FOREST TREES. 179 



OXYDENDRUM. — Sorrel Tree. 



A beautiful little native tree belonging to the Heath Family, 

 with leaves resembUng those of the common peach tree, but a 

 little largei-. Tliey have an acid taste, hence both the generic 

 and common names refer to the sour taste of the leaves. There 

 is only one species. 



OxydeRdrnni arborenm, DC. — Sorrel Tree. — Leaves smooth, ob- 

 long-lanceolate, pointed sen-ate, on slender petioles. Flowers 

 small, white, in one-sided racemes as shown in fig. 44. The ra- 

 cemes are clustered in loose panicles at the end of the branches, 

 appearing late