Part 14

=2. Prunus americana= var. =lanàta= Sudworth. Woolly-leaf Plum. Plate 100. Small trees with the characteristic wild plum tree bark, except on age it becomes more furrowed; twigs generally puberulent or sometimes smooth; leaves obovate, oblong-obovate, or sometimes somewhat ovate, generally about 6-10 cm. long, and 4-6 cm. wide, rounded at the base, acute or short acuminate at the apex, margins sharply serrate, or doubly serrate, upper surface covered with short appressed hairs, lower surface permanently pubescent with longer hairs; petioles more or less pubescent and often bearing one or more glands; flowers appear in April or May in umbels of 2-4, upper part of calyx, and its lobes pubescent both inside and out, the lobes more or less cut-toothed and bearing inconspicuous glands; fruit ripening in September, globose, reddish with a bluish bloom; stone nearly orbicular and turgid.

=Distribution.=--Indiana west to Indian Territory and south to the Gulf. The range of this variety has not been well understood, and it is believed that forms of this variety in the northern part of its range have been included in the preceding species. It is certain that in our area the two forms are separated with difficulty; especially is this true of certain individuals. Specimens at hand show it to occur in Floyd, Clark, Bartholomew, Martin, Warren, Vermillion, Gibson, Warrick, and Perry Counties.

=Remarks.=--This form intergrades with the preceding to such an extent that there is little difference between the extremes of the two forms.

=3. Prunus nìgra= Aiton. Canada Plum. Plate 101. Small trees with the characteristic bark of the genus; twigs smooth; leaves obovate or oval, 5-11 cm. long and 3-6 cm. wide, rounded or somewhat narrowed at the base, abruptly short acuminate toward the apex, smooth or sparsely covered above with a short appressed pubescence, more or less pubescent beneath especially along the veins, usually pubescent on the veins at maturity, margins crenate-serrate, the teeth ending in persistent glands, petioles more or less pubescent on the inner surface, and generally bearing a pair of glands, which number varies from 1 to 3, or sometimes absent; flowers appear in April or May in umbels of 2-3, about 2 cm. in diameter--the largest of the genus in Indiana, calyx smooth, the lobes smooth without and within, except toward the base which is pubescent, the lobes reddish and the margins studded with numerous red glands; fruit ripens in July, globose, red; stone short oval and very flat.

=Distribution.=--New Brunswick to Massachusetts and west to Minnesota and south to central Indiana. In Indiana it is definitely known only from Wells, Blackford and Marion Counties. No doubt it ranges throughout the northern part of Indiana, but it has not been separated from _Prunus americana_. Higley and Raddin[53] in 1891, when our text books did not separate this species, in a flora which included a part of Lake County Indiana, remark: "There are two distinct forms of _Prunus americana_; one with slender branches and large flowers with glandular calyx, found in swamps and another found with stout branches and much smaller flowers with the calyx less glandular, grows in dry soil." This no doubt refers to the species under discussion.

In 1898 the author found this species growing in a swamp in Wells County, and transplanted a specimen to high ground in his orchard. It has persisted ever since, growing vigorously and freely suckering from the roots, but it has been quite susceptible to the San Jose scale.

=4. Prunus hortulàna= Bailey. Wild Goose Plum. Plate 102. Small trees with bark exfoliating in plates or rolls on old trees; twigs smooth; leaves oblong-oval, oval, slightly ovate or obovate, generally 6-11 cm. long and 2.5-5.5 cm. wide, rounded and often slightly oblique at the base, acuminate at the apex, margins finely serrated with short rounded and glandular teeth, generally glossy and smooth above, more or less pubescent all over beneath with long hairs, the midrib and lateral veins usually prominent below, petioles pubescent on the inner face and usually bearing one or more glands; flowers appear with the leaves in April or May in umbels of 2-4; calyx glabrous, the lobes glabrous on the outer face, and more or less pubescent within, margins glandular; fruit ripens in August, generally globose, red; stone generally short oval, very turgid, face reticulated.

