The Trees of Vermont 80 



PINACEAE 



White Spruce 

 Picea canadensis (Mill.) BSP. [Picea alba Link] 



Habit. — A tree 70-100 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 1-3 

 feet ; forming a rather broad, open, pyramidal crown. 



Leaves. — Spirally arranged, but crowded on the upper side of the 

 branches by the twisting of those on the under side; awl-shaped, 4- 

 sided, incurved ; dark blue-green ; about }i inch long ; ill-scented when 

 bruised. Persistent for several years. 



Flowers. — May ; monoecious ; the staminate in oblong-cylindrical, 

 long-stalked clusters, }^-}i inch long, composed of many spirally ar- 

 ranged, red anthers ; the pistillate in oblong-cylindrical clusters, com- 

 posed of broad, reddish scales (subtended by orbicular bracts) spirally 

 arranged upon a central axis. 



Fruit. — Autumn or early winter of first season, falling soon after 

 discharging the seeds ; pendent, slender, oblong-cylindrical, nearly 

 sessile cones, 1-2 inches long; seeds about j,i inch long, with large 

 wings oblique at the apex. ^ 



Winter-buds. — Broadly ovoid, obtuse, light brown, }i-}i inch 

 long. 



Bark. — Twigs smooth, gray-green, becoming orange-brown, finally 

 dark gray-brown ; thin, light gray-brown on the trunk, separating into 

 thin, plate-like scales. 



Wood. — Light, soft, weak, straight-grained, light yellow, with 

 sapwood of the same color. 



Distribution.- — Common in the northeastern quarter of Vermont; 

 also on some of the islands of Lake Champlain ; has been reported from 

 other isolated districts. 



Habitat. — Low, damp woods; banks of streams; borders of 

 lakes ; high, rocky or sandy slopes. 



Notes. — This is a northern tree which extends from Canada into 

 northern Vermont. It occurs along the Connecticut river to the 

 Fifteen Mile Falls (South Lunenburg), and on the eastern arm of the 

 Y of the Green Mountains to the Montpelier and Wells River railroad, 

 or perhaps a little farther south. It is common on some of the islands 

 of Lake Champlain and is scattered through the forests of Essex 

 county. The strong polecat odor of the young branches is character- 

 istic and will aid in its recognition. Because of this odor it is some- 

 limes called "skunk spruce." Lumbermen do not separate this from 

 the other spruces and the tree is nearly equal in size to the red spruce. 



