Fifty Trees from Foreign Lands 823 



prominent side veins, pinkish when young, shiny green above and grayish white beneath, 

 with odor of camphor when crushed. Flowers yellowish, small, YQ inch long, in clusters 



2 to 3 inches long. Fruit a berry $/& inch in diameter, black, 1-seeded. Native of tropical 

 Asia and Malaya to China and Japan. In the United States extensively planted as an 

 ornamental in subtropical and warm temperate regions in Florida, along the Gulf, and 

 in southern California. Also escaped from cultivation in the South. Alkali-tolerant. Camphor 

 is obtained from the wood and leaves. Zone 9. 



15. INDIA-RUBBER FIG, Ficus elastica Nois. (India rubber-plant, Indian rubber- tree ). 

 Large, much branched evergreen tree with enlarged or buttressed base, broad crown, and 

 milky juice. Leaves large, oblong or elliptical, 4 to 1 2 inches long, short-pointed, leathery, 

 smooth, shiny green, lighter beneath. Fruits paired, stalkless, oblong, l / 2 inch long, greenish 

 yellow. Native of tropical Asia. Cultivated and naturalized in subtropical Florida and 

 planted also in southern California. This is the familiar rubber-plant grown indoors in 

 the North. The milky latex has been used as a source of rubber. Zone 10. 



D. Broadleaf evergreens (subtropical), leaves divided into leaflets (compound), Nos. 



16 to 19. 



16. PEPPERTREE, Schinus molle L. (California peppertree, Peruvian mastic-tree, Peru- 

 vian peppertree). Medium-sized spreading evergreen tree with rounded crown, graceful 

 drooping branches, and fine foliage. Leaves compound, 6 to 12 inches long, drooping, 

 with milky juice. Leaflets about 20 to 40, narrowly lance-shaped, 1 to 2 inches long, 

 short-pointed, with edges smooth or slightly toothed, light green. Flowers male and 

 female on different trees, yellowish white, small, YQ inch long, numerous in clusters 4 to 6 

 inches long. Fruits many, beadlike, %6 inch in diameter, reddish, remaining on tree in 

 winter. Native of Peru. Subtropical tree extensively planted in California, where it has 

 become naturalized, and in southern Arizona. Adapted to a wide range of soils, alkali- 

 tolerant, and drought-resistant. Subject to black scale and root rot. Zone (9). 



17. SILK-OAK, Grevillea robusta A. Cunn. (silk-oak grevillea, Australian-ferntree) . Large, 

 graceful tree with many branches and evergreen fernlike foliage. Leaves 4 to 12 inches 

 long, twice divided or very deeply lobed into narrow, pointed divisions with edges rolled 

 under, deep green above and white silky beneath. Flowers orange or yellow, *4 inch 

 long, long-stalked, in clusters 3 to 5 inches long, numerous on the trunk and main branches 

 in spring and early summer. Pods 34 inch long, broad, curved, black, 1- or 2-seeded. 

 Native of Australia. Planted in subtropical regions of Florida, southern Texas, southern 

 Arizona, and California and indoors northward as a fernlike ornamental potted plant. 

 Naturalized in southern Florida. Drought-resistant. The brittle branches break easily. 

 Zone (9). 



18. CAROB, Ceratonia siliqua L. (St. Johns-bread, algarroba). Small to medium-sized 

 spreading evergreen tree. Bark dark, reddish brown. Leaves compound, 4 to 8 inches 

 long, with 4 to 8 oval leaflets 1 to 2 inches long, rounded, shiny dark green above, paler 

 beneath. Flowers male and female, small, red, in clusters 1 to 2 inches long. Pods large, 

 4 to 12 inches long, thick and flattened, leathery, dark brown, with sugary edible pulp, 

 used for forage and human food. Native probably of Asia Minor and Syria but long cul- 

 tivated in the Mediterranean Basin and elsewhere as a forage crop for the edible pods. 

 In the United States limited to subtropical regions of Florida, southern Texas, southern 

 Arizona, and California. Grown both as a shade tree and for forage. Adapted to hot 

 dry climates and to a variety of soils including alkali, thriving in heavy soils. The name 

 St. Johns-bread is from the mistaken belief that the seeds and sugary pulp were the 

 locusts and wild honey which St. John the Baptist found in the wilderness. The pods 

 were the "husks" in the parable of the Prodigal Son. Zone (9). 



19. GREEN WATTLE ACACIA, Acacia decurrens Willd. (green wattle; blackgreen-wattle 

 acacia, or black wattle, and silvergreen-wattle acacia, or silver wattle, are varieties). 

 Small to medium-sized evergreen tree with rounded crown. Leaves finely divided, twice 

 compound, 3 to 6 inches long, with 15 to 30 feathery forks, each with 30 to 80 very narrow 

 leaflets Y& to ty& inch long, grayish green or dark green. Flowers crowded in many 

 yellow balls Y* inch in diameter in spring. Pods 2 to 4 inches long and *4 inch wide, 

 reddish. Native of Australia. Subtropical tree extensively planted in California. Adapted 

 to a wide range of soils. Zone (9). 



E. Deciduous, leaves fan-shaped, mostly clustered on short spur branches, No. 20. 



20. GINKGO, Ginkgo biloba L. (maidenhair-tree). Medium-sized to tall resinous tree 

 with few branches and conical crown. Bark gray, irregularly fissured or furrowed. Leaves 



3 to 5 in a cluster on short spur branches or single, with leafstalks 1 to 2 inches long. Leaf 

 blades oddly fan-shaped, 1 to 2 inches long and 1 1 /2 to 3 inches broad, often 2-lobed, 

 with parallel veins, leathery, bright to dull green, turning yellow and shedding in fall. 

 Pollen and seeds on different trees. Seeds single or paired, stalked, plumlike, 1 inch long, 



