130 Native Trees of Canada 



CORNUS NUTTALLII, Aud. WESTERN DOGWOOD 



The western dogwood is found in the lower Fraser valley, and on Vancouver 

 island in British Columbia. It is a small tree, commonly 20 to 25 ft. in height and 

 6 to 7 in. in diameter. In the spring the large, showy, petal-like scales of its flower 

 clusters make it a conspicuous object. In general appearance it resembles the 



WESTERN 

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flowering dogwood (Cornus florid-a) of the East, but is readily differentiated from 

 it by the differences in range and by the shape of the flower scales, which in the case 

 of the western species are pointed at the tip, while those of the other are indented 

 at the end and are on the whole more heart-shaped. 



THE GUM TREES 



Five species of gum tree {Nyssa) are recognized. Four occur in the eastern 

 portion of this continent and one in China. Only one, Nyssa sylvatica, extends 

 sufficiently far north to come into Canada. The gum trees are fond of damp situa- 

 tions and are usually found in swamps. 



They can be recognized by their oval leaves with their toothless margins and 

 smooth, shiny surfaces, and by their characteristic fruit. 



