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Title: Key and Guide to Native Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of Dallas County
Author: Stillwell, Norma J.
Language: English
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[Illustration: Floral decoration]
KEY AND GUIDE TO NATIVE TREES, SHRUBS AND WOODY VINES OF DALLAS COUNTY
by
NORMA STILLWELL
Dallas, Texas
April, 1939
PRINTED BY
PROCTOR-ADAMS PRINTING SERVICE
DALLAS, TEXAS
[Illustration: Floral decoration]
PREFACE
This simple key and guide to the woody plants—trees, shrubs and woody
vines—which grow naturally in Dallas County, Texas, has been prepared to
help beginners of any age in getting better acquainted with these leafy
neighbors and friends. Woody plants offer one of the best places to
begin a study of nature: first because there are but few kinds to learn
in comparison with many other living forms—about 90 of these plants
against estimated numbers for the county of about 300 birds, 500 to 1000
other flowering plants and over 25,000 insects; second, woody plants
remain in one place, freely available for observation at any hour or
season and year after year—if they escape human interference. And what
more helpful link toward acquaintance with other interesting forms of
natural life can be found than an intimate friendship with their mutual
friends, the trees!
The distinctions between trees and shrubs or between shrubs and woody
vines are often purely arbitrary, depending in part on age. A plant
which grows at least twenty feet tall and usually (not always) has just
one woody, self-supporting stem at the ground is considered a tree. A
plant which rarely grows taller than twenty feet, in a given region, and
usually has more than one woody stem rising from the ground is
considered a shrub. The separation of herbs from woody plants divides
those plants which usually die down to the ground each winter from those
having woody stems which persist above ground year after year. Some
ninety different woody plants are distinguished from one another and
briefly described in this key and guide. Each description represents a
single species with the exception of the cactus, yucca, red oaks and red
haws; the differences between the various species of these plants are
too complex for this brief manual.
Scientific names are included here, not with any thought that they
should be memorized or that they need be used in ordinary conversation,
but to avoid the possibility of misunderstandings such as often arise
from some common names which are used by different persons to designate
different plants. Many plants have more than one common name and often
one common name is used for two or more quite unlike plants. Common
names listed first are the ones considered more suitable.
The first part of the scientific name represents the genus (plural,
genera), a degree of relationship or grouping smaller than the family
but more inclusive than the species. The second name represents the
species or specific kind of plant; species are occasionally divided into
varieties (var.). The abbreviation following the scientific name stands
for the name of the botanist who first described or named the plant,
scientifically. L. stands for Linnaeus, “the father of modern botany”,
who first used this double-name (binomial) system of scientific
classification.
More extended descriptions and further information about these plants
may be found in some of the reference books listed in the back of this
booklet; many, if not all of them, are available in the Dallas Public
Library. Only the more necessary technical words have been used and
these are defined or illustrated herein. Although this booklet endeavors
to include all the woody plants growing naturally in Dallas County, no
doubt omissions and errors will be found and the author will be glad to
be informed of them.
Grateful acknowledgement is made to Dr. W. M. Longnecker and Dr. E. P.
Cheatum of the Department of Biology, Southern Methodist University, and
to Dr. B. C. Tharp of the Department of Botany and Bacteriology,
University of Texas, for their most helpful suggestions and criticisms.
Although this booklet is based upon the field observations of the author
and her husband, Jerry E. Stillwell, who assisted her in many ways, she
has made free use of such technical information as was needed from the
volumes listed in the bibliography.
The illustrations used in this publication were drawn for it by Alice
Ferguson.
NORMA STILLWELL,
Dallas, Texas.
Copyright 1939 by the author.
HOW TO USE THE KEY
This key is based chiefly on leaves and twigs, as they offer the easiest
clues for identification, especially in this climate where leaves are
present about three-fourths of the year. The best method of study is to
carry this booklet to the woody plant or plants you want to know. If
this is not convenient, have at least a leafy twig in hand. When
collecting specimens for study (a large-paged magazine will do for
carrying and pressing), notes should include the date and location, any
peculiarities of the bark, nature of thorns if not on the specimen
taken, color of twigs or any other features which might change in
drying, flowers or seeds or any such extra clues which might help to
find the right name for the plant. Small specimens of leafy twigs may be
taken in suitable locations without endangering or damaging woody plants
provided they are always cut, never torn from the branches.
The sizes as well as shapes of leaves are usually more typical on older
plants or on the higher branches of trees. When either leaves or twigs
are described as opposite, this condition will be found to be true for
both, although sometimes the opposite member is missing; but leaflets
(leaf-like units of a compound leaf) may sometimes be opposite when the
complete leaves are not—the position of leaves, not leaflets, is used in
this key. The terms rare, common or abundant are used to apply solely to
Dallas County.
Begin with the numbers 1 in the key and decide which of these fits the
woody plant whose name you are seeking. Turn to the key number following
the 1 you have chosen and again choose between the two descriptions
bearing the same number. Continue this process until you have reached
the name of a plant. This name will be followed by some number above
200; turn to this number in the guide and see whether this more complete
description fits. If each of your choices in the key has been correct
you now know the name of your plant. If this description in the guide
does not fit your plant, go over the key again, selecting this time the
other choice at any number where you may have been in doubt.
Whenever it has been necessary to use an obscure or variable
characteristic an effort has been made so to arrange the key that the
right answer will be reached whichever the choice. That is why some
plant names appear more than once in the key. If the following points
are noted any careful observer should be successful in identifying the
native woody plants of Dallas County by the use of this key. It will be
found helpful in other regions where the native plants are similar to
those of Dallas County.
1. Look carefully for thorns or prickles.
2. Notice anything unusual about the bark of trunk and branches—knotty,
flaky, peeling, color, etc.
3. Try to choose mature leaves of typical shapes and sizes rather than
the unusual ones.
4. Look for flowers, fruits or seeds on or under a tree or other woody
plant. These may furnish just the confirmation you need to feel sure of
the right name.
GLOSSARY
axil: the angle where a leaf stem joins a twig.
deciduous: losing its leaves in winter, not evergreen.
dioecious: bearing staminate, or male, flowers on separate plants from
the pistillate, or fruit-bearing flowers; hence some plants of
certain species never bear fruits or seeds.
fruit: that part of any plant which contains the seeds.
lenticel: air pore in the bark.
monoecious: bearing the two kinds of flowers on the same plant.
opaque: not admitting or transmitting light.
perfect: having both stamens and pistils in one flower, as most showy
flowers have.
pistillate: possessing a pistil or pistils and lacking stamens; female,
or fruit-bearing.
staminate: possessing stamens and lacking a pistil; male, or
pollen-bearing.
translucent: admitting some light but not clear or transparent.
[Illustration: FLOWERS and TWIGS]
Spike
Cyme
Umbel
Panicle
Catkin
Twigs
Opposite
winter bud
leaf scar
Alternate
Flower Parts
anther
pistil
stamen
sepal
petal
Pea Shaped Flower
[Illustration: TYPES OF SIMPLE LEAVES]
Elliptical
Acute Tip
Coarsely Serrate (toothed) Margin
Lobed
Rounded
Pointed
Oblong
Crenate Margin
Midrib
Ovate
Acuminate Tip
Notched Margin
Truncate Base
Linear
Heart
Serrate Margin
More than one main vein at the base
Sickle
Obovate
Doubly Serrate Margin
veins united near margin
[Illustration: COMPOUND LEAVES]
Pinnate
odd leaflet
Palmate
Twice Pinnate
leaflet
KEY TO NATIVE WOODY PLANTS OF DALLAS COUNTY
_Based Principally On Leaves_
_Numbers below 200 refer to the key,
above 200 to the guide (p. 20)._
1. Leaves evergreen 2
1. Leaves deciduous 7
2. Leaves pinnately compound 71
2. Leaves not pinnately compound 3
3. Plants with very thick, fleshy, flattened, leaf-like stems, usually
covered with many prickles prickly-pear cactus 269
3. Leaves not very thick and fleshy and not prickly except at tips 4
4. Leaves in large rosette close to ground 5
4. Leaves needle-like, not in rosettes 6
5. Leaves sword-shaped yucca 205
5. Leaves fan-shaped palmetto (rare) 203
6. Inner bark yellowish brown, berries light blue red cedar 201
6. Inner bark darker brown, berries larger and darker, purplish
mountain cedar (rare) 202
7. Leaves simple 8
7. Leaves compound 67
8. Leaves and twigs alternate 9
8. Leaves and twigs opposite 54
_Leaves Simple and Alternate_
9. Leaves linear (long and narrow) 11
9. Leaves not linear 10
10. Leaves smooth and very glossy on both sides, broadly truncate at
base, stems flattened cottonwood 207
10. Leaves not possessing all three characteristics as given in 10
above 12
11. Leaves usually less than ¾ inch wide, midrib yellowish and
prominent on both sides willow 206
11. Leaves usually more than ¾ inch wide, midrib not yellowish nor
prominent on both sides peach 239
12. Trunks or twigs with thorns or spines 13
12. Trunks and twigs without thorns or spines 18
13. Thorny vines greenbrier 204
13. Thorny trees or shrubs 14
14. Leaf margins entire (smooth) 17
14. Leaf margins not entire, variously serrate or toothed 15
15. Leaves either blunt at tip or shallowly lobed or cut, primary
veins usually straight to margins, often doubly serrate red haws
232
15. Leaves pointed at tip, serrate, not cut or lobed, veins united or
curving near margins 16
16. Leaf width more than half the length, leaf flat, glands, if
present on leaf-stem near leaf, dark wild plum (tree) 237
16. Leaf width less than half the length, tending to fold lengthwise,
usually two bright red glands on leaf-stem near leaf
dwarf plum 238
17. Leaf smooth or glossy, tip pointed, juice of stem milky bois
d’arc or Osage orange 226
17. Leaf wooly on under side, especially when young, usually rather
blunt at tip, juice of stem not milky wooly bumelia, chittam wood
or gum elastic 272
18. Leaves either lobed or coarsely toothed 33
18. Leaves neither lobed nor coarsely toothed, sometimes doubly
toothed 19
19. Leaf margin serrate or crenate or doubly toothed 20
19. Leaf margin smooth or wavy 47
20. Vines rattan 261
20. Not vines 21
21. Leaf margins doubly toothed (large and small teeth) 22
21. Leaf margins not doubly toothed 25
22. Leaves 3 to 7 inches long, twigs not corky winged 23
