MIMOSA FAMILY 97 



flowers in late winter or early spring, before the leaves ap- 

 pear. The hog plum, P. umhellata, has oblong or oval 

 toothed leaves, one to two inches long, and small, globose, 

 blackish fruit that is bitter and acid. The Chickasaw 

 plum, P. angustifolia, has oblong, pointed leaves, two to 

 four inches long, and red or yellow edible fruit. 



The common wild cherry, P. serotina, which grows 

 from Florida to Nova Scotia and Dakota, blooms here 

 in February and March and ripens its fruit in May and 

 June. The small white flowers are in racemes which ter- 

 minate the branches. The tree has a bitter bark, and 

 oblong or elliptic toothed leaves, two to six inches long. 



MIMOSA FAMILY (Mimosaceae) 



Flowers minute, in globose or oblong pink, yellow, or Vhitish 

 heads. Leaves alternate, compound. Fruit a legume. 



Several shrubs and trees of this family are cultivated 

 in Florida. The bright yellow flowering-heads of popinac, 

 or oppopanox. Acacia Farnesiana (Vachellia), are noted 

 for their agreeable fragrance, and have long been used 

 in the making of choice perfumery. This thorny shrub 

 or small tree, which has become naturalized in Florida, 

 has short, twice-pinnate leaves formed of many tiny leaf- 

 lets, globular, stalked flowering-heads, and thick seed- 

 pods, one to three inches long. Acacias of Arabia and 

 northern Africa yield the gum arable of commerce. 



The quick-growing Lebbeck tree, or woman's-tongue 

 tree, Alhizzm Lehbek, from Asia, with handsome yellow- 

 ish and green flowering-heads, and long seedpods, is planted 

 in southern Florida. 



Sensitive Briar (Genus Morongia (Schranhia)) 



These attractive plants trail richly colored green and 

 bronze leaves and stems over the ground, open dainty heads 



