Trees of Indiana Part 26

=1. Tilia glabra= Ventenat (_Tilia americana_ Linnaeus of authors). Linn.

Ba.s.swood. Plate 118. Medium to large sized trees with deeply furrowed bark, much resembling that of white ash or black walnut; twigs when chewed somewhat mucilaginous, usually somewhat zigzag; leaves on petioles 2-6 cm. long, blades ovate to nearly orbicular, 5-15 cm. long, short or long ac.u.minate at the apex, margins more or less coa.r.s.ely or finely serrate with teeth attenuate and ending in a gland, dark green and smooth above, a lighter green and generally smooth beneath at maturity except tufts of hairs in the axils of the princ.i.p.al veins, or sometimes with a scanty p.u.b.escence of simple or stellate hairs beneath; flowers appear in June or July, when the leaves are almost mature; bracts of the peduncles very variable, generally about 8-10 cm. long, rounded, or tapering at the base, obtuse or rounded at the apex, smooth both above and beneath at maturity; peduncles from very short up to 6 cm. in length; pedicels of flowers variable in length on the same and on different trees, generally about one cm. long; styles p.u.b.escent near the base on all of the specimens at hand; fruit woolly, globose or somewhat ellipsoidal, generally about 6 mm. in diameter.

=Distribution.=--New Brunswick to Manitoba, south to Georgia and west to Texas. More or less frequent to common in rich moist soil in all parts of Indiana. It is the most frequent and common in the lake area of the State but was almost as frequent and common throughout the central part of the State until the hilly area is reached where its habitat disappears for the greater part. In the hill area it is confined to the basins of streams, although sometimes found on the high rocky bluffs of streams. Rare or absent in the flats. In most of its area it is a.s.sociated with white ash, slippery elm, beech, maple, sh.e.l.lbark hickory, etc.

=Remarks.=--Wood soft, light, straight and close-grained, white and seasons well. On account of its softness and lightness it has always been a favorite wood where these two factors were important considerations. Is practically odorless, hence, is a desirable wood to contain food products. Its princ.i.p.al uses are lumber, heading, excelsior and veneer. The supply of this species in Indiana is now practically exhausted.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 118.

TILIA GLABRA Ventenat. Linn or Ba.s.swood. ( 1/2.)]

In Indiana this species is commonly called linn, and only in a few counties near the Michigan line is it known as ba.s.swood. The name ba.s.swood is a corruption of the name bastwood, meaning the inner tough and fibrous part of the bark, which was used by pioneers for tying shocks of corn, and other cordage purposes. However, Dr. Schneck gives the name whittle-wood as one of its common names; and in some localities it is called bee tree, because bees find its flowers rich in honey.

Linn is adapted to a rich moist soil, transplants fairly well, and grows rapidly. It has been used to some extent as an ornamental and shade tree, but its use as a street shade tree is no longer recommended because it is not adapted to city conditions, and is killed by the scale. It could, however, be recommended as an integral part of a windbreak, or woodlot where the land owner has an apiary.

=2. Tilia heterophylla= Ventenat. Linn. White Ba.s.swood. Plate 119.

Usually large trees; bark similar to the preceding but lighter in color; twigs similar to the preceding species; leaves on petioles 2-8 cm. long, blades ovate to nearly orbicular, generally 7-15 cm. long, generally oblique at the base, oblique-truncate or cordate at the base, abruptly short or long ac.u.minate at the apex, margins serrate with teeth attenuate and ending in a gland, at maturity smooth and a dark yellow-green above, the under surface generally densely covered with a silvery or gray tomentum, however, on some specimens the p.u.b.escence is thin and appears as a stellate p.u.b.escence, the tufts of hairs in the princ.i.p.al axils of the veins are reddish brown, in addition to the p.u.b.escence reddish glands are often found on the veins beneath; flowers appear in June or July when the leaves are almost mature; bracts very variable. 4-15 cm. long, generally on short peduncles, rounded or wedge-shape at the base, generally rounded at the apex, sometimes merely obtuse, glabrous both above and below, or more or less densely p.u.b.escent beneath and generally sparingly p.u.b.escent above; pedicels of flowers variable in length, usually about 1 cm. long; styles of flowers p.u.b.escent at the base; fruit globose or somewhat ellipsoidal generally 6-8 mm. in diameter.

=Distribution.=--This species as understood by Sargent ranges from West Virginia to Indiana and south to Florida and west to Alabama. In Indiana it is confined to counties near the Ohio River. Specimens are in the writer's herbarium from Dearborn, Ripley, Switzerland, Jefferson, Clark, Harrison, Crawford, Perry, southeastern Dubois and east Spencer Counties. Practically in all of its range in Indiana it is found on the tops of high bluffs along streams or on the slopes of deep ravines. It is an infrequent to a common tree where found. In general in the counties just mentioned it supplants the other species of _Tilia_. It was reported from Wayne County by Phinney, and Schneck says a single tree was found near the mouth of White River. The last named tree may be _Tilia neglecta_ which is said to be found just west in Illinois.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 119.