22. Leaves 1 to 3 inches long, twigs sometimes corky winged 24
23. Inner bark mucilaginous (“slippery” when chewed), leaves rough
above, downy below red or slippery elm 220
23. Inner bark not mucilaginous, leaves rather smooth above and downy
below white or American elm 221
24. Leaves 1 to 2½ inches long, rather blunt tips, flowers in fall
cedar elm 222
24. Leaves 1½ to 3 inches long, tapering point, flowers in spring
winged elm (rare) 223
25. Bark of trunk with warty or knotty projections rough-leaved
hackberry 224
25. Bark of trunk without warty projections 26
26. Leaf length more than 4 times width peach 239
26. Leaf length less than 3 times width 27
27. Larger twigs with whitish cross-streaks, flowers and fruit in
catkin-like racemes wild cherry (rare) 236
27. Twigs without whitish cross-streaks, flowers and fruits not in
racemes 28
28. Lowest pair of primary leaf veins much longer than others New
Jersey tea 260
28. Lowest pair of primary leaf veins not much, if any, longer than
others 29
29. Leaf veins and midrib yellowish and prominent on under side,
primary veins closely and evenly spaced Indian cherry 259
29. Leaf veins and midrib not yellowish, if prominent on under side
not closely and evenly spaced 30
30. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long (rarely much larger), sometimes
mitten-shaped or, on young shoots, intricately lobed, margins
rather coarsely serrate or toothed red mulberry 227
30. Leaves 1 to 3½ inches long, margins finely serrate or crenate, not
lobed 31
31. Leaves 1 to 2 inches long, margins crenate, veinlets not
conspicuous, twigs pale gray swamp holly 253
31. Leaves 2 to 3½ inches long, margins serrate, veinlets netted and
conspicuous below, twigs purplish or reddish 32
32. Width of leaves more than half their length, flat, glands on
leaf-stem dark wild plum (tree) 237
32. Width of leaves less than half their length, tending to fold
lengthwise, usually 2 bright red glands on leaf-stem near leaf
dwarf plum 238
33. Lobed or coarsely toothed leaves on vines 34
33. Lobed or coarsely toothed leaves not on vines 38
34. Leaf margins smooth, though sometimes slightly lobed 35
34. Leaf margins deeply lobed or coarsely toothed or both 36
35. Leaves 2 to 4 inches long Carolina moonseed (sarsaparilla) 229
35. Leaves 4 to 10 inches long Canada moonseed (very rare) 230
36. Leaf surfaces not downy or wooly 37
36. At least lower leaf surfaces somewhat wooly grapes 266 and 267
37. Leaves mostly 3-divided or deeply lobed or cut, fleshy cow-itch
vine 264
37. Leaves coarsely toothed, not divided or deeply lobed, grapelike
except thin and smooth, or nearly smooth Cissus ampelopsis 265
38. Leaves as broad as long sycamore 231
38. Leaves not as broad as long 39
39. Leaves toothed, not tough, rough above, not broader toward tip,
often lobed on young trees red mulberry 227
39. Leaves tough, not rough above, lobed or notched 40
40. Leaves regularly notched but not deeply lobed 44
40. Leaves deeply lobed or else broader toward tip, not regularly
notched 41
41. Lobes few and shallow or sharp-pointed at tips 42
41. Lobes not sharp-pointed at tips 45
42. Lobes, if any, few and shallow and near tip, leaves decidedly
broader toward tip 43
42. Leaves with several to many sharp-pointed lobes, some of them
always fairly deep, variously shaped, (more than one species) red
oaks 219
43. Leaves 4 to 10 inches long black jack oak 218
43. Leaves 2 to 3 inches long water oak, duck oak or pin oak 217
44. Leaf notches pointed chinquapin oak 216
44. Leaf notches rounded swamp chestnut oak 215
45. Leaves 6 to 12 inches long bur oak 214
45. Leaves less than 6 inches long 46
46. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long post oak 212
46. Leaves less than 3 inches long scrub oak 213
_Leaf Margins Smooth or Wavy, Not Lobed or Toothed_
47. Vines 48
47. Not vines 50
48. Leaves 2 to 4 inches long Carolina moonseed 229
48. Leaves 4 to 10 inches long 49
49. Leaves deeply heart-shaped at base, wooly, leaf margin not
extending beyond base of stem, not angled or lobed wooly pipevine
228
49. Leaves not always deeply heart-shaped at base, not wooly, leaf
margin extending slightly beyond base of stem, leaves often angled
or shallowly lobed Canada moonseed (very rare) 230
50. Leaves broad, at least nearly as broad as long, more than one main
vein at base redbuds 240 and 241
50. Leaves decidedly longer than wide, one main vein at base 51
51. Leaves smooth or shiny above 52
51. Leaves not smooth, or shiny above southern hackberry 225
52. Leaf midrib and veins yellow and very prominent beneath, primary
veins closely and evenly spaced, not branched Indian cherry 259
52. Leaf veins not very prominent beneath, not yellow, not evenly
spaced 53
53. Leaves broader toward tip, sometimes lobed 43
53. Leaves not broader toward tip, not lobed persimmon 273
_Leaves Simple and Opposite_
54. Upper pairs of leaves often united around stem 55
54. Upper pairs of leaves not united around stem 56
55. A vine, leaves evergreen coral honeysuckle (rare) 282
55. A shrub, though some of stems long and straggling bush
honeysuckle 283
56. Leaf margins entire or wavy 57
56. Leaf margins serrate or coarsely toothed 63
57. Leaves ½ to 1½ inches long 58
57. Leaves 1½ to 10 inches long 59
58. Leaves light yellowish green, glossy, narrowly oblong-obovate St.
Andrew’s cross (sandy land) 268
58. Leaves dark green above, lighter and downy beneath, not glossy,
ovate Indian currant 284
59. Leaves glossy above, often in whorls of three or sometimes more,
midrib broad and yellow button bush 281
59. Leaves not glossy above, not in whorls, midrib not yellow 60
60. Leaves 7 to 10 inches long catalpa or cigar tree (rare) 279
60. Leaves less than 6 inches long 61
61. Twigs dark, with conspicuous light dots, primary veins not
prominent below nor indented above, usually less than 2½ inches
long swamp privet 277
61. Twigs without conspicuous light dots, primary veins prominent
below and indented above, usually over 2½ inches long 62
62. Leaves smooth but not glossy above, tending to cluster towards
ends of twigs flowering dogwood (rare) 270
62. Leaves rough above, distributed along branchlets dwarf or
rough-leaved dogwood 271
63. Twigs bright green, often 4-sided or ridged, leaves smooth but not
glossy, acuminate tips waahoo 254
63. Twigs neither green nor 4-sided 64
64. Leaves very glossy above black haw 285
64. Leaves not glossy above 65
65. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long, rather coarsely toothed French
mulberry 278
65. Leaves ¾ to 3 inches long, finely serrate or crenate 66
66. Leaves blunt at tip spring herald 276
66. Leaves tapering at both ends swamp privet 277
67. Compound leaves alternate 68
67. Compound leaves opposite 91
_Leaves Compound and Alternate_
68. Trunks or twigs with spines or thorns 69
68. Trunks and twigs without spines or thorns 74
69. Low shrubs, 6 inches to 2 feet high pasture rose 234
69. Not low shrubs 70
70. Leaves with 3 to 5 leaflets 71
70. Leaves with more than 5 leaflets 72
71. Stems trailing, usually on the ground dewberries 235
71. Stems climbing prairie rose (rare) 233
72. Thorns long, often branched honey locust 243
72. Thorns or prickles short 73
73. Leaflets ovate and with odd leaflet at tip prickly ash 246
73. Leaflets oblong and without odd leaflet at tip mesquite 240
74. Vines 75
74. Not vines 78
75. Leaves twice-pinnately compound pepper vine 263
75. Leaves palmately compound or with 3 leaflets 76
76. Three leaflets 77
76. Five or more leaflets Virginia creeper 262
77. Leaves succulent (thick and juicy), sometimes three-lobed instead
of parted cow-itch vine (rare) 264
77. Leaves not succulent, leaflets always fully parted, plant often
shrubby when young poison oak or poison ivy 251
78. Leaves twice-pinnately compound chinaberry 248
78. Leaves not twice-pinnate 79
79. Three leaflets (sometimes 5 on wafer ash) 80
79. More than 3 leaflets 82
80. Leaflets less than 2 inches long aromatic or ill-scented sumac 252
80. Leaflets 2 to 5 inches long 81
81. All leaflets stemless, twigs glossy wafer ash (rare) 247
81. Terminal leaflet longer stemmed than other two, twigs not glossy
poison oak or poison ivy 251
82. Leaflets rounded toward tips 83
82. Leaflets acute or acuminate 84
83. Twigs dark green, leaflets not gland-dotted Eve’s necklace 244
83. Twigs not green, leaflets dotted with tiny amber glands river
locust 245
84. Leaf margins smooth or nearly so 84A
84. Leaf margins distinctly toothed or serrate 86
84A. Leaves 1 to 3 feet long, 13 to 41 leaflets, twigs very stout
tree of Heaven (rare) 248A
84A. Leaves less than 1 foot long, 8 to 21 leaflets, twigs not very
stout 85
85. Leafy wings along stems between leaflets with odd leaflet at tip
winged or dwarf sumac 250
85. Leaf stem not or rarely winged between leaflets without odd
leaflet at tip soapberry (wild chinaberry) 257
86. Leaflets 5 to 7 87
86. Leaflets 9 to 31 88
87. Terminal leaflet usually broader toward tip and at least twice as
large as lowest pair hickory 211
87. Terminal leaflet not broader toward tip and not much larger than
others Spanish or Texas buckeye 256
88. Twigs reddish or purplish, a shrub smooth sumac 249
88. Twigs neither reddish nor purplish, trees 89
89. Pith of twigs dark and chambered black walnut 208
89. Pith of twigs not dark, continuous 90
90. Nut nearly cylindric, seed sweet pecan 209
90. Nut 4-angled, seed bitter bitter pecan (rare) 210
_Leaves Compound and Opposite_
91. Vines 92
91. Not vines 94
92. Leaves palmately compound (alternate) Virginia creeper 262
92. Leaves not palmately compound 93
93. Twice-pinnately compound (alternate) pepper vine 263
93. Once-pinnate trumpet creeper 280
94. Palmately compound fetid or Ohio buckeye 258
94. Not palmately compound 95
95. With terminal leaflet 96
95. Without terminal leaflet mesquite 240
96. Twice-pinnately compound (alternate) chinaberry 248
96. Once-pinnate 97
97. Leaflets 5 to 11, usually 7, twigs not bright green 98
97. Leaflets 3 to 5 (rarely 7 or 9), twigs bright green box elder 255
98. Twigs brownish gray, lenticels obscure, flowers and fruits in
cymes, shrubs elderberry 286
98. Twigs greenish gray or gray, whitish lenticels noticeable, flowers
and fruits in panicles, trees 99
99. Leaves bright or yellowish green on both sides, leaf-scar of twig
straight or nearly so on upper edge green ash 275
99. Leaves dark green above, paler below, leaf-scar of twig concave or
notched on upper edge white ash 274
[Illustration: about ½ natural size]
260 New Jersey tea; fruit
276 spring herald
261 rattan vine
268 St. Andrew’s cross
252 aromatic sumac
264 cow-itch vine
284 Indian current
253 swamp holly
[Illustration: about ¼ natural size]
254 waahoo
265 _Cissus ampelopsis_
285 black haw
278 French mulberry
271 dwarf dogwood
283 bush honeysuckle
282 coral honeysuckle
277 swamp privet
[Illustration: about ¼ natural size]
280 trumpet creeper
244 Eve’s necklace
246 prickly ash
245 river locust
249 smooth sumac
256 Texas buckeye
[Illustration: about ¼ natural size]
248 chinaberry
262 Virginia creeper
250 winged sumac
263 pepper vine
257 soapberry
258 Ohio buckeye
[Illustration: about ¼ natural size]
247 wafer ash
251 poison ivy
230 Canada moonseed
259 Indian cherry
286 elderberry
255 box elder
229 Carolina moonseed
228 wooly pipevine
GUIDE TO NATIVE WOODY PLANTS OF DALLAS COUNTY
_Capital letters and page numbers following the descriptions of a few
of these plants refer to the bibliography at the end of this guide._
PINE FAMILY
201. RED CEDAR (_Juniperus virginiana_ L.) abundant tree of medium
height. Habitat: all soils, especially limestone hills in southwestern
part of county. Leaves: small, thick, scale-like or like short needles.
