Celtis occidentalism 

 THE AMERICAN NETTLE-TREE. 



Synonymes. 



Celtis occidentalis, 



Micocoulier d'occident, Micocoulier de 

 Virginie, Micocoulier des Antilles, Tro- 

 phus d'Amerique, Bois-ramon, 



Abendlandischer Ziirgel, 



Celto occidentale, 



Bois inconnu, 



North American Nettle-tree, 



Americaa Nettle-tree, Sugar Berry-tree, 



LiNN^us, Species Plantarura. 

 MicHAUX, North American Sj'lva. 

 LotJDON, Arboretum Britannicum. 



France. 



Germany. 

 Italy. 



French Illinois. 

 Britain. 

 United States. 



Derivations. The specific name occidentalis ia derived from the Latin occido, to set, or go down ; having reference to ihl* 

 tree as growing in a direction, from Europe, towards the setting sun. The appellation Nettle-tree relates to the similarity of 

 the leav'es of this tree to those of some kinds of nettle (Urtica.) This species is called Sugar Berry, from the sweetness of 

 the fruit. 



Engravings. Michaux, North Americaa Sylva, pi. 114; Loudon, Arboretum Britannicum, vli., pi. 243 et 249; and tha 

 figures below. 



Specific Characters. Leaves alternate, ovate-acuminate ; in the acuminate part, and at the base, entire ; 

 in the interval on each side, serrate ; base acute, oblique, unequal ; glabrous on the upper surface, 

 pubescent beneath, and marked with conspicuous veins. Flowers solitary ; in the lower part of the 

 branch, 3 in an axil ; in the upper part, 1 only in the axil. Fruit sohtary, axillary, on pedicels sub 

 equal or shorter than the petioles ; globular, obscurely purple or red. 



Descrijition. 



vjW%^^ Celtis occidentalis 



a large tree, varying 



height from thirty 



trunk from eighteen inches to four feet or more 

 in diameter. Its branches are numerous and 

 slender, and the limbs originate at small dis- ^ 

 tances from the ground, and seek a horizontal //\^V 

 or an inclined direction. The bark of the trunk 

 is rough, and that of the secondary branches 

 smooth and even. The branchlets are angu- 

 lar, pubescent, but not dotted. The leaves, 

 when young, are ovate-lanceolate, and some- 

 what downy. When adult, they are broadly 

 ovate-acuminate, about three inches long, oval- 

 oblique or acute at the base, very acuminate at 

 the summit, and distinctly toothed in their cen- 

 tral margins. Their colour is a beautiful dark 

 green, smooth or slightly rough on the upper surface, and hairy or pubescent 

 beneath, with numerous prominent veins. They may readily be disiingnished 

 from those of the European species, by being larger, of a lighter and more shining 

 green, and by their dying oiX earlier, with a brighter yellow hue. The flowers, 

 which put forth in March, April, or May, arc very small, white, and are suc- 

 ceeded by purplish-red drupes, of a round form, and about the size of a wild 



