306 WOODY PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



County, in the state of New York, and of the adjacent country." 

 Silliman's Journal, Vol. XIX, p. 170. 



It is possible that this elm, which has some affinity with the 

 Cork Elm of Europe, though evidently a distinct tree, may be 

 found in the western part of this State. I have seen some 

 small trees resembling it in the corky bark, while in other res- 

 pects they were like the common elm. 



X. 2. THE NETTLE TREE. CELTIS. L. 



This genus contains handsome trees, or tall shrubs, natives 

 of North and South America, Asia, and Europe, with alternate, 

 deciduous, unequal-sided, strongly nerved leaves, axillary flow- 

 ers, with five stamens, and a calyx of five divisions ; and small, 

 sweet, wholesome stone fruit. The nettle trees are of a strik- 

 ingly elegant appearance, from the breadth of their ample and 

 richly tufted head. They grow well on the poorest and most 

 arid soils, but flourish best in a soil which is rich and moist. In 

 such situations, their growth is very rapid. The wood of some 

 of the species is remarkable for its hardness and tenacity ; of 

 others, too soft to be of much use. Their foliage is rich and 

 abundant, of long continuance, and not liable to the attacks of 

 insects, and is remarkable for falling almost at once. The flow- 

 ers come out early, before the leaves; and the fruit, which 

 ripens in Autumn, remains on the tree till the following Spring. 

 The name nettle tree has been given from the resemblance of 

 the leaves to those of some species of nettle. There are about 

 twenty species, four of which are found in North America. 

 Several of these trees are very ornamental, and none more so 

 than the two found in Massachusetts. 



Sp. 1. The American Nettle Tree. C. occidentalis. L. 



Figured in Michaux, Sylva, III, Plate 114, and in this volume, Plate 16. The 

 tree is well represented in Loudon, Arboretum, VII, Plates 192 and 193. 



This fine tree has a strong resemblance to an elm, and is 

 often, by careless observers, mistaken for one. Its branches 

 have something of the drooping character of those of the com- 

 mon elm, but much less than they, and are more inclined to 



