooved.

FLOWERS.--May, with the leaves; perfect; greenish; in dense clusters, surrounded by 4 large, white or pinkish, petal-like bracts (often mistaken for the corolla), borne on short, stout peduncles; calyx 4-lobed, light green; petals 4, yellow-green; stamens 4, alternate with the petals; ovary 2-celled.

FRUIT.--October; an ovoid, scarlet drupe, borne in close clusters of 3-4; flesh is bitter.

WINTER-BUDS.--Leaf-buds narrow-conical, acute, greenish; flower-buds spherical or vertically flattened, grayish.

BARK.--Twigs pale green, becoming red or yellow-green their first winter, later becoming light brown or red-gray; red-brown or blackish on the trunk, often separating into quadrangular, plate-like scales.

WOOD.--Heavy, hard, strong, tough, close-grained, brownish, with thick, lighter colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Southern Michigan as far north as the Grand-Saginaw Valley.

HABITAT.--Prefers rich, well-drained soil, usually under the shade of other trees.

NOTES.--A valuable species for ornamental purposes. Rather slow of growth.

+CORNACEAE+

+Blue Dogwood. Alternate-leaved Dogwood+

_Cornus alternifolia L. f._

HABIT.--A small tree or large shrub reaching a height of 25-30 feet and a trunk diameter of 6-8 inches; more often smaller than this. The long, slender branches are arranged in irregular whorls, forming flat, horizontal tiers, giving the tree a storied effect.

LEAVES.--Mostly alternate and clustered at the ends of the branchlets; simple, 3-5 inches long, 2-1/2-3 inches broad; oval or ovate, long-pointed, wedge-shaped at the base; obscurely wavy-toothed; thin; dark green, nearly glabrous above, paler and covered with appressed hairs beneath, turning yellow and scarlet in autumn; petioles slender, grooved, hairy, with clasping bases.

FLOWERS.--May-June, after the leaves; perfect; borne on slender pedicels in many-flowered, irregular, open cymes from the season's shoots; calyx cup-shaped, obscurely 4-toothed, covered with fine, silky, white hairs; petals 4, cream colored; stamens 4; ovary 2-celled.

FRUIT.--October; a globular, blue-black drupe, borne in loose, red-stemmed clusters; flesh bitter.

WINTER-BUDS.--Leaf-buds small, acute, light brown; flower-buds spherical or vertically flattened.

BARK.--Twigs greenish or reddish, becoming smooth, dark green; thin, dark red-brown and shallowly fissured on the trunk.

WOOD.--Heavy, hard, close-grained, red-brown, with thick, lighter colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Scattered throughout both peninsulas.

HABITAT.--Prefers moist, well-drained soil on the borders of streams and swamps, often in the shade of other trees.

NOTES.--Hardy throughout the state. Easily transplanted. The only _Cornus_ with alternate leaves and branches.

+CORNACEAE+

+Black Gum. Pepperidge+

_Nyssa sylvatica Marsh._ [_Nyssa multiflora Wang._]

HABIT.--A medium-sized tree 40-50 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 1-2 feet, forming a rounded to cylindrical crown of slender, spreading, pendulous branches and a stiff, flat spray.

LEAVES.--Alternate, simple, 2-5 inches long, one-half as broad; oblong-obovate to oval; entire, or sometimes wavy-margined; thick and firm; very lustrous and dark green above, pale and often hairy beneath, turning bright scarlet, on the upper surface only, in autumn; petioles short.

FLOWERS.--May-June, with the leaves; polygamo-dioecious; greenish; borne on slender, downy peduncles; the staminate slender-pedicelled, in many-flowered heads; the pistillate sessile, in several-flowered clusters; calyx cup-shaped, 5-toothed; petals 5; stamens 5-10; stigma stout, terete, recurved.

FRUIT.--October; fleshy drupes, ovoid, blue-black, about 1/2 inch long, sour, in clusters of 1-3.

WINTER-BUDS.--1/8-1/4 inch long, ovoid, obtuse, dark red.

BARK.--Twigs greenish or light brown, smooth or often downy, becoming smooth, dark red-brown; thick, red-brown on old trunks, deeply furrowed.

WOOD.--Heavy, soft, strong, very tough, difficult to split, not durable in contact with the soil, pale yellow, with thick, whitish sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Frequent in the southern half of the Lower Peninsula. Has been reported as far north as Manistee.

HABITAT.--Prefers the borders of swamps and low, wet lands. Rarely flourishes in exposed situations.

NOTES.--Of great ornamental value. Not easily transplanted. Pith of twigs with thin, transverse partitions.

+SUMMER KEY TO THE SPECIES OF FRAXINUS+

a. Lateral leaflets sessile. _F. nigra_, p. 221.

aa. Lateral leaflets petioluled.

b. Twigs, petioles and lower sides of leaves pubescent. _F. pennsylvanica_, p. 215.

bb. Twigs, petioles and lower sides of leaves essentially glabrous.

c. Twigs prominently 4-angled. _F. quadrangulata_, p. 219.

cc. Twigs terete.