AMERICAN BLADDER NUT 



Staphylea trifolia L. 



April - May 



River hills, bottomlands 



On the <U'v\), focky liill.-ult' nbove llif nvor, 

 there wliei-e the <\mr hush is in blooiu in a 

 s|);irk](' of ^ohl iiiid tile rose-hroastod fjros- 

 bcak siu^s over autl over aiiaiii in tlio j)a\v|ia\\ tree, thi'iv are low trees full 

 of dan<ilin^^ clusters of small white hells. The llowers are compact, tinged 

 with green. They have protruding stamens and pistils, pleasant little 

 flowers held in well arranii'ed groups which spring on long stems from 

 the axils of the lejives. r>la(hlernut is in hlooni. 



The Anieriean hiailderniit i> a tall >hruh which grows into the pro- 

 poi-tions of a sniali tree. The upper twigs are green with long whitish 

 strii)es. The leaves are compound, in threes, tinely toothed, with ])arallel 

 veins; in groujis of two or three, or nu)re. they sjiring from the woody 

 stems with the llower stems between. 



Soon after the ilowers have fallen to the April earth, the .^eeds begin 

 to form, and these are among the strangest in the Illinois woods. Here 

 are tight, compact, three-parted, inllated balloons. The bladder-}K)ds at 

 first are green and thin-skinned l>ui later in the sunmier they turn brown. 

 In I-".uroi)e the seed- of iiladdermit are used as a substitute for pistachio 

 nuts; it is said that the American bladdernut seeds are of similar flavor. 

 They are extremely hard, however, and dillicult to crack. 



Bladdermit is found in deep woods, especially on the shaded hillsides 

 above rivers and creeks, where clitVs rear high and the earth is black and 

 stonv beneath tall trees. 



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