Bark: thin, reddish brown, shreddy, inner layers yellowish brown. Twigs:
of young shoots bear the sharper-pointed leaves. Flowers: dioecious, in
February or March; staminate minute, numerous, rusty; pistillate
purplish, inconspicuous. Fruit: light blue, spherical, ¼ inch diameter.
Wood: reddish at heart, sapwood light, used for cedar chests, rustic
work, and fence posts; for the last inferior only to bois d’arc as it is
very lasting in contact with the soil.
202. MOUNTAIN CEDAR (_Juniperus mexicana_ Spreng.) rare tree except at
Camp Wisdom and vicinity. Habitat: dry uplands, this about its eastern
limit but abundant westward. Leaves: similar to red cedar. Inner bark:
darker brown than on red cedar. Fruit: larger and darker than red cedar,
purplish. Wood: light brown, hard and close-grained but weak, used for
fuel, fence posts, poles and landscape planting.
PALM FAMILY
203. DWARF PALMETTO (_Sabal minor_ Pers.) low shrub of the river bottom,
rare. Leaves: 15 to 20 inches long, spreading, fan-shaped, from an
underground stem; browsed by cattle and mostly destroyed when Bois d’Arc
Island was cleared for cultivation. Flowers: whitish, small, from a
slightly branched central stalk. Fruit: black, spherical, smooth, dry,
about ¼ inch across. L (p. 223) (_S. glabra_). M (p. 240.)
LILY FAMILY
204. GREENBRIER (_Smilax bona nox_ L.) abundant vine; locally called
stretchberry, saw-brier, cat-brier. Habitat: woodlands and thickets,
becoming especially obnoxious in heavily pastured woodlands. Leaves: 1½
to 4½ inches long, ½ to 3 wide, alternate, oval or somewhat
heart-shaped, margins entire; smooth, thick, shining, many remaining
green and some mottled with brown in winter; all primary veins running
lengthwise of leaf. Stems: long, evergreen, often very prickly, climbing
by tendrils. Flowers: small, inconspicuous, yellowish or greenish,
dioecious, in umbels, six “petals”. Fruit: black, shining or covered
with a bloom, round or nearly so, size of small peas. This vine’s
greatest virtue seems to be that it offers food and shelter to the
birds.
205. YUCCA, bear-grass, Spanish dagger (_Yucca_ species) more than one
species in the county; abundant in meadows and along roadsides. Leaves:
grasslike but large, thick and tough, in rosettes, often with white
threads on margins; sharp-pointed. Woody stem: very short in our
species. Flowers: greenish white or creamy, many along a central stalk
two or three feet tall; each cupped flower about an inch or two long,
fertilized by a small white moth which lays its egg inside. Fruit: a
short, thick, cylindrical pod containing layers of flat, black seeds.
WILLOW FAMILY
206. WILLOW (_Salix nigra_ Marsh.) the black willow is probably the only
native species growing in the county. The weeping willow (_Salix
babylonica_) has not been observed growing in the county except where
planted. Willows grow close to water or in low ground, are very common
and grow very rapidly where they have an abundant supply of water; very
valuable in checking soil erosion as their roots help to hold the soil
in place. Leaves: simple, alternate, 3 to 6 inches long, ⅛ to ¾ wide,
acuminate, with fine, incurved serrations. Bark: rough, shaggy on old
trees, usually light brown. Twigs: conspicuously yellowish orange in
winter, smooth or glossy, very slender. Flowers: in catkins, yellowish,
dioecious. Fruit: cottony-covered seeds. Wood: soft, light, weak, used
for a special charcoal in manufacturing gunpowder, some species for
artificial limbs.
207. COTTONWOOD (_Populus deltoides_ var. _virginiana_ Sudw.) common,
large tree, also called Carolina poplar. Habitat: prefers lowlands and
stream banks although will grow in dry soil. Leaves: simple, alternate,
3 to 5 inches each way, commonly glossy on both sides, broad and
straight across at the base, coarsely toothed or crenate, stems
flattened. Bark: thick, light gray, deeply furrowed on trunks to smooth
and yellowish green on branches. Twigs: stout, greenish yellow to pale
gray, smooth; lenticels large, pale, lengthwise; buds large, scales very
sticky-resinous. Flowers: staminate are red catkins, pistillate greenish
yellow, dioecious. Fruit: cottony-covered seeds. Wood: soft, light
weight, warps easily but cheap because of rapid growth of tree; new
methods of rapid kiln-drying have lessened warping.
WALNUT FAMILY
208. BLACK WALNUT (_Juglans nigra_ L.) tree, common in rich bottomlands.
Leaves: alternate, pinnately compound, one to two feet long, 15 to 23
leaflets, each about 3 inches long, tapering and toothed; with a
characteristic odor when crushed. Bark: thick, dark, rough. Twigs: have
dark, chambered pith shown by splitting lengthwise through center.
Flowers: greenish, male in catkins, female inconspicuous, both kinds on
the same tree. Fruit: green to black husk does not split, round; shell
rough, very hard, dark; nut rich and sweet. Wood: hard, strong, rich
brown color, very valuable for gunstocks, furniture, etc.
209. PECAN (_Carya pecan_ Engl. & Graebn.) abundant, the state tree.
Habitat: rich bottomlands preferred. Leaves: similar to black walnut but
average fewer leaflets, 9 to 17. Twigs: do not have dark, chambered
pith. Bark: somewhat variable in appearance but generally lighter in
color than walnut and not as flaky as soapberry both of which it
resembles. Fruit: very valuable crop in Texas, many cultivated varieties
tending toward larger size of nuts and thinner shell. Wood: not
valuable, hard but brittle and not strong.
210. BITTER PECAN (_Carya texana_ Schn.) rare tree of low woodlands. The
nuts are 4-angled and the seeds bitter. Wood tough and strong.
211. HICKORY (_Carya buckleyi_ Durand) uncommon in this county. Observed
in sandy woods. Leaves: pinnately compound, of 5 to 9 leaflets, the
terminal 4 to 6 inches long, 2 to 2¼ wide, twice as large as the lowest,
obovate and tapering at each end. Bark: dark, rough, close. Fruit:
resembles pecan but broader; shell thick, somewhat wrinkled, light in
color; seed sweet. Wood: hard, brittle, little used except for fuel.
BEECH FAMILY
White Oak Group: _Fruit requires 1 year to mature; leaves without
sharp points to lobes_ (_except chinquapin oak leaves_). Bark:
_usually lighter gray than on black or red oaks_.
212. POST OAK (_Quercus stellata_ Wang) most abundant tree of dry,
sandy, upland woods. Leaves: 3 to 5 inches long, with 5 rounded lobes
wider toward the outer end; like bur oak but smaller; dead leaves often
cling in winter, especially on young trees. Flowers: as in other oaks,
male in catkins, female inconspicuous, both kinds on same tree. Fruit:
an oval acorn, ½ to 1 inch long in a rather shallow cup. Bark: rough,
with deep grooves. Twigs: very fuzzy when young. Wood: hard, durable in
soil but difficult to season, used mainly for fuel, fence posts and
crossties.
213. SCRUB OAK: or dwarf post oak (probably a variety of _Q. stellata_).
Habitat: on limestone hills where common. Leaves: similar to post oak
but less than 3 inches long and less deeply lobed. Bark: thin, light
gray, with loose scales. Sometimes attains tree size though usually
shrubby and growing in dense thickets, typically not over 20 feet high.
214. BUR OAK or mossy-cup oak (_Quercus macrocarpa_ Michx.) common large
tree of lowlands; heavy, thick branches make it the sturdiest looking of
our oaks. Leaves: 6 to 12 inches long, deeply 5 to 7 lobed with the
lobes rounded and larger toward the tip, upper lobe largest and wavy
margined or shallowly lobed. Acorns: large, 2 inches or more in
diameter, the cup usually deep and heavily fringed. Wood: for
cabinetmaking and all sorts of construction, shipbuilding, etc.
215. SWAMP CHESTNUT OAK or basket oak (_Quercus prinus_ L.) Habitat:
rich bottomlands, not common. Leaves: obovate, margins deeply wavy or
with small, regularly rounded notches, downy beneath, 3 to 8 inches
long. Bark: light gray, with broad flakes. Acorns: about 1½ inches long
by 1 inch wide, shiny brown, with a shallow cup, eaten by cows (cow
oak). Wood: used for lumber, veneer, cooperage, wheels, implements, and
baskets.
216. CHINQUAPIN OAK or chestnut oak (_Quercus muehlenbergii_ Engelm.)
Habitat: various, prefers limestone soil, common. Leaves: similar to
preceding species but more sharply notched. Bark: thick, usually silvery
gray, large, loose scales on surface. Acorns: smaller than preceding and
have very short stems. Branches: typically fewer, larger and more
irregular than preceding. Wood: hard, strong, close-grained, durable,
used for cooperage, furniture, crossties, fuel.
Black or Red Oak Group: _Fruit requires two years to mature, leaves
have sharp points on lobes._
217. WATER OAK, duck oak, or pin oak (_Quercus nigra_ L.) Habitat: low,
sandy land, rare. Leaves: usually about 2½ inches long and 1½ wide,
narrow toward base, usually broader toward tip, shallowly lobed toward
tip or entire, smooth and dark green above, tardily deciduous. Bark:
rather smooth, reddish brown. Fruit: acorns usually solitary, very
short-stalked, light brown, ½ to ⅔ inch long. Wood: heavy, hard, strong,
little used except for fuel and crossties.
218. BLACK JACK OAK (_Quercus marilandica_ Muench.) Habitat: dry, upland
woods, sandy soil, with post oaks where few other trees grow, common.
Leaves: 4 to 10 inches long, very wide at tip, narrow toward base, only
very shallowly lobed, dark above, leathery, dead leaves often clinging
to young trees in winter. Bark: rough, dark, broken into small, hard
flakes. Fruit: an acorn about ¾ inch long with a cup enclosing about
half the nut which is yellowish brown and often striped. Wood: heavy,
hard and strong but little used except as fuel.
219. RED OAK (_Quercus_ species). Several species of red oak are not
easily distinguished except by specialists and the problem is
complicated by the fact that many species interbreed readily, thus
producing many variations from the typical forms. Probably _Q.
shumardii_ var. _schneckii_ is the most common red oak around Dallas.