TILIA HETEROPHYLLA Ventenat. White Ba.s.swood. ( 1/2.)]

=Remarks.=--Wood and uses similar to that of the preceding species. In Indiana the species are not commercially separated.

A satisfactory division of the species of _Tilia_ of the United States has long been a puzzle. C. S. Sargent[65] has recently published his studies of the species and credits Indiana with two species and one variety. His range of _Tilia neglecta_ might include a part of Indiana, and it may be that the p.u.b.escent forms of _Tilia glabra_ in our area should be referred to that species. Specimens No. 28043 and 28047 in the writer's herbarium collected from trees on the high bluff of Graham Creek in Jennings County, Sargent refers to =Tilia heterophylla= variety =Michauxii= Sargent. While Sargent's key to _Tilia_ quite distinctly separates the species and varieties, yet when specimens are collected from an area where the species overlap and seem to intergrade, the task of referring a specimen to the proper species or variety is not an easy one. In fact the writer acknowledges his inability to satisfactorily cla.s.sify our forms of _Tilia_, and the present arrangement should be accepted as provisional.

CORNaCEAE. The Dogwood Family.

Trees or shrubs; leaves simple, alternate, opposite or whorled; fruit mostly a drupe, 1 or 2 seeded.

Leaves alternate; flowers of two kinds, the staminate in heads, 5-parted; stigmas lateral. 1 Nyssa.

Leaves opposite; flowers perfect, 4-parted; stigmas terminal. 2 Cornus.

=1. NYSSA.= The Tupelos.

=Nyssa sylvatica= Marshall. Gum. Black Gum. Sour Gum. Yellow Gum.

Pepperidge. Plate 120. Medium to large sized trees; bark on old trees deeply and irregularly furrowed, the ridges broken up into small lengths; twigs at first p.u.b.escent, becoming glabrous; leaves oval-obovate or oblong, blades 5-12 cm. long on petioles 0.5-2 cm. long, rather abruptly ac.u.minate at apex, narrowed at the base, sometimes rounded, margins entire, petioles and both surfaces p.u.b.escent when they unfold, becoming glabrous above and glabrous or nearly so beneath at maturity; flowers appear in May or June, the staminate in cl.u.s.ters, numerous, small greenish-white, the pistillate 2-8 or solitary; fruit ripens in autumn, a fleshy drupe, 1-3 of a cl.u.s.ter ripening on a pedicel 2-6 cm. long, ovoid, usually 10-12 mm. long, blue-black, sour and astringent; stone generally cylindric and tapering at each end and with 10-12 indistinct ribs.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 120.

NYSSA SYLVATICA Marshall. Black Gum. ( 1/2.)]

=Distribution.=--Maine, southern Ontario, southern Michigan, southeastern Wisconsin[66] to Missouri and south to the Gulf. Found throughout Indiana and no doubt was a native of practically every county. It is an infrequent to a very rare tree in the northern half of the State, becoming a common tree in certain parts of the southern counties. In the northern part of the State it is usually found on dry ground a.s.sociated with the oaks, although it is also found with sugar maple and beech.

=Remarks.=--Wood heavy, soft, very difficult to split. Woodsmen always speak of two kinds of black gum. There is one form which splits easily which is designated as "yellow gum." This distinction has not been substantiated. The uses of gum are many. The quality of not splitting makes many uses for it. The greater amount of gum is used as rough stuff. In the manufactures it is used for mine rollers, heading, boxes, hatter's blocks, water pipes, firearms, wooden ware, musical instruments, etc.

The distinctive habit of growth of the black gum together with the gorgeous coloring of the autumnal foliage recommend this species for ornamental planting. It has an upright habit of growth, although the trunk is more or less crooked. The crown when grown in the open is usually pyramidal, composed of horizontal crooked branches.

=2. CRNUS.= Dogwood.

=Cornus florida= Linnaeus. Dogwood. Flowering Dogwood. Plate 121. Usually a small tree[67] 1-2 dm. in diameter; bark deeply fissured, the ridges divided into short oblong, pieces; branchlets slender, in winter condition turning up at the tips; twigs green and smooth or nearly so from the first; leaves oval or slightly obovate, blades generally 5-12 cm. long on petioles about 1 cm. long, generally abruptly taper-pointed at apex, gradually narrowed and generally oblique at the base, margins thickened and entire, or very slightly crenulate, appressed p.u.b.escent both above and beneath, light green above and a grayish-green beneath; flowering heads surrounded by an involucre of 4 large white or pinkish bracts; the mature bracts are obovate, 2-4 cm. long, notched at the apex, appear before the leaves in April or May; flowers are in a head, numerous, small and greenish, opening usually about the middle of May as the leaves appear or even when the leaves are one-third grown; fruit ripens in September or October, an ovoid red drupe about 1 cm. long, usually about 3-5 flowers of a head mature fruit; stone elliptic and pointed at each end.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 121.

