74 Native Trees of Canada 



hazel has also this stalked bud, but can be distinguished by the fact that it is more 

 densely downy than those of the alders. 



ALNUS INCANA (L.) Muench. SPECKLED ALDER 



Common names: Speckled alder, hoary alder, alder. 

 French name: Aune commun. 



The speckled alder is common in the swamps and along the borders of streams 

 from the Atlantic to the prairies. It is a small, shrubby tree 6 to 15 ft. in height, 

 and usually composed of several stems which spring off close to the ground. 



The bark is smooth, greyish-brown, and blotched with white spots. The twigs 

 are slender and somewhat zigzag in growth. They are greyish-brown, usually 

 downy towards the tip, and conspicuously marked by white lenticels. 



The winter buds are distinctly stalked and resemble somewhat those of the 

 witch hazel but are not so densely downy. 



The leaves are a broad oval in outline, usually with rounded base, dark green, 

 and conspicuoulsy veined with straight ribs. The underside is usually covered 

 with a hoary bloom. 



The flowers are in catkins clustered at the ends of the drooping tips of the twigs, 

 while the fruit is an oval, woody cone, 3^ in. long, which remains on the tree all 

 winter. The seed is winged, small, and flattened. 



ALNUS OREGONA, Nutt. RED ALDER 



Common names: Red alder, Oregon alder, western alder. 

 French name: Aune de TOregon. 



The red alder is confined to the Pacific coast, and in Canada is found only on 

 the Coast range and the islands of British Columbia. 



It is the largest alder in Canada, frequently 40 ft. high by 1 ft. in diameter, 

 but sometimes much larger. 



The trunk is usually straight, and the branches are slim. The bark is light 

 grey, smooth except on large trees, when it is roughened by thin, narrow, flat ridges. 

 The twigs are shiny, dark red, and covered with numerous light-coloured spots. 

 The winter buds are dark red and downy. The leaves are 3 to 5 in. long, deep 

 yellowish-green, underside slightly hairy, and margins somewhat turned up. 



The fruit is cone-like, J^ to 1 in. long, and the tiny seeds have a very thin, 

 wing-like margin. 



The wood of this tree is sometimes used commercially for interior finish, 

 furniture frames, turnery, and handles. It has a fine, even grain and is fairly hard 

 and strong. It is also said to be teredo proof. 



ALNUS SITCHENSIS (Reg el) Sargent SITKA ALDER 



The Sitka alder occurs from the Arctic circle southward through Alaska and 

 the valley of the Yukon river, along the coast of British Columbia and the Rocky 

 mountains to the Canada-United States boundary. In the United States it grows 

 as far south as Colorado. It is fairly common in the northern part of its range 