The leaves are similar in shape to the black oak but are thinner and
lack the prominent rusty hairs in the forks of the veins; lobes are
usually from 5 to 7 and vary greatly as to length and width. The Texas
red oak (_Q. texana_ Buckley) is a closely related smaller tree of dry
uplands. The Spanish oak (_Q. rubra_ L.) is another red oak of dry
uplands; it is easily recognized when the leaves assume one typical form
which is narrow and rounded at the base with the three or more narrow
lobes occurring near the tip. For more complete descriptions of these
trees the reader is referred to the latest edition of Sargent’s “Manual
of the Trees of North America.”
NETTLE FAMILY
220. RED OR SLIPPERY ELM (_Ulmus fulva_ Michx.) Habitat: principally in
rich soil on low hillsides or stream banks, a common tree. Leaves:
doubly toothed, unequal at the base, 3 to 7 inches long, rough on both
sides. Twigs: somewhat mucilaginous or “slippery” when chewed; buds
covered with rusty hairs. Inner BARK: very mucilaginous, used in
medicine; outer BARK: grayish brown with flat ridges. Flowers: small,
inconspicuous, appearing very early in spring, before the leaves; in
clusters, each flower on a long drooping stalk. Fruit: green-winged
seeds, disk-shaped, notched at tip but without incurved tips. Wood:
close-grained, tough, heavy, hard, used for fence posts, crossties,
implements, ribs for small boats, etc.
221. WHITE OR AMERICAN ELM (_Ulmus americana_ L.) Habitat: similar to
red elm, less common. Leaves: similar except usually rather smooth above
and downy below, veins prominent below and parallel from midrib to leaf
edge. Twigs: brownish and smoother, buds without rusty hairs, not, or
very slightly, mucilaginous. Cross section of BARK shows alternate
layers of brown and white; surface dark gray with irregular, flat-topped
ridges. Flowers: very short-stalked. Seed: wings notched, with incurving
tips. Wood: hard, strong, tough, difficult to split, coarse-grained,
used for wheel-hubs, saddletrees, floors, boats.
222. CEDAR ELM (_Ulmus crassifolia_ Nutt.) Habitat: varied, our most
abundant elm, resists drouth and root rot, hence recommended as a shade
tree. Leaves: 1 to 2 inches long, usually blunt tipped. Young TWIGS:
reddish and slightly downy, sometimes have corky wings. Flowers and
Fruit: in late summer and early autumn. Branches: relatively short and
numerous, making dense shade in spite of small size of leaves. Wood:
brittle, sometimes used for hubs, furniture and fencing; mostly for fuel
and charcoal.
223. WINGED ELM (_Ulmus alata_ Michx.) Usually found on low, sandy land;
not common. Leaves: 1½ to 3 inches long, pointed at the tip. Twigs:
usually with many broad, corky wings, though sometimes absent. Flowers:
in spring. Wood: similar to other elms.
224. ROUGH-LEAVED HACKBERRY (_Celtis occidentalis_ var. _crassifolia_
Gray). Habitat: varied, more common on rich soil. Leaves: ovate, toothed
at least toward the long point, 2 to 4 inches long. Fruit: a roundish,
dark purple berry ripening in early fall, often clinging to the tree
through the winter and forming a popular food for many birds; about ¼
inch in diameter. Bark: of trunk usually conspicuous with its
characteristic warty projections. Wood: heavy but soft and weak, decays
rapidly when exposed, little used except for fuel. The characteristic
brown gall on the twigs is almost a mark of recognition in winter, when
trees are too small to show the typical warty bark.
225. SOUTHERN HACKBERRY (_Celtis laevigata_ Willd.) Less common than
previous species. Distinguished by the smooth margins of the slightly
longer and narrower LEAVES and by the orange or yellowish color of the
FRUIT. Both trees are widely planted for shade as they are resistant to
root rot.
226. BOIS D’ARC OR OSAGE ORANGE (_Maclura pomifera_ Schn.) also called
horse-apple. Abundant in rich bottomland. Leaves: entire, dark green and
glossy, oval, pointed at tip, 3 to 5 inches long. The yellowish-brown
BARK distinguishes it from any other thorny tree, contains tannin and
that of root a yellow dye. Flowers: monoecious, the female in a rounded
ball, male in an elongated cluster. Fruit: resembles a very rough,
large, bright green orange. Wood: bright orange in color, most durable
in contact with the soil, used principally for posts.
227. RED MULBERRY (_Morus rubra_ L.) Common in rich lowlands, often in
the shade of larger trees. Leaves: 3 to 5 inches long or rarely much
larger in dense shade, toothed, ovate, pointed at tip, rounded or
heart-shaped at base; on young trees often mitten-shaped or deeply and
variously lobed, rough above. Flowers: monoecious or dioecious, in
drooping catkins, the female shorter. Fruit: red to black, resembles
blackberry, ripens through May, very attractive to many birds,
especially the migrating thrushes. Bark: thin, dark grayish brown,
breaking into long scales. Twigs: slender, somewhat zigzag, with milky
juice. Wood: light, soft, weak, used for fence posts, cooperage and boat
building.
BIRTHWORT FAMILY
228. WOOLY PIPEVINE (_Aristolochia tomentosa_ Sims.) or Dutchman’s pipe.
Habitat: low, rich woods, not abundant. Leaves: large, round-heart
shaped, downy, soft, margins entire. Stems: slender, very high climbing.
Flowers: tube u-curved like a Dutchman’s pipe, with lobes turned back;
small yellowish, inconspicuous flowers not to be confused with the
leather flower (Viorna) which is also sometimes called pipevine; Viorna
has four thick, leathery, purplish petals shaped like the bowl of a
pipe. Fruit: many flat, black, shiny, pie-shaped seeds packed in a
six-angled, cylindrical seed case about 1 to 2 inches in diameter and 2
to 3 inches long. A closely related cultivated vine is often planted
where a dense screen is desired. B (Vol. I, p. 646).
[Illustration: 228 wooly pipevine]
MOONSEED FAMILY
229. CAROLINA MOONSEED (_Cocculus carolinus_ (L) DC.) also called wild
sarsaparilla or coral vine. Habitat: hedgerows and thickets, edges of
woods, a common vine. Leaves: variable, oval to slightly heart-shaped,
usually blunt or rounded at the tip, usually about 2 or 3 inches long.
Stems: slender, green and somewhat fuzzy when young. Flowers: dioecious,
small, greenish, 6-parted. Fruits: size of small peas, soft, scarlet,
one-seeded, in small, dense clusters; very decorative in winter and
excellent bird attraction.
[Illustration: 229 Carolina moonseed]
230. CANADA MOONSEED (_Menispermum canadense_ L.) very rare vine of low
woods. Stems: 6 to 12 feet long. Leaves: 3 to 7-angled or shallowly
lobed, broader than long, 4 inches or much more. Flowers: small, white,
6-8 petals, 12-24 stamens. Fruit: black with a bloom, resembling small
grapes; seed spirally curved. B (Vol. II, p. 131).
[Illustration: 230 Canada moonseed]
PLANE TREE FAMILY
231. SYCAMORE or buttonwood (_Platanus occidentalis_ L.) a common tree,
along stream banks and in low woods, often the largest tree in its
locality as it grows rapidly. Bark: thin, smooth, greenish gray, flaking
off in large patches and exposing the under bark which is whitish like
that on limbs, especially conspicuous in winter woods. Leaves: 4 to 7
inches long and about as broad, very coarsely toothed, often shallowly 3
or 5-lobed, light green above, paler below. Twigs: slender, rather shiny
and zigzag; bud with a single, cap-like scale, enclosed by the base of
the leaf-stalk. Fruit: a compact ball about 1 inch across, remaining on
its drooping stem all winter, composed of many seeds which separate and
are blown away in spring. Often planted as street tree because of rapid
growth and resistance to drouth, but the large leaves and flaking bark
cause unsightly litter. Wood: coarse-grained, hard, not strong, heavy,
hard to split; used for butchers’ blocks, furniture, interior trim, and
tobacco boxes.
ROSE FAMILY
232. RED HAW or hawthorn (_Crataegus_ species) probably about four
species in the county. Three are easily distinguished by the shapes of
the leaves and the size of the fruits:
(a) Leaves: very wooly when young, broad near base and nearly as broad
as long, doubly toothed and often shallowly lobed; especially
susceptible to the cedar rust. Fruit: red, resembling large rose hips,
edible, mealy, about ¾ inch across, ripening in September and falling
early. Grows in the vicinity of White Rock Creek and Lake. Leaves and
flowers in early April.
(b) Leaves: usually obovate, tapering at base and somewhat blunt at tip,
darker and smoother than (a). Fruit: about ½ inch or less across,
ripening October or November, clinging late into winter. Flowers and
leaves both smaller and appearing later than (a). Same region.
(c) Leaves: deeply and sharply cut. Fruit: ¼ inch or less across, many
in a drooping cluster. River bottoms in southeastern part of county.
A fourth species is distinctive for its loose, flaky bark.
Wood: tough and hard but all trees in this region too small to be of
commercial importance.
233. PRAIRIE ROSE (_Rosa setigera_ Michx.) rare, climbing or trailing,
vine-like shrub of low sandy land. Leaves: compound leaflets; mostly
three, or five. Stems: green, with stout, scattered prickles, sometimes
20 feet long, usually much less. Flowers: bright pink, styles united
into a column. Fruit: rounded, red in autumn, nearly ½ inch in diameter.
B (Vol. II, p. 283.)
234. PASTURE ROSE (_Rosa foliolosa_ Nutt.) a common, very low shrub.
Habitat: meadows, roadsides, open woods, White Rock Lake, etc. Flowers:
white or pale pink, solitary, sweet-scented. Stem: 6 to 12 inches tall,
reddish, slender, with few prickles. Fruits: red, haw-like, in fall and
winter. Leaves: pinnately compound, small leaflets 7 to 11, red in
autumn or green and tardily deciduous. D (p. 106.)
235. DEWBERRY (_Rubus trivialis_) abundant trailing “shrub” of woods,
roadsides, thickets and ditches. Leaves: compound, 3 to 5 leaflets,
rose-like, evergreen or nearly so. Stems: green, prickly, usually lying
on the ground, several feet long. Flowers: white, 5 petals, like small
single roses. Fruit: black, many-seeded, juicy, ripe April-May, popular
with birds, boys and redbugs.
236. WILD BLACK CHERRY (_Prunus serotina_ Ehr.) a rare, small tree
observed in low, sandy woods. Leaves: oval or longer, pointed at tip,
finely serrate, dark red glands at base; glossy above, paler below. 2-6
inches long. Flowers: in grape-like clusters, drooping, white, in late
March. Fruit: resembling small grapes, bitter but edible. Bark: of
branches and young trunks glossy, reddish brown, marked with white,
horizontal lines, finally becomes rough and broken into irregular
plates. Wood: is second in value only to black walnut, reddish brown,
fine grained, used for furniture, and interiors. Fruit: used to flavor
rum, the bark in medicines.
