THE CLIMAX FOREST AND ITS PREDECESSOR 207 



in spring before the leaves. These blossoms appear on short 

 branches that come out from the main trunk and main branches. 

 Even when not in 

 blossom the tree may 

 be recognized by the 

 presence of these 

 short, stubby, flower- 

 ing branches. 



The maple-leaved 

 viburnum is similar 

 to the high bush cran- 

 berry (Fig. 259) which 

 is also a viburnum. 

 It is a lower shrub, 

 3-5 feet high, with 

 maple-like leaves that 

 are downy below and 

 fruits that are at first 

 red, then purple. 

 The nanny berry 



/T ^. x FIG. 2<A. Flowering dogwood, leaf and blossom, 



(Fig. 260), also a Cornns / Qrida; 



viburnum, has upper 



leaves that are taper-pointed and the leaf stems are winged. 



The fruit is black. Spicebush (Fig. 298) is recognized readily 



by the spicy odor of the crushed leaves and twigs. The high 



bush cranberry is a fairly tall 

 shrub or low tree with oval, 

 finely toothed leaves. The 

 flower cluster of small white 

 blossoms is large, and the red 

 fruits conspicuous. The con- 

 tained seed is flat. The wahoo 

 (Fig. 261) is generally recog- 



nized b y the four cork y rid es 



FIG. 255. Twig of witch-hazel, Hama- 

 'melis virginiana. 



that run longitudinally on 



