VII. THE BUTTONWOOD TREE. 231 



and the branchlet is encircled at that point by a ridge formed by 

 the scar of the pair of stipules ; whence the smaller branches 

 have a jointed appearance. 



The female catkins are a globular ball, five eighths of an 

 inch in diameter, at the end of a flexible, 'downy footstalk, 

 which is from two to five inches long, and one-eighth of an 

 inch in diameter. The styles are in twos — or, if double, cleft 

 to the base, completely investing the ball, close-set, swelling 

 and hairy at base, tapering, green, with a small, declined head, 

 and a reddish, glandular fringe on one edge as a stigma. 



The young leaves are accompanied by a pair of short, brown- 

 ish, sheathing, scale-like, deciduous stipules, and, with their 

 footstalks, are covered with a thick cottony down. 



The male catkins are on slender, tapering, dusty threads, one 

 or two inches long. They are one quarter of an inch in diam- 

 eter, and are invested by numberless stamens, completely in 

 contact, each consisting of two cells, opening at the sides, 

 white, and pouring out white pollen, and surmounted by a 

 brownish green, glandular disk, forming together the surface of 

 the ball. The footstalks of the catkins have stipules at base, 

 like those of the leaves, but smaller ; those of the female 

 often having one or two miniature leaves, and a peculiar au- 

 ricular appendage towards the base, as if they were abortive 

 branches. 



In most parts of New England, this tree is called button wood 

 by the common people. Sycamore is a name often given to it ; 

 and it is sometimes called the plane tree. In England it is called 

 the occidental plane to distinguish it from the European, which 

 is called the oriental. There is no propriety in calling it syca- 

 more, as that name indicates a totally different tree. Plane tree 

 or platane is classical ; but buttonwood is the good, English, 

 descriptive name which belongs to it. 



According to Michaux, this tree is found as far north as 

 Montreal, in Canada, where it is called by the French the cot- 

 ton tree. Along the coast, I have found it in the county of 

 York, in Maine. Its range southward is beyond the Missis- 

 sippi, and in longitude from the Atlantic, through the extreme 

 Western States. It nourishes best on a deep, loose, rich soil, 