237. WILD PLUM (_Prunus mexicana_ S. Watson) common tree in woodlands,
especially in low, rich ground. Leaves: oval, finely toothed, 2 to 3
inches long, downy or smooth but not shiny. Flowers: white,
sweet-scented, in February and March. Fruit: oval, about 1 inch
diameter, red, with a bloom; makes a delicious, tart jelly; different
trees ripen from August into October. Winter TWIGS: smooth, dark
purplish, the smaller ones often thorny-tipped. Bark: smooth on branches
but peeling, finally rough and dark gray. J (p. 565.)
238. DWARF PLUM (_Prunus angustifolia_ var. _varians_ Wight & Hedr.) a
shrub, often flowering when 1 or 2 feet high, rarely a very small tree,
common on dry hillsides, meadows and fence rows, often forming thickets.
Leaves: slightly narrower than those of the tree plum, smooth or shiny
above, often tending to fold together lengthwise. Flowers: small, white,
in March. Fruit: about ½ inch in diameter, bright red, ripe in
midsummer. Twigs: very glossy and dark reddish purple, with sharp
thorns. J (p. 570.)
239. PEACH (_Prunus persica_ (L.) Sieb & Zucc.) an uncommon escape from
cultivation, growing readily from seeds along roadsides, etc. These
trees usually bear small, hard, flavorless fruit but may be used as
parent stock on which to graft desirable cultivated varieties. Flowers:
showy, pink.
PEA FAMILY
240. MESQUITE (_Prosopis glandulosa_ Torr.) an abundant small tree with
a short trunk and open, spreading crown. Habitat: hilly pastures west of
the Trinity River. Flowers: tiny, yellow, in catkins, blooming about May
first and often again after summer rains. Pods: 4 to 9 inches long,
somewhat constricted between the seeds, containing a sweet pulp as well
as 10 to 20 seeds; valuable as food for livestock. Leaves:
Twice-pinnately compound, alternate, 8 to 10 inches long, composed of
one or two pairs of primary divisions each bearing 12 to 20 leaflets
usually much less than two inches long. Twigs: have spines, usually in
pairs at the leaf-axils. Wood: heavy, hard, closegrained, durable in
soil, used for fence posts, underpinnings of buildings and fuel. The
roots are large and heavy, giving rise to the saying that West Texans
dig for their wood.
241. REDBUD (_Cercis canadensis_ L.) a medium or small tree common in
woodlands. Leaves: heart-shaped or truncate at base and blunt or
slender-pointed at tip, 3 to 5 inches long and wide, smooth above,
margin entire. Twigs: smooth, dark reddish brown, slender. Bark: of
larger trunks finally divided into long, narrow plates, the surface
separating into thin scales. Flowers: pea-shaped, pink with a red calyx,
½ inch long, in clusters close to the branches and sometimes even down
on the trunk. Fruit: reddish brown pods 2 to 4 inches long, about ½ inch
wide, flattened, often persistent into winter. Wood: dark brown, hard
but weak, not valued commercially. The tree is common in cultivation
because of its attractive early-blooming flowers; it is easily grown
from seed.
242. REDBUD (_Cercis reniformis_ Engl.) a small tree or tall shrub of
limestone ridges southwest of Dallas. Leaves: kidney-shaped, not
pointed, generally more glossy above than _C. canadensis_, “Mountain
Redbud.”
243. HONEY LOCUST (_Gleditsia triacanthos_ L.) a very thorny tree common
in a variety of soils. Leaves: some once-pinnately compound and some
twice, both kinds on the same tree, leaflets numerous, 1 to 1½ inches
long and ½ wide, nearly entire, turning yellow in autumn. Twigs:
slender, shining, usually reddish brown, distinctive for the large,
pronged thorns which they bear in the second year and retain for many
years. Bark: of trunk becoming rough, its broad ridges with thick,
recurved edges, highly variable as to the number of thorns retained.
Flowers: tiny, yellow, in catkins, very sweet-scented. Fruit: flat,
reddish brown pods, 10 to 18 inches long, usually twisted, containing a
sweetish pulp between the hard seeds; they are widely scattered by many
animals which relish the pulp but fail to digest the seeds. Wood: hard,
strong, coarse-grained, durable in the soil, bright red-brown, used for
fence posts, wheel hubs and in construction. This tree is very resistant
to drouth but gives scanty shade and causes much litter.
244. EVE’S NECKLACE (_Sophora affinis_ Torr. & Gray) a small, slender
tree becoming almost vine-like when crowded by other trees, common on
stream borders, limestone hills, or prairie ravines. Leaves: pinnately
compound of 13 to 19 pointed or blunt leaflets about 1½ in. long and 1
wide with entire or slightly wavy margins. Twigs: dull or glossy green
becoming mottled with gray, sometimes zigzag. Bark: thin, gray, finally
breaking into many, loose, oblong scales. Flowers: ½ in. long, white to
lavender rose, in drooping clusters, pea-shaped. Fruit: dull black pods
1 to 4 inches long, tightly constricted between the seeds, often
clinging to the tree with the flowers of the following spring. Wood:
light red with 10 or 12 layers of bright yellow sapwood, heavy, hard and
strong but too small to be of commercial importance. This little tree is
native only to eastern and central Texas and the borders of adjacent
states. K (p. 147.)
[Illustration: 244 Eve’s necklace]
245. RIVER LOCUST (_Amorpha fruticosa_ L.) or false indigo: a tall shrub
fairly common in low, moist ground, more common in sun than shade.
Leaves: pinnately compound, of 9 to 25 leaflets, oblong or elliptical, ½
to 1½ in. long, gland-dotted. Flowers: in dense, erect clusters, each
floret consisting of one dark purple petal wrapped around the ten
gold-tipped stamens and the style. Fruit: pods about ¼ in. long heavily
dotted with amber-colored glands. K (p. 160.)
[Illustration: 245 river locust]
RUE FAMILY
(Citrus Fruits In This Family)
246. PRICKLY ASH (_Xanthoxylum clava-herculis_ L.) also called
tear-blanket or toothache tree: a rather small tree common in rich
lowlands, “of its largest size on the rich intervale lands of the
streams flowing into the Trinity River”. Leaves: pinnately compound of 3
to 9 pairs of leaflets, usually ovate with acute or acuminate tips, 1 to
2½ in. long, shiny above, dull beneath, margins crenate-serrate,
aromatic and tingling-spicy as are the fruit and bark. Twigs: have
scattered, hooked spines, often black on young shoots. Bark: smooth,
bluish gray, conspicuous for its corky, cone-shaped knobs which are
sometimes still tipped with sharp spines; bark of root is especially
stimulating and tonic, used by negroes for toothache and rheumatism.
Flowers: small, white or greenish, in small cymes, opening after the
leaves. Fruit: ¼ inch long, and nearly round, pitted capsules split in
early autumn to reveal the shiny black seeds; relished by many birds.
Wood: light weight, close-grained, light brown with yellow sapwood, not
valued as much as the bark.
[Illustration: 246 prickly ash]
247. WAFER ASH (_Ptelea trifoliata_ L.) or hop tree: a rare, small tree
or shrub of low woodlands. Leaves: pinnately compound, usually composed
of three, rarely five leaflets, 2 to 5 inches long, 1 to 3 wide, the
terminal generally larger and more tapering toward the base than the
others, margins entire or finely serrate, dark and shiny above,
gland-dotted beneath. Twigs: dark, glossy, resembling cherry; winter
buds rounded, whitish. Bark: of branches resembles cherry, dark and
shining but cracks and curls, becoming rough; bitter, tonic. Flowers:
greenish white, compound terminal cymes; in midsummer; disagreeable
odor. Fruit: winged seed disks similar to those of elm but larger,
nearly 1 inch; the drooping clusters conspicuous on winter branches;
occasionally used in place of hops in beer brewing. Wood: heavy, hard
and close-grained.
[Illustration: 247 wafer ash]
MAHOGANY FAMILY
248. CHINABERRY (_Melia azederach_ L.) a familiar cultivated tree
occasionally escaped from cultivation; a native of China much planted
for shade in the southern states; sometimes found in remote woods where
birds must have dropped the seeds. Leaves: alternate, twice-pinnately
compound, dark green above, margins of leaflets often shallowly lobed or
wavy. Twigs: thick, upright, dark. Bark: dark, somewhat smooth on
branches. Flowers: lavender, in large, loose clusters on wood of the
previous year, scented, in April or May. Fruit: Opaque, yellow, size of
marbles, remaining into winter. Wood: light and brittle, color resembles
mahogany but the grain is much coarser and does not polish well. I (p.
353.)
[Illustration: 248 chinaberry]
QUASSIA FAMILY
248A. TREE OF HEAVEN, Chinese sumac, (_Ailanthus glandulosa_ Desf.)
Several sprouts of this tree were observed in Kessler Park woodlands
after this booklet had been set in type. The 1 to 3 foot, pinnately
compound LEAVES and very stout TWIGS are ready marks of identification.
Flowers: greenish, in large panicles, the staminate ill-scented. Fruit:
winged seeds rusty colored. Wood: soft and weak. An escape from
cultivation, undesirable because of its numerous root-suckers.
CASHEW FAMILY
249. SMOOTH SUMAC (_Rhus glabra_ L.) abundant tall shrub, in woods or
fields, prefers lowlands but also common in shallow depressions of
uplands. Leaves: pinnately compound, 6 to 12 inches long, leaflets
toothed, dark and smooth above; turning bright scarlet in early autumn.
Twigs: smooth, reddish brown or with a whitish bloom; stout; buds
entirely encircled by leaf stem or scar, juice milky. Flowers:
dioecious, staminate in large, loose clusters of small, creamy flowers;
pistillate clusters more compact and soon showing tinge of red. Fruit:
dark red, fuzzy, acid skins cover each dry seed, retain color nearly all
winter; may be used to make a substitute for lemonade. Wood: too scanty
to be of value, center pithy.
[Illustration: 249 smooth sumac]
250. WINGED OR DWARF SUMAC (_Rhus copallina_ L.) a tall shrub or rarely
a small tree, abundant on limestone hills and bluffs. Leaves: pinnately
compound, 6 to 8 inches long, leaflets not or remotely serrate on
margins, leafy wings along stem between leaflets. Twigs: slightly
pubescent (fuzzy), buds not entirely encircled by leaf scar, juice
watery. Flowers: similar to R. glabra but later, in August. Fruit:
clusters do not retain their bright color as late. Wood: light and soft,
greenish brown.
[Illustration: 250 winged sumac]
251. POISON IVY, POISON OAK (_Rhus toxicodendron_ L.) an abundant,
woody, high-climbing vine, often appearing shrubby when young, or in the
absence of a support; preferring woodlands, but also in open places.
Leaves: compound, of three leaflets 2 to 5 inches long, coarsely toothed
or lobed or more rarely entire. Bark: noticeable for numerous aerial
rootlets on large specimens. Branches: extending at right angles from
main stem. Flowers: inconspicuous, whitish. Fruit: white, in small,
loose clusters. All parts of the plant very poisonous to the touch: the
apparent immunity of some persons may be lost at any time and those who
have suffered previous attacks seem more subject to the poison
thereafter.
