XI. THE TUPELO TREE. 315 



taper to a long point, sometimes are obtuse, and even emargi- 

 nate or slightly notched, at the extremity. Generally, they are 

 entire at the edge, but I am acquainted with some trees which 

 constantly bear leaves of a very large size, and notched with 

 several large teeth towards the extremity. The surface is some- 

 times perfectly smooth above and below, most frequently hairy 

 or downy beneath, especially when young. The texture is 

 rather firm and coriaceous. They are borne on short, roundish 

 petioles, flat above, green, or of a rich scarlet or crimson color, 

 when exposed to light ; and to some shade of these colors, the 

 whole leaf turns in early autumn. The petiole often has an 

 expansion or margin on each side, and is invested with ciliate 

 rows of hairs, which usually fall off as the leaf grows old. 

 The sterile flowers sometimes form little umbels or heads of 

 from four to eight greenish flowers on the end of a downy foot- 

 stalk of a uniform size, and an inch or less in length — some- 

 times the footstalk terminates in an open cluster of from two to 

 five or six flowers, which are very small, and of a yellowish 

 green, and rest on very short stalks. The flower consists of 

 from four to eight, oblong, or ovate, pointed, obtuse, or emargi- 

 nate, green sepals, with from four to eight stamens rising from 

 beneath or from the edge of a glaucous, fleshy disk. 



The fertile flowers form a close whorl of three or more very 

 small flowers, sometimes but two or one, on the end of a short 

 club-shaped footstalk, which lengthens as the fruit advances, 

 till it becomes one or two inches long. The fruit, of which 

 seldom more than one or two, on the same footstalk, come to 

 perfection, is an oblong or elliptic drupe, of a deep blue-black, 

 when mature, consisting of a little acid flesh, enveloping a very 

 hard stone, longitudinally striated. 



Very little use is made of the wood of this tree. From the 

 crossing and intertwining of its fibres, it is excessively difficult 

 to split, and therefore, when employed as fuel, it is reserved for 

 logs and back-sticks. In the Middle States, it is used to form 

 the naves of wheels. But, for this purpose, it is less suitable 

 than the elm, as it is said to be more liable to decay when exposed 

 to the weather. It has been sometimes turned into bowls and 

 other wooden vessels, for which its toughness renders it pecu- 



