THEACEAE 



Loblolly-bay. Gordonia 



Gordonia lasianthus (L.) Ellis 



HABIT. A beautiful medium-sized tree 60-75 feet high 

 and 1-2 feet in diameter; narrow, compact crown. 



LEAVES. Alternate; simple; persistent; 3-6 inches long; 

 lanceolate to elliptic; leathery; shallowly toothed; dark green; 

 turning scarlet before falling. 



FLOWERS. Regular; perfect; showy; white; fragrant; 2|/2 

 inches across petals and sepals silky; stamens numerous; ovary 

 3-5 celled. 



FRUIT. A woody, oblong, 5-celled capsule V3 inch long; 

 with silky surface. Seed: He inch long, flat, nearly square, winged. 



TWIGS. Slender; dark brown; rough. Winter buds: terminal 

 present, 14 inch long, acute, silky hairy. 



BARK. Thick; red-brown; deeply fissured and ridged. 



WOOD. Unimportant; soft; light red. 



SILVICAL CHARACTERS. Rather intolerant; wet sites; 

 short-lived; hard to grow ornamentally. 



* * * 



ARALIACEAE 



Devils-walkingstick 

 Aralia spinosa L. 



HABIT. A prickly shrub or small tree rarely 35 feet high 

 with few branches and a flat crown; presenting an interesting 

 and grotesque appearance. 



LEAVES. Alternate; doubly pinnately compound; decidu- 

 ous; 2-4 feet long; pinnate usually bearing 5-6 pairs of ovate, 

 acuminate, serrate, thin, dark green leaflets 2-3 inches long and 

 prickly. 



FLOWERS. Regular; perfect or staminate; small; in many- 

 flowered panicles 3-4 feet long; green-white; appearing after 

 the leaves. 



FRUIT. Small, juicy, black berry 14 inch long; tipped with 

 persistent style. Seed: 2-5, oblong, compressed, red-brown. 



TWIGS. Stout (V2~l inch thick); orange; lustrous; armed 

 with stout prickles. Winter buds: terminal present, conical, 

 Yl inch long, red. 



BARK. Thin; shallow fissures; brown; inner bark yellow, , 



WOOD. Unimportant; soft; brown streaked with yellow. 



SILVICAL CHARACTERS. Intolerant; short-lived; fast- 

 growing; planted as an ornamental. 



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