[Illustration: 251 poison ivy]
252. AROMATIC OR ILL-SCENTED SUMAC (_Rhus trilobata_ and var.
_aromatica_) or skunk bush: a spreading, low to medium shrub common in
dry upland woods. Leaves: compound, of three leaflets, teeth or lobes
usually rounded, ½ to 1½ inches long; both plants and opinions vary as
to whether leaves are aromatic or ill-scented when crushed. Twigs: are
noticeable in winter for their cone-shaped buds. Flowers: in March,
small, yellow. Fruit: small clusters of red stone fruits covered with
white hairs, ripe in midsummer, decorative. K (p. 204-5.)
[Illustration: 252 aromatic sumac]
HOLLY FAMILY
253. SWAMP HOLLY (_Ilex decidua_ Walt.) or possum haw, a common small
tree or shrub thriving best in lowlands, but also grows on dry limestone
bluffs. Leaves: 1 to 2 inches long, usually blunt at the tip, margins
with small, rounded teeth. Twigs: light gray, the short stems often
densely covered with fruit scars, resembling tiny cones; alternate on
the branches. Bark: pale gray often mottled, smooth. Flowers: dioecious,
white, very inconspicuous. Fruit: round, scarlet or orange, close to the
branches, singly or few together, on wood of the previous year, often
remain through winter. Wood: heavy, close-grained, creamy-white. This
tree suffers from vandals, especially near Christmas, although not
evergreen like its spiny-leaved relative, _Ilex opaca_ which is grown
commercially and is also a native of East Texas. Youpon (_Ilex
vomitoria_) is another native of East Texas which resembles our swamp
holly even more closely except that its leaves are evergreen, and its
fruit more pulpy.
[Illustration: 253 swamp holly]
STAFF-TREE FAMILY
254. WAAHOO or burning bush (_Evonymus atropurpureus_ Jacq.) a medium to
tall shrub or small tree of low woodlands, not very common. Leaves:
opposite, simple, 2 to 5 inches long, tapering at both ends, finely
serrate, light green and often turning pinkish in autumn. Twigs: green
with gray stripes, often more or less 4-angled. Bark: smoothish, mottled
gray. Flowers: small, very dark red, 4-lobed, in May. Fruit: crimson,
not more than one in each lobe of 4-lobed rosy pod hanging from red,
threadlike stem, in winter. Wood: heavy, hard and close-grained. The
climbing bittersweet, native of Oklahoma and East Texas, is a member of
this family.
[Illustration: 254 waahoo]
MAPLE FAMILY
255. BOX ELDER (_Acer negundo_ L.) a medium-sized tree fairly common in
low woods and along stream banks. This is the only member of the family
native to Dallas County. Leaves: pinnately compound, opposite, usually 5
leaflets, sometimes 3 or 7, 2½ to 5 in. long, light green, coarsely
toothed. Twigs: usually green, smooth. Bark: gray, with regular, shallow
furrows. Flowers: dioecious, very small, staminate forming green, silky
tassels. Fruit: seeds with elongated wings, in pairs forming v’s, ripen
and fall in autumn although their stems cling until spring. Wood: light,
soft, close-grained; used for woodenware, interior finish and paper
pulp. Sugar can be made from the sap. This tree grows rapidly in a moist
situation but is short-lived.
[Illustration: 255 box elder]
SOAPBERRY FAMILY
256. SPANISH or TEXAS BUCKEYE (_Ungnadia speciosa_ Endl.) a tall shrub
or small tree, not very common, in upland woods; native only to Texas,
New Mexico and northern Mexico; Dallas County about its northeastern
limit. Leaves: pinnately compound, ash-like but alternate, leaflets 1 to
3 inches long, wrinkled undersurface. Twigs: light brown. Bark: light
gray, thin, with numerous shallow fissures. Flowers: color of redbud,
slightly larger and averaging two weeks later, 4 or 5 slender petals and
red stamens often curving in opposite directions. Fruit: 3 or rarely 4
round, black, shiny seeds, smaller than true buckeyes but having the
pale “eye-spot”; leathery brown pods usually crack open and drop the
seeds in October or November, themselves remaining through the winter.
The seeds are powerful emetics and reputed to be poisonous. Wood: heavy,
close-grained, soft but brittle, reddish brown. K (p. 215.)
[Illustration: 256 Texas buckeye]
257. SOAPBERRY or wild chinaberry (_Sapindus drummondii_ H. & A.) a
medium-sized tree, fairly common in lowlands, a tree of the
southwest-central states. Leaves: pinnately compound of 4 to 9 pairs of
sickle-shaped leaflets about 2½ inches long with entire margins; lack
the odd terminal leaflet of walnuts and pecans. Twigs: slender, the
outer branches often drooping. Bark: light gray, rough and loosely
scaly. Flowers: small, creamy white, showy because of large size of the
terminal clusters, in May or June. Fruit: golden, or amber, translucent,
size of marbles, drooping from tips of branches, remain until spring
when they sometimes turn black. Wood: heavy, strong and splits easily
between annual rings, hence used for basket splints.
[Illustration: 257 soapberry]
258. FETID or OHIO BUCKEYE (_Aesculus glabra_ Willd.) medium shrub or
rarely small tree in this region, low or upland woods but nowhere
common. Leaves: opposite, palmately compound, of 7 to 9 slender, toothed
leaflets, 2½ to 4½ inches long, 1 to 2 wide, conspicuous in early spring
as they are among the first to open. Twigs: stout, with large opposite
buds, the terminal one containing leaves as well as flower clusters;
branches usually divide into twos. Flowers: in April, pale yellow
clusters, stamens slightly longer than the petals. Fruit: brown, glossy
seeds, flattened on one side, with a large, pale “eye-spot”; two or
three in a leathery, rounded husk, 1 to 2 inches across, covered with
short, scattered prickles. The seed was once believed to be a cure for
rheumatism when carried in the pocket. Wood: light, close-grained,
tough; used for artificial limbs, splints, woodenware and paper pulp;
ill-scented.
[Illustration: 258 Ohio buckeye]
BUCKTHORN FAMILY
259. INDIAN CHERRY (_Rhamnus caroliniana_ Walt.) or yellow buckthorn, a
shrub or small tree, fairly common in rich, low woods and limestone
slopes. Leaves: glossy, dark green, 2 to 5 in. long and 1 to 2 in. wide,
rounded at base and acute or acuminate at tip, margins obscurely
serrate, veins yellow, evenly spaced and prominent on the under side;
turning dark purple or yellow in autumn, tardily deciduous on young
trees. Twigs: with naked winter buds small and pointed. Flowers: in May,
inconspicuous, usually dioecious. Fruit: size of small peas, containing
2 to 4 seeds; scattered, on short stems; red in summer, turning black in
autumn. Wood: hard, light brown, close-grained and brittle.
[Illustration: 259 Indian cherry]
260. NEW JERSEY TEA (_Ceanothus ovatus_ Desf.) or RED-ROOT; a shrub 1 to
3 feet high, common on dry uplands of woods, meadows and roadsides.
Leaves: veins depressed above and prominent beneath as in the other two
local members of this family, lowest pair longest, not dark and glossy
above, 1 or 2 in. long, less than half as wide. Twigs: slender,
retaining stems and whitish fruit “cups” in winter. Flowers: tiny,
white, fragrant, in small, dense, rather cone-shaped clusters; the 5
petals and 5 sepals all white and incurved, petals forming a hood from
which anthers project; in April. Fruit: small, three-lobed, white,
ripening in summer. K (p. 216.)
[Illustration: 260 New Jersey tea; fruit]
261. RATTAN VINE or SUPPLE-JACK (_Berchemia scandens_ Trel.) a fairly
common, high-climbing, woody vine of low woods. Leaves: similar to
Indian cherry except much smaller, 1 to 2 in. long. Stems: smooth,
greenish, pliable, tough, very slender when young, becoming several
inches thick in old age. Flowers: small, greenish-white, in small
panicles. Fruit: oval, blackish, about ¼ in. long, containing one seed.
B (Vol. II, p. 502).
[Illustration: 261 rattan vine]
VINE (GRAPE) FAMILY
262. VIRGINIA CREEPER (_Psedera quinquefolia_ Greene) (_Parthenocissus
q._ Planch.) or woodbine: common woodland vine preferring lowlands,
climbing tall trees or covering stumps. Leaves: alternate, palmately
compound, of 5 to 7 leaflets, irregularly toothed, tapering at each end,
2 to 4 in. long; turning bright scarlet in early fall. Flowers:
clustered, inconspicuous. Fruit: bluish, round, like tiny grapes,
popular with birds. More than one species but not readily distinguished.
Some have adhesive disks at the tips of tendrils. Often but needlessly
confused with poison ivy.
[Illustration: 262 Virginia creeper]
263. PEPPER VINE (_Cissus arborea_ Des Moulins) a fairly common vine in
river bottoms and low, sandy soils. Leaves: alternate, twice-pinnately
compound, dark green, reddish when young and in autumn; resembling
chinaberry; decorative. Stems: slender. Flowers: whitish, small. Fruit:
like small grapes but glossy black, inedible, ripe in August. K (p.
223).
[Illustration: 263 pepper vine]
264. COW-ITCH VINE (_Cissus incisa_ Des Moulins) a rather rare vine
preferring open, sandy woods. Leaves: fleshy, sometimes palmately
compound, or deeply 3-lobed or 3-parted. Stems: somewhat fleshy.
Flowers: small, in compound umbels, usually 4 spreading petals. Fruit:
small, grape-like, blackish. K (p. 222).
[Illustration: 264 cow-itch vine]
265. (_CISSUS AMPELOPSIS_ Pers.) no common name; a rare vine of low
woods. Leaves: grape-like, but smooth and thin, broadly oval, or
heart-shaped, coarsely toothed. Fruit: bluish, inedible, like small
grapes. Main STEM: sometimes with many short, leafy branches. B (Vol.
II, p. 509).
[Illustration: 265 _Cissus ampelopsis_]
266. MUSTANG GRAPE (_Vitis candicans_ Engelm.) abundant vine of roadside
thickets and woods. Leaves: large, angled, shallow-toothed, very wooly
beneath; the leaves of young shoots are usually deeply, many-lobed in
marked contrast to the older. Flowers: small, whitish, fragrant, in
drooping clusters. Fruit: large as marbles, acid, but palatable,
blackish, ripe July. K (p. 220).
267. SUMMER GRAPE (_Vitis species_) a vine of woods and roadside
thickets. Leaves: large, unlobed to deeply lobed, wooly when young.
Fruit: small, pleasant, ripe in autumn.
ST. JOHN’SWORT FAMILY
268. ST. ANDREW’S CROSS (_Ascyrum hypericoides_ L.) low shrub of low,
sandy woods, rather rare. Leaves: ½ to 1½ inches long, opposite, many
remaining green through mild winters. Flowers: yellow, about ½ inch
across, of four petals, falling early; two of four sepals larger,
leaflike, clasping bud or seed-pod between them. Fruit: several small
seeds in each disk-like pod, tardily deciduous. B (Vol. II, p. 528).