CORNUS FLORIDA Linnaeus. Dogwood. ( 1/2.)]

=Distribution.=--Southern Maine, southern Ontario, southern Michigan, to Missouri and south to Florida and west to Texas. Found in all parts of Indiana. Frequent to very common in all beech-sugar maple woods of the State. It is very rare or absent in the prairie area of the northwest part of the State, although it has been found in upland woods in all of the counties bordering Lake Michigan. It is also a frequent or more common tree in most parts of the State a.s.sociated with white oak, or in the southern part of the State with black and white oak. It prefers a dry habitat, and is rarely found in wet situations.

=Remarks.=--Wood hard, heavy, strong, close-grained and takes a high polish. The Indians made a scarlet dye from the roots. It was used much by the pioneers for wedges, mallets and handles for tools. The trees are so small that they do not produce much wood. The present supply is used princ.i.p.ally for shuttles, golfheads, brush blocks, engraver's blocks, etc.

The mature fruit is much relished by squirrels and birds.

The tree is quite conspicuous in the flowering season, and when the fruit is maturing. These features recommend it for ornamental planting, and it is used to some extent. The tree has a flat crown, and is quite shade enduring. It is very difficult to transplant, and when the tree is transplanted, if possible, some earth taken from under a live dogwood tree, should be used to fill in the hole where it is planted.

=ERICaCEAE.= The Heath Family.

=Oxydendrum arbreum= (Linnaeus) DeCandolle. Sour Wood. Sorrel Tree.

Plate 122. Small trees with a gray and deeply fissured bark, much resembling that of a young sweet gum tree; twigs and branchlets greenish and smooth; leaves alternate, on petioles about a cm. long, oblong-oval, generally 10-15 cm. long, narrowed at the base, acute or ac.u.minate at the apex, margins entire toward the base or sometimes all over, usually about three-fourths is irregularly serrate with very short incurved teeth, glabrous above and beneath except a p.u.b.erulence on the midrib and sometimes on the petiole to which an occasional p.r.i.c.kle is added beneath; flowers appear in June when the leaves are full grown, in large panicles at the end of the year's growth, white, the whole inflorescence covered with a short gray p.u.b.escence; fruit a capsule about 0.5 cm. long on an erect and recurved pedicel of about the same length, maturing in autumn.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 122.

OXYDENDRUM ARBOREUM (Linnaeus) DeCandolle. Sour Wood. Sorrel Tree.

( 1/2.)]

=Distribution.=--A tree of the elevated regions of the area from southeastern Pennsylvania to Florida and west to southern Indiana and south to Louisiana. In Indiana it is definitely known to occur only in Perry County at the base of a beech spur of the Van Buren Ridge about 7 miles southeast of Cannelton. Here it is a common tree over an area of an acre or two. The largest tree measured was about 1.5 dm. in diameter and 12 meters high. Here it is a.s.sociated with beech, sugar maple, dogwood, sa.s.safras, etc. When coppiced it grows long slender shoots which the boys of the pioneers used for arrows. A pioneer who lived near this colony of trees is the author of this use of the wood and he called the tree "arrow wood."

=EBENaCEAE.= The Ebony Family.

=Diospyros virginiana= Linnaeus. Persimmon. Plate 123. Small or medium sized trees with deeply and irregularly fissured bark, the ridges broken up into short lengths; twigs p.u.b.escent; leaves alternate, oval, oblong-oval or ovate, generally 8-15 cm. long and 3-7 cm. wide, narrowed, rounded or cordate at the base, short pointed at the apex, margin entire but ciliate, slightly p.u.b.escent above when young, becoming glabrous on age, more or less p.u.b.escent beneath, sometimes glabrous except the midrib and margin; flowers appear in May or June on the year's growth when the leaves are about half grown, greenish yellow, the staminate on one tree and the pistillate on another; fruit ripens in August, September or October, depressed-globose or oblong in shape, 2-3 cm. in diameter, generally with 1-4 very hard flat seed.

=Distribution.=--Connecticut to Iowa and south to the Gulf. In Indiana it is confined to the south half of the State. We have no record of wild trees being found north of Indianapolis, except Prof. Stanley Coulter reports three trees growing in Tippecanoe County in situations such as to indicate that they are native. It is doubtful if it was ever more than a frequent tree in the original forest. In some of the hill counties of the south central part of the State, it has become a common tree in clearings and abandoned fields. It grows long surface roots from which numerous suckers grow which form the "persimmon thickets." It seems to thrive in the poorest and hardest of soils. However, it reaches its greatest size in the alluvial bottoms of the Lower Wabash Valley.

Here large and tall trees have been observed on the low border of sloughs, a.s.sociated with such water-loving plants as water-locust, b.u.t.ton-bush, swell-b.u.t.t ash, etc. It thrives equally well on the high sandy ridges of Knox and Sullivan Counties.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 123.