=Distribution.=--Central Kentucky northwestward to central Iowa and southwestward to Kansas and east to northwest Tennessee. In Indiana the specimens at hand show it to be confined to the southwestern part of the State, although Pepoon[54] reports a single tree found near Dune Park in Porter County. It is found on sandy roadside cuts, base of sandy wooded slopes, etc., and is a common tree in Sullivan County for miles on the wooded bank of the terrace of the Wabash River.

=5. Prunus pennsylvánica= Linnæus filius. Wild Red Cherry. Plate 103. Small trees with smooth cherry-like bark, somewhat roughened near the base on old trees; twigs smooth, at least at maturity; leaves oval, oval-lanceolate, or ovate, sometimes slightly falcate, 4-10 cm. long, and 1.5-4 cm. wide, rounded or narrowed at the base, long acuminate at the apex, margins finely serrate with glandular incurved teeth, glossy and smooth above, generally smooth beneath, sometimes pubescent along the midrib and veins, petioles generally smooth, rarely pubescent; flowers appear with the leaves in May in umbels of 3-7, or sometimes raceme-like but the rachis shorter than the pedicels; calyx glabrous, the lobes glabrous within and without, entire and glandless; fruit ripens in August, globose, 6-7 mm. in diameter, red; stone roundish-oval, surface granular.

=Distribution.=--Newfoundland and New England to the Rocky Mountains, south to Colorado and eastward through northern Indiana to Pennsylvania and thence in the mountains to North Carolina. In Indiana it is definitely known to occur only in Lake, Porter, Laporte, St. Joseph and Lagrange Counties. It is frequently found on the black oak ridges about Lake Michigan. All other reports of this species for Indiana should be looked upon with suspicion. The one by Chipman from Kosciusko County may be correct. The one by Ridgway[55] for Posey County is undoubtedly an error. No doubt Phinney's[56] record for Central Eastern Indiana (Jay, Delaware, Randolph and Wayne Counties) is an error.

The range of the species is to the north of our area, and like a few others it is found about the Great Lakes south of its general range. In Ohio it is reported only from Cuyahoga County which borders Lake Erie.

=6. Prunus serótina= Ehrhart. Wild Cherry. Cherry. =Wild Black Cherry.= Plate 104. Medium to large sized trees; bark of young trees smooth, becoming on old trees irregularly fissured and separating in small scaly plates; twigs slender and smooth, sometimes pubescent while young; leaves oval, oblong-oval, ovate or narrowly ovate, generally 5-12 cm. long and 2-4 cm. wide, generally narrowed at the base, sometimes rounded, short or long acuminate at the apex, margin finely serrate with incurved sharp callous teeth, smooth above and below, sometimes slightly pubescent beneath while young; flowers appear in May, when the leaves are almost grown, on the ends of the year's growth, in racemes generally 5-10 cm. long; fruit ripens in July and August, globose, about 6-10 mm. in diameter, dark red to almost black.

=Distribution.=--Nova Scotia to South Dakota, south to Florida and west to Texas. Found in all parts of Indiana. It prefers a moist loose soil and is usually found with beech, sugar maple, tulip, white ash and white oak. In the original forest it was a rare to a frequent tree, and only rarely and locally did it ever become common. It grew to be several feet in diameter and was as tall as the highest trees of the forest. The trunk of the tree, however, was inclined to be crooked. It has now become a frequent tree along fences.

=Remarks.=--The wood of wild cherry from pioneer times has been a favorite wood, and for this reason the tree soon disappeared and today large trees are very rare. The wood is strong, close-grained, reddish-brown, and very much resembles mahogany. In value it stands second in Indiana woods. It is used principally for furniture, office and store fixtures.

The wild cherry grows readily from seed; is not difficult to transplant; adapts itself to almost all kinds of soils and grows rapidly. In Spring it is one of the very first trees to put out its leaves. It is not shade enduring, which no doubt, in a great measure, accounts for its rarity in the primeval forests. When grown in the open the tree usually produces an abundance of fruit which is much relished by birds. This species has many good features, and might be used to advantage in forest planting.

=CAESALPINÀCEAE.= The Senna Family.

Leaves simple; flowers pink; seed pod papery 1 Cercis.

Leaves compound; flowers not pink; seed pod woody or leathery.

