CORNACE^: DOGWOOD FAMILY 



Nyssa sylvatica, Marsh. 



Yellowish-green Black Gum, Yellow Gumtree, 



Sour Gum, Snag-tree, 



May Tupelo Gum, Butte-bung, 



Pepperidge, Horn-beam, 



Swamp Hornbeam, Horn-pipe, 

 Horn-pine. 



Nyssa: Greek name of nymph, because the original species 



grows in the water. 

 Sylvatica: Latin meaning in the woods. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: damp thickets and groves. 



THE TREE: seven feet to thirty-five feet high; the branches 

 horizontal, especially when the tree is young; the bark 

 rough. 



THE LEAVES: alternate; obovate or oval; two inches to four 

 inches long; hairless and shining above, beneath having 

 few to many short, soft hairs; acute or acuminate at the 

 apex, or even obtuse; usually narrowed at the base; on very 

 short stems; entire or toothed. 



THE FLOWERS: are of two kinds; the staminate in com- 

 pound clusters, the pistillate two to four together. 



THE FRUIT: a drupe. 



One of our most beautiful shrubs or trees, with shiny 

 dark green leaves, slightly oval and generally untoothed. 

 Early in the fall, the leaves gradually turn crimson, but 

 seldom, for some reason, make the brilliant blaze of colour 

 on the edge of a thicket that "Off-islanders" associate 

 with this tree. 



Three other members of the Dogwood Family have been 

 reported. 



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