[Illustration: 268 St. Andrew’s cross]
CACTUS FAMILY
269. PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS (_Opuntia_ Sp.) a shrub, common in meadows and
dry woods. Branches (joints): broad, flat, green, spiny and somewhat
leaflike. True LEAVES: small, fleshy, thick scales, early deciduous.
Flowers: 2 to 5 inches across, having many glossy, yellow petals and
numerous stamens. Fruit: reddish, prickly, about an inch across and
slightly longer. This shrub is a valued forage crop in many parts of
western Texas, after the spines have been burned off with a blow torch.
DOGWOOD FAMILY
270. FLOWERING DOGWOOD (_Cornus florida_ L.) shrub or small tree, very
rare; usually in rocky or sandy woods, often with cedar. Leaves: simple,
2 to 5 inches long, 1¼ to 2 wide, opposite, mostly in clusters at the
ends of branches; entire or nearly so, veins prominent beneath. Twigs:
distinguished in winter by the pale “flat turnip-shaped” flower buds;
bright red or yellowish green, slender. Bark: furrowed and breaking into
somewhat rectangular plates; astringent and aromatic, used in medicine.
Branches: usually horizontally spreading and upcurved at tips. Flowers:
greenish yellow, small, in dense heads surrounded by 4 large, white,
notched, petal-like bracts; in March and April. Fruit: dense clusters of
glossy, scarlet, oval berries, about ½ inch long. Wood: heavy, hard,
strong, very close-grained; for turnery, tool handles, forms for
metal-spinners for which last it is sold by the pound.
271. DWARF or ROUGH-LEAF DOGWOOD (_Cornus asperifolia_ Michx.) a large
shrub, or rarely a small tree, common and widespread, preferring
lowlands. Leaves: simple, opposite, nearly entire, rough above, paler
and downy beneath, 2 to 4 inches long, ovate or oblong. Twigs: bright
red in winter, rough or with whitish pubescence. Bark: thin, narrowly
ridged, with close, dark red-brown scales. Flowers: small, white, in
flat-topped clusters, in April or May following black haw flowers which
they resemble. Fruit: small, white, on reddish stems, ripe late summer
and fall. Wood: heavy, hard, strong, fine-grained; adapted for turnery.
[Illustration: 271 dwarf dogwood]
SAPODILLA FAMILY
272. WOOLY BUMELIA, CHITTAM WOOD, or GUM ELASTIC (_Bumelia lanuginosa_
Pers.) a common tree of widespread and varied habitat. Leaves: mostly
blunt at apex, entire, 1 to 2½ inches long, dark and smooth above,
whitish or sometimes rusty, wooly beneath, especially when young;
tardily deciduous. Twigs: with small, scattered spines usually tipping
the smallest twigs. Flowers: in July, whitish, inconspicuous. Fruit:
ripe Sept. and Oct., oval, black, few or solitary; sweetish, with a
single, dark brown, shining seed about ¼ inch across. Wood: hard, heavy,
tough, smooth-grained.
EBONY FAMILY
273. PERSIMMON (_Diospyros virginiana_ L.) a common small or rarely
large tree, on dry, open ground, old fields or sometimes rich bottom
lands. Leaves: ovate, entire, 4 to 6 inches long, dark and shining
above, paler beneath. Twigs: slender, light brown or ashy gray, with a
thick pith cavity. Bark: dark, divided into nearly square blocks.
Flowers: dioecious, pistillate solitary bell-shaped about ¾ inch deep
and ½ inch wide; staminate shorter and tubular clustered in 2’s or 3’s;
both creamy colored, opening in May. Fruit: soft, round, orange-brown,
about 1 to 2 inches across, containing many large, flat, smooth seeds;
edible, ripe in fall and winter, whenever the calyx separates readily
from the fruit. Wood: hard, dense, strong; brown or black heartwood,
wide sapwood white or yellowish; used for shuttles, golf-stick heads,
but not commercially valuable.
OLIVE FAMILY
274. WHITE ASH (_Fraxinus americana_ L.) a common, rather large tree of
widespread and various habitat. Leaves: opposite, pinnately compound, 5
to 9 but usually 7 leaflets, entire or with obscure or rounded teeth, 3
to 5 inches long and 1½ to 3 wide, dark green above and paler beneath.
Twigs: stout, gray or light brown in winter, with large, roundish
leaf-scars concave or notched on upper side. Bark: dark brown or gray,
broken by many narrow fissures. Flowers: dioecious, the staminate
clusters often mistaken for seeds when they harden and cling through
winter, a condition caused by the sting of an insect mite. Fruit: nearly
cylindrical seed with a thin wing attached, oar-shaped, 1 to 2½ inches
long, in dense clusters. Wood: heavy, hard, tough, strong, brown;
valuable for tool handles, oars, furniture and interiors; valued as a
shade tree.
275. GREEN ASH (_Fraxinus pennsylvanica_ var. _lanceolata_ Sarge.)
prefers bottom lands. Leaves: differ from white ash in the leaf color
which is light or bright green on both sides, margins more sharply
serrate and serrations extending nearly to the base, leaflets narrower.
Fruit: wings extend more than half way along two sides of the seed
portion. Twigs: leaf-scar straight or nearly so on upper side. Since
this tree often hybridizes with the white ash, the species are sometimes
hard to distinguish.
276. SPRING HERALD (_Adelia pubescens_ Nutt.) spring goldenglow, or
devil’s elbow; an abundant shrub of medium height, widespread but
preferring upland woods. Leaves: simple, opposite, ¾ to 1½ inches long,
blunt, with fine, rounded teeth. Twigs: light, gray, zigzag or tangled.
Flowers: dioecious, very early, petal-less, clusters of stamens pale
yellow, pistillate flowers greenish. Fruit: oval, bluish, ripen and fall
early in summer. These bushes make dense cover for birds and small
animals. It is always distinguishable from swamp holly by its opposite
twigs. K (p. 287).
[Illustration: 276 spring herald]
277. SWAMP PRIVET (_Adelia acuminata_ Poir.) a tall shrub or rarely a
small tree growing only in low or swampy woods where fairly common.
Leaves: opposite, usually 1½ to 3 inches long and about an inch wide,
margins entire or finely serrate, tips acuminate. Twigs and BARK: dark,
rather smooth with light dots. Flowers: similar to spring herald. Fruit:
elongated, usually tapering.
[Illustration: 277 swamp privet]
VERVAIN FAMILY
278. FRENCH MULBERRY (_Callicarpa americana_ L.) or beautyberry: a
medium shrub fairly common in low woods especially where sandy. Leaves:
simple, opposite, coarsely toothed, 3 to 5 inches long, 1½ to 3 wide,
light green, tapering at both ends, softly fuzzy on both sides and with
tiny shining glands beneath. Twigs: with pale, rusty fuzz. Flowers: pale
pink, in dense clusters close to the branches at each pair of leaves.
Fruit: bright reddish purple, about ¼ inch across, in dense clusters 1
to 1½ inches across, surrounding the stems. Often planted for the
decorative fruits which are attractive to birds. K (p. 341).
[Illustration: 278 French mulberry]
BIGNONIA FAMILY
279. CIGAR TREE (_Catalpa speciosa_ Warder.) a tree well known in
cultivation and rarely as an escape, in woods. This tree with its large,
opposite, heart-shaped LEAVES, showy white or lavender, flaring
bell-shaped FLOWERS and pencil-like PODS is too conspicuous to require a
detailed description. Wood: soft, light, coarse-grained; sometimes
planted in groves in rich soil for use as fence posts or sometimes for
railroad ties.
280. TRUMPET CREEPER (_Tecoma radicans_ L.) a rare vine growing along
fence rows and edges of woods in sandy land; common in East Texas.
Leaves: pinnately compound and opposite, of 9 to 11 leaflets, toothed,
pointed, ovate. Flowers: large, orange-red, flaring trumpet-shaped,
nearly 3 inches long. Fruit: pods 2 to 5 inches long, tapered; seeds
flat, winged, numerous.
[Illustration: 280 trumpet creeper]
281. BUTTONBUSH (_Cephalanthus occidentalis_ L.) button willow: usually
a large shrub, fairly common in swamps or near water; often cultivated.
Leaves: simple, opposite or in whorls of 3 or more, smooth, dark green,
with a stout yellow midrib, 2 to 7 inches long, ½ to 3½ wide. Twigs:
stout, smooth, with a thick pith, pale reddish-brown and covered with a
bloom in their first winter. Bark: dark, rough, with narrow scales;
contains tannin; used in treatment of fevers. Flowers: creamy white,
fragrant, in dense balls about 1 to 1½ inches in diameter. Fruit: a dark
brownish, hard ball, remaining through the winter.
HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY
282. CORAL HONEYSUCKLE or TRUMPET HONEYSUCKLE (_Lonicera sempervirens_
L.) an evergreen vine, rare except in cultivation; common in East Texas;
low woods and thickets. Leaves: oblong, smooth, upper pairs united or
encircling stem. Flowers: Trumpet-shaped, light red, yellowish inside, 1
to 1½ inches long, in clusters. Fruit: scarlet, fleshy.
[Illustration: 282 coral honeysuckle]
283. BUSH HONEYSUCKLE (_Lonicera albiflora_ T. & G.) not very common; on
limestone bluffs, upland meadows and thickets. Leaves: opposite, upper
pair usually united or encircling stem, not evergreen. Stems: stiff and
upright or sometimes long and trailing, both usually to be found on one
bush; this habit is the best point of distinction between this species
and the rarer trumpet honeysuckle when there are no flowers present.
Fruit: scarlet, fleshy. Flowers: whitish or yellowish, small. K (p.
382).
[Illustration: 283 bush honeysuckle]
284. INDIAN CURRANT (_Symphoricarpos orbiculatus_ Moench.) or
coralberry, the last name also used for other plants, locally well known
as buckbrush or partridge brush. This 1 to 3-foot shrub is abundant in
woodlands, especially in rich soil. Leaves: simple, opposite, entire or
nearly, 1 to 1½ inches long, usually blunt at tip, darker above. Twigs:
wiry, brown. Flowers: white, small, in dense clusters at leaf-axils.
Fruit: magenta red, in dense clusters encircling stems, remaining
through winter. The much smaller size of bush, leaves and fruit clusters
prevents confusion with French mulberry. B (Vol. III, p. 277).
[Illustration: 284 Indian current]
285. BLACK HAW (_Viburnum rufidulum_ Raf.) or possum haw: a shrub or
more often a small tree; in woods, preferring lowlands. Leaves: thick,
glossy, finely serrate, about 3 inches long and half as wide; a rusty
fuzz at the base of the veins beneath; simple, opposite, red in autumn.
Twigs: sometimes coated with rusty fuzz as the buds always are. Bark:
dark reddish brown, with small, roundish scales. Flowers: late March or
early April, white, in flat clusters about 5 or 6 inches across. Fruit:
oval, about one-half inch long, blue with a bloom, containing a single
stony seed; especially attractive in autumn, turning from red to blue.
