﻿Trees of Xeic York State 319 



CORNACEAE 



Nyssa sylvatica Marsh. [Xyssa multiflora Wang.] 



Black Gum, Pepperidge, Tupelo 



Habit — In New York State generally a medium-sized tree 40-70 feet in 

 height vrith a trunk diameter of 1-3 feet, farther south occasionally 100 

 feet tall, at the northern limits of its range oft«n reduced to a shrub. 

 Trunk straight, continuous into the crown, clothed with tough, slender, 

 pendulous branches to mthin a few feet of the ground. Crown variable, 

 sometimes short, cylindrical and flat-topped, at others pyramidal, conical, 

 or inversely conical and flat-topped. 



Leaves — Alternate, oval to obovat^, 2-5 inches long, acute at the apex, 

 cuneate at the base, entire or rarely coarsely dentate, at maturity thick, 

 dark green and lustrous above, paler and often hair^- below, borne on 

 ciliate petioles Vi-lVo inches long. Leaves turn . bright scarlet on the 

 upper side before falling in the autunui. 



Flowers — Apearing in May and early June when the leaves are about half 

 grown, yellowish green, polygamo-dioecious, borne on long, slender, hairy 

 peduncles. Staniinate flowers in dense, many-flowered heads. Calyx 

 tubular, minutely 5-lobed. Petals ligulate. acute, thick. Stamens 5-10. 

 exserted in the sterile flower, sessile or wanting in the fertile flower. 

 Fertile flowers in bracteolate clusters of 3. Calyx cylindrical, shallowly 

 5-lobed. Petals ovate, obtuse, blunt, much shorter than the calyx-tube. 

 Pistil consisting of an inferior 1-2-celled ovary surmoimted by a terete, 

 pointed style stigmatic toward the tip. 



Fruit — An ovoid, dark blue drupe, from ^;{-% of an inch long, borne on 

 long, slender peduncles in clusters of 1-3, ripening in October. Flesh 

 thin, acid. Pit ovoid, slightly compressed. ^\'ith 10—12 low, longitudinal 

 ribs. 



Winter characters — Twigs slender, smooth, grayish to reddish brown, with 

 numerous lateral, short, slow-growing spurs crowded with leaf-scars. Pith 

 diaphragmed-stuffed. Buds ovate, acute, smooth, reddish brown, about 

 % of an inch long, with 3-5 A-isible scales. Mature bark thick, grayish, 

 di\"ided by deep fissures and interrupted ridges into quadranglar or 

 hexagonal blocks, resembling alligator skin. 



Habitat ^ — This species is widely disseminated by birds and grows on a variety 

 of hal)itats. It attains its best development along stream courses and 

 about the margins of ponds and sluggish streams, but thrives on hillsides 

 and in abandoned pastures. 



Range — Southern Maine westward througli southern Ontario to central 

 Michigan and southeastern Missouri, southward to Florida and eastern 

 Texas. Zones A. B, and C. 



U-ses — A timber species of secondary importance. Woo<l heavy, soft, strong, 

 verv tough, not durable, difficult to season, pale yellow or nearly white 

 with thick, paler sapwood. Largely used as ' ' thin ' ' lumber in the manu- 

 facture of egg- and orange-crates. The toughness of the wood renders it 

 valuable for Avheel hubs, rollers, etc. When treated, it is suitable for 

 railroad ties. 