Trees with thorns; stamens 3-5, longer than the corolla; pods flat and leathery; seeds about 1 cm. (1/2 inch) long 2 Gleditsia.

Trees without thorns; stamens 10, shorter than the corolla; pods swollen, woody; seeds about 2 cm. (1 inch) long 3 Gymnocladus.

=1. CÉRCIS.= The Redbud.

=Cercis canadénsis= Linnæus. Redbud. Plate 105. Small trees; bark of trunk of old trees fissured, reddish-brown; twigs glabrous, light brown, becoming a dark brown; leaves alternate, broadly ovate, average blades 6-14 cm. long, cordate at base, short-pointed, sometimes short-acuminate or rarely rounded at the apex, margins entire, glabrous or pubescent on unfolding, at maturity usually glabrous on both sides, or with a few hairs in the axils of the veins or along the veins, sometimes more or less pubescent beneath, and with hairs on the veins above; petioles generally 2-6 cm. long; flowers appear in April or May before the leaves, in clusters of 4-8 on the branches of the preceding season, pink or rose color; pods 5-10 cm. long, thin, flat and glabrous; wood heavy, hard and weak.

=Distribution.=--In Canada along the shores of Lake Erie and Ontario, New York west through Michigan to Iowa, south to the Gulf States and west to Texas. Found throughout Indiana except there are no records from the counties bordering Lake Michigan. In the northern part of the State it is rare or frequent in alluvial soil along streams or in rich woods. In the southern part of the State it is a frequent to a common tree in ravines and on slopes. It is never found in wet situations, and consequently is absent in the "flats" of the southern counties.

=Remarks.=--The redbud is the common name for this tree throughout the State. In one locality it was known as the fish blossom because the larger fish spawn when this tree is in flower. In text books it is also called Judas tree. It is usually a tree 1-1.5 dm. in diameter and 5-10 m. high. It is of no economic importance and is classed as a weed tree in the woodlot and should be removed.

It is frequently recommended for ornamental planting. It prefers a rich moist soil, and is shade enduring, although it succeeds best in the open or in a light shade.

=2. GLEDÍTSIA.= The Honey Locust.

Pods more than 8 cm. long; seeds oval 1 G. triacanthos.

Pods less than 8 cm. long; seeds orbicular 2 G. aquatica.

=1. Gleditsia triacánthos= Linnæus. Honey Locust. Plate 106. Medium to large sized trees; bark of old trunks fissured and peeling off in strips; spines on trunk large and often much branched, sometimes 4 dm. long; spines on branches not so large, generally more or less forked; twigs at first green, turning a light brown; leaves pinnate or bipinnate, 1-2 dm. long, rachis permanently pubescent; leaflets 9-14 pairs, fewer on the bipinnate forms, petiolules about 1 mm. long, form variable from ovate to lanceolate, sometimes somewhat falcate, generally 2-3 cm. long, usually more or less pubescent beneath; flowers appear in May or June, inconspicuous, greenish-yellow, rich in honey, their appearance being announced by the hum of the swarm of insects visiting them; fruit a flat, linear twisted pod, 2-4 dm. long, glabrous and lustrous or pubescent on the sides; seeds several, oval, about 6 mm. wide, and 10 mm. long, glabrous and chestnut brown; wood heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained and takes a good polish.

=Distribution.=--Pennsylvania, southern Michigan to Iowa, and south to the Gulf States and west to Texas. Found infrequently throughout Indiana along streams, except that it is absent about Lake Michigan and that in the southwestern counties it becomes a frequent tree in the Wabash bottoms. In its native habitat it is rarely found except near a stream, pond, lake, etc. However, in the southeastern counties it has spread all over many of the hillsides which were once cleared and have been abandoned for agricultural purposes and left to natural forest regeneration. It was interesting to learn how this tree was able to propagate itself on the steep bare slopes. It was found that the seeds were scattered by cattle that greedily eat the fruit. It is a medium sized tree, except in the Wabash bottoms of the southwestern part of the State where it grows to be one of the largest trees of the forest, and is more luxuriant than in any other part of its range.

=Remarks.=--In making a study of the fruit of this species, it was found that the sides of all the pods of all the specimens at hand except one are glabrous, even those of young fruit. The margins of the pods are pubescent. However, a specimen collected on August 27th in Vermillion County has the entire pod covered with long hairs. In consulting the literature on the subject it is found that some authors describe the fruit as glabrous while others describe it as hairy. It would be interesting to study the significance of this character to learn if each form has a geographic range.

The wood is used principally for interior finish, furniture, posts and crossties. The tree has a grace that recommends it for ornamental planting despite its thorns. However, a thornless variety is now offered by nurserymen. It adapts itself to all kinds of soils, although it prefers a moist rich soil; grows rapidly and is comparatively free from insect damage.

=2. Gleditsia aquática= Marshall. Water Honey Locust. Plate 107. A medium sized tree with rather smooth bark, which becomes rough and flaky on large trees; twigs greenish, turning to a light brown by the end of the year; branchlets a greenish-gray brown; spines all usually more or less flattened, those of the branchlets and branches, rather few and usually simple, 4-10 cm. long, those of the trunk branched, spines do not develop on the year's growth; leaves from old wood pinnate, from the year's growth bipinnate; rachis grooved and pubescent or puberulent above and smooth below; leaflets generally 7-11 pairs, variable in shape and size, generally lanceolate and 1.5-2.5 cm. long, on petiolules about 1 mm. long, glabrous; flowers similar to the preceding species; fruit a glabrous, shining, oblique pod about 4-5 cm. long, containing 1 seed; seeds orbicular, flat, chestnut brown, about 1 cm. in diameter.

=Distribution.=--Atlantic Coast from North Carolina south to Florida, and the Mississippi Valley from southwestern Indiana southward to Texas. In Indiana this species is rare and limited to the banks of river sloughs, locally called ponds and to one cypress swamp. It is known to have occurred on the banks of Wabash and Dan's ponds and Little Cypress swamp in the southwest corner of Knox County, and in Gibson County on the bank of a slough near Skelton and about Burnett's pond. The reference to Posey County is without a verifying specimen, although it may be found in the county. The writer has visited about every place in the county where the species might occur, and has never found it. Gorby's[57] reference for Miami County is without doubt an error. In our area it is a low crooked tree and grows with its base submerged more or less during the year. The idea of the proportions of this tree can be obtained from the measurements taken from the largest tree now known in Indiana, which is located on the shore of Dan's pond in Knox County. It measures 158 cm. (66 inches) in circumference at 1 m. above the ground, and is estimated to be 10 m. (30 feet) high. This species is too rare to be of economic importance.

=Gleditsia aquatica × triacanthos.= Dr. Schneck[58] found two honey locust trees which he described as hybrids of the two species. The one was located on the bank of Dan's pond in Knox County, and the other in Gibson County. The original description is as follows: "In both instances the pods are the distinguishing feature. These are very much alike in both trees, being about 5 inches long, 1-1/2 inches wide, smooth, shining, of a light brown color and entirely destitute of pulp. Otherwise the tree cannot be distinguished from the trees among which they stand. They are both about 50 feet high, with short stems and spreading branches, and stand about 5 miles apart." The writer has five fruiting specimens from these two trees, taken by Dr. Schneck. Two of the sheets have the round and branched spines of _G. triacanthos_.

=3. GYMNÓCLADUS.= The Coffee Tree.

=Gymnocladus dioíca= (Linnæus) Koch. Coffeenut Tree. Plate 108. Medium sized trees; bark of trunks fissured, the ridges often curling up along the sides, very hard; twigs at first hairy, becoming glabrous and mottled gray-brown by the end of the season, robust, usually about 1 cm. in diameter; leaves alternate, twice pinnate, 3-9 dm. long, leaflets usually 6-10 pairs, ovate, generally from 3-4 cm. long, generally oblique and rounded, wedge-shape or truncate at the base, acute or very sharp-pointed at the apex, petiolules about 1 mm. long, pubescent on both sides at first, becoming glabrous or nearly so at maturity; flowers of two kinds, the male and female on separate trees, appearing in May or June; fruit a pod generally about 1-2 dm. long, thick, curved; seeds generally 4-7, large, flattened about 2 cm. in diameter; wood heavy, not hard, coarse-grained and takes a high polish.

=Distribution.=--New York, southwestern Ontario to southern Minnesota south to Tennessee and Arkansas. This species has been reported or is known to exist in 33 counties in various parts of the State. It no doubt was native to every county of the State, except it be those bordering Lake Michigan from which we have no reports. It is a rare tree in all parts. Only exceptionally is it found even frequently. A few trees may be found in one place, and it will not be found again for many miles. No doubt there are many areas with a radius of 5 to 10 miles where this tree never occurred. It is usually found in alluvial soil along streams, or nearby terraces.

=Remarks.=--This species generally is not very tall, and is usually found in open places in the forest or cut-over lands. However, one specimen was seen in Posey County that was as tall as a specimen of pecan of equal size that grew nearby. This species was so rare in this vicinity that I was asked to drive three miles to identify this tree which no one could name.

Coffeenut, which is sometimes called Kentucky coffeenut, has always been so rare as to be of little economic importance. It has no qualities to recommend it for ornamental planting.

=FABÀCEAE.= The Pea Family.

Trees, shrubs, vines or herbs with alternate leaves, mostly compound; flowers with five petals which are pea-like (papilionaceous); stamens generally 10; fruit a legume.

=ROBÍNIA.= The Locusts.

=Robinia Pseùdo-Acàcia= Linnæus. Locust. Black Locust. Plate 109. Medium sized trees with deeply furrowed bark; twigs at first green and hairy, becoming at the end of the season glabrous and a light brown, the stipules developing in about a year into a pair of woody spines about 2 cm. long; leaves pinnate, 1.5-3 dm. long; leaflets 7-17 on short stalks, ovate to oblong, 2-6 cm. long, rounded at base, rounded or pointed and with a small indenture at apex, margin entire, pubescent on both sides at first, becoming at maturity glabrous above and remaining more or less pubescent below, especially on the midrib; flowers in loose racemes, white, expanding in May or June; fruit a flat and slightly curved pod about 5-10 cm. long, glabrous; seeds usually 4-8 in each pod, about 4 mm. long and 2.5 mm. wide; wood heavy, very hard, close-grained, takes a good polish, very durable in contact with the soil.

=Distribution.=--Appalachian Mountains from Pennsylvania south to northern Georgia, and in Arkansas. In Indiana it is found as an escape in all parts and was doubtless native along the Ohio River, at least in the southeastern part of the State. Thomas[59] says: "We had gazed at the majestic beech of this country (near Rising Sun) three feet in diameter; we had seen the honey locust, the black walnut, a buckeye of equal magnitude; and then we saw with surprise, the black locust almost a rival in stature." Drake[60] says: "The flowering locust is abundant in Kentucky. Along the Ohio River it is rarely found more than 30 miles north of the river."

=Remarks.=--This tree is generally known as the locust tree, but is sometimes called the yellow locust.

Locust wood is somewhat lighter than white oak, but it is 34 percent stiffer and 45 per cent stronger. These remarkable qualities added to its durability in contact with the ground make it one of the most desirable trees for forest planting. The wood has been used principally for posts, ties, tree nails, etc. The locust when grown close together usually grows to 8-12 inches in diameter. There are, however, specimens that have grown in the open that are almost three feet in diameter. The pioneers used it extensively for ornamental planting, and it has escaped from such planting in all parts of the State. It propagates easily by root shoots which is the principal mode of spreading, except where the seed fall on exposed soil.

The locust has of recent years been extensively planted for post timber. It is very easily propagated from seedlings and grows rapidly. It is adapted to all kinds of soil, except a wet one. It prefers a well drained soil and seems to grow as fast in a loose clay soil as in a black loam. When used for forest planting the spacing should be from 5 × 5 feet to 8 × 8 feet. The spacing should be governed by the quality of the soil, and the amount of pruning that can be done. The locust has the habit of having the terminal to end in a fork and having one or more very large side branches. The best management requires that the very large side branches be removed as soon as they are noted, and one part of the terminal forks be cut off.