Wood: ill-scented.
[Illustration: 285 black haw]
286. ELDERBERRY or common elder (_Sambucus canadensis_ L.) usually a
tall shrub; common in low, rich woods. Leaves: pinnately compound, of 5
to 11 oblong, or oval, smooth leaflets, 2 to 4 inches long, the lower
often 3-parted; sharply serrate, opposite. Twigs: with thin woody layer
surrounding thick white pith. Flowers: small, white, in large, compound,
flat clusters; sweet-scented. Fruit: purplish black, glossy, juicy,
popular with birds, ripe in late summer. K (p. 381).
[Illustration: 286 elderberry]
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A. Blakeslee & Jarvis, “Trees in Winter,” Macmillan, 1926. Includes only
the trees found in New England, about 25 of them also here; illustrated.
Contains a good section on the care and planting of trees.
B. Britton & Brown, “Illustrated Flora of the Northern States and
Canada,” 3 vol., Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1913 edition. These volumes,
though technical, are helpful in the identification of many plants
because of the detailed line drawings which illustrate every species.
C. Brown, H. P., “Trees of Northeastern United States,” Christopher
Publishing house, 1938, second edition. Useful leaf, fruit and twig
keys.
D. Coulter, John M., “Botany of Western Texas,” the U. S. National
Herbarium, Vol. II, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., 1894.
Obviously out of date and also out of print but describes a few species
of this region which are to be found in no other book.
E. Gray, Asa, “Gray’s New Manual of Botany,” American Book Co., 7th
edition, 1908. A technical handbook for the flowering plants and ferns
of the Central and Northeastern states and Canada. Mentioned here
because its system of classification and scientific names has been
followed, in most cases. This manual more nearly conforms to the new
international rules of classification than any other available, except
Sargent.
F. Hough, Romeyn Beck, “Handbook of the Trees of the Northern States and
Canada.” Published by the author, Lowville, N. Y., 1907. Includes many
of our trees and useful because of the detailed photographic
illustrations.
G. Mattoon & Webster, “Forest Trees of Texas,” bulletin 20, Texas Forest
Service, College Station, 1928. Contains descriptions and drawings of 92
Texas trees, about 45 of them in Dallas County. Inexpensive.
H. Parks, H. B., “Valuable Plants Native to Texas,” Bulletin 551, Texas
Agricultural Experiment Station, College Station, 1937. Notes on the
uses and habits of native plants, with special emphasis on honey plants.
I. Rogers, Julia Ellen, “The Tree Book,” Doubleday Page, 1912. Old but
still popular guide to the trees of North America, illustrated. Useful
and interesting facts about trees are here told in a most interesting
manner.
J. Sargent, Charles Sprague, “Manual of the Trees of North America,”
Houghton Mifflin, 1933. Includes complete technical descriptions of the
56 plants in this booklet which sometimes attain such height and habit
as to be called trees.
K. Schulz, Ellen D. (Quillen), “Texas Wild Flowers,” Laidlaw Bros.,
1928. Describes about 18 of the species in this booklet. One of the best
books for beginners in the study of wild flowers of our region.
L. Small, John Kunkel, “Flora of the Southeastern United States,”
published by the author, 1903. This is the only complete floral manual
ever published which includes Dallas County. Needed for identification
of a few species but the book is out-of-date in its system of
classification and also out of print. Ditto for the edition of 1913.
M. Small, John Kunkel, “Manual of the Southeastern Flora,” published by
the author, New York, 1933. Descriptions technical but helpful in the
identification of a few species not described in many other books. This
volume does not include Texas.
INDEX
A
_Acer negundo_, 255
_Adelia acuminate_, 277
_Adelia pubescens_, 276
_Aesculus glabra_, 258
_Amorpha fruticosa_, 245
_Aristolochia tomentosa_, 228
_Ascyrum hypericoides_, 268
ash, green, 275
ash, prickly, 246
ash, wafer, 247
ash, white, 274
B
bear grass, 205
beautyberry, 278
beech family, 212-220
_Berchemia scandens_, 261
bignonia family, 279-281
birthwort family, 228
bois d’arc, 226
box elder, 255
buck-brush, 284
buckeye, fetid, 258
Ohio, 258
Spanish, 256
Texas, 256
buckthorn, Carolina, 259
yellow, 259
buckthorn family, 259-261
_Bumelia lanuginosa_, 272
bumelia, wooly, 272
burning bush, 254
button willow, 281
buttonbush, 281
buttonwood, 231
C
cactus family, 269
_Callicarpa americana_, 278
Canada moonseed, 230
Carolina moonseed, 229
poplar, 207
_Carya buckleyi_, 211
_pecan_, 209
_texana_, 210
cashew family, 249-252
_Catalpa speciosa_, 279
catbrier, 204
_Ceanothus ovatus_, 260
cedar, mountain, 202
red, 201
_Celtis laevigata_, 225
_occidentalis_ (var.), 224
_Cephalanthus occidentalis_, 281
_Cercis canadensis_, 241
_reniformis_, 242
cherry, Indian, 259
wild black, 236
Chinaberry, 248
wild, 257
chittam wood, 272
cigar tree, 279
_Cissus ampelopsis_, 265
_arborea_, 263
_incisa_, 264
_Cocculus carolinus_, 229
coralberry, 284
honeysuckle, 282
vine, 229
_Cornus asperifolia_, 271
_florida_, 270
cottonwood, 207
cow-itch vine, 264
_Crataegus_, 232
D
devil’s elbow, 276
dewberry, 235
_Diospyros virginiana_, 273
dogwood, dwarf, 271
flowering, 270
rough-leaved, 271
dogwood family, 270-271
Dutchman’s pipe, 228
E
ebony family, 273
elder, 286
box, 255
elderberry, 286
elm, American, 221
cedar, 222
red, 220
slippery, 220
white, 221
winged, 223
Eve’s necklace, 244
_Evonymus atropurpureus_, 254
F
false indigo, 245
_Fraxinus americana_, 274
_pennsylvanica_ (var.), 275
French mulberry, 278
G
_Gleditsia triacanthos_, 243
grape, mustang, 266
summer, 267
grape family, 262-267
greenbrier, 204
gum elastic, 272
H
hackberry, rough-leaved, 224
southern, 225
haw, black, 285
possum, 253, 285
red, 232
hawthorn, 232
hickory, 211
holly, swamp, 253
holly family, 253
honey locust, 243
honeysuckle, bush, 283
coral, 282
honeysuckle family, 282-286
hop tree, 247
horse-apple, 226
I
_Ilex decidua_, 253
Indian cherry, 259
Indian currant, 284
indigo, false, 245
ivy, poison, 251
J
_Juglans nigra_, 208
_Juniperus mexicana_, 202
_virginiana_, 201
L
lily family, 204-205
locust, honey, 243
river, 245
_Lonicera albiflora_, 283
_sempervirens_, 282
M
_Maclura pomifera_, 226
mahogany family, 248
maple family, 255
_Melia azederach_, 248
_Menispermum canadense_, 230
mesquite, 240
moonseed family, 229-230
_Morus rubra_, 227
mulberry, French, 278
red, 227
mustang grape, 266
N
necklace, Eve’s, 244
nettle family, 220-227
New Jersey tea, 260
O
oak, basket, 215
black jack, 218
bur, 214
chestnut, 216
chinquapin, 216
cow, 215
duck, 217
dwarf post, 213
mossy cup, 214
pin, 217
poison, 251
post, 212
red, 219
scrub, 213
Spanish, 219
swamp chestnut, 215
Texas red, 219
water, 217
olive family, 274-277
_Opuntia_ sp., 269
Osage orange, 226
P
palm family, 203
palmetto, dwarf, 203
_Parthenocissus_, 262
Partridge brush, 284
pea family, 240-244
peach, 239
pecan, 209
pecan, bitter, 210
pepper vine, 263
persimmon, 273
pine family, 201-202
pipevine, wooly, 228
plane tree family, 231
_Platanus occidentalis_, 231
plum, dwarf, 238
Mexican, 237
wild, 237
poison ivy, 251
oak, 251
poplar, Carolina, 207
_Populus deltoides_ (var.), 207
possum haw, 253, 285
prickly ash, 246
prickly pear cactus, 269
privet, swamp, 277
_Prosopis glandulosa_, 240
_Prunus angustifolia_ (var.), 238
_mexicana_, 237
_persica_, 239
_serotina_, 236
_Psedera quinquefolia_, 262
_Ptelea trifoliata_, 247
Q
_Quercus macrocarpa_, 214
_marilandica_, 218
_muehlenbergii_, 216
_nigra_, 217
_prinus_, 215
_rubra_, 219
_Shumardii_ (var.), 219
_stellata_, 221 and var., 213
_texana_, 219
R
rattan vine, 261
redbud, 241, 241
red-root, 260
red haw, 232
_Rhamnus caroliniana_, 259
_Rhus copallina_, 250
_glabra_, 249
_toxicodendron_, 251
_trilobata_ (var.), 252
river locust, 245
_Rosa foliosa_ (_foliolosa_), 234
_setigera_, 233
rose, pasture, 234
prairie, 233
rose family, 232-239
_Rubus trivialis_, 235
rue family, 246-247
S
_Sabal minor_, 203
St. Andrew’s cross, 268
St. John’swort family, 268
_Salix nigra_, 206
_Sambucus canadensis_, 286
_Sapindus drummondii_, 257
sapodilla family, 272
sarsaparilla, wild, 229
sawbrier, 204
skunkbush, 252
_Smilax_, 204
soapberry, 257
family, 256-258
_Sophora affinis_, 244
Spanish buckeye, 256
dagger, 205
spring goldenglow, 276
herald, 276
staff-tree family, 254
stretchberry, 204
sumac, aromatic, 252
dwarf, 251
ill-scented, 251
smooth, 249
winged, 250
supplejack, 261
swamp holly, 253
privet, 277
sycamore, 231
_Symphoricarpos_, 284
T
tear-blanket, 246
_Tecoma radicans_, 280
Texas buckeye, 256
toothache tree, 246
trumpet creeper, 280
honeysuckle, 282
U
_Ulmus americana_, 221
_alata_, 223
_crassifolia_, 222
_fulva_, 220
_Ungnadia speciosa_, 256
V
vervain family, 278
_Viburnum rufidulum_, 285
vine family, 262-267
Virginia creeper, 262
_Vitis candicans_, 266
sp., 267
W
waahoo, 254
wafer ash, 247
walnut, black, 208
walnut family, 208-210
willow, 206
family, 206-207
woodbine, 262
X
_Xanthoxylum clava-herculis_, 246
Y
_Yucca_, 205
[Illustration: Cover image]
Transcriber’s Notes
—Silently corrected a few typos.
—Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook
is public-domain in the country of publication.
—In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by
_underscores_.
—Included species drawings with each species (the printed edition
included all drawings in a single section.)
*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Key and Guide to Native Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of Dallas County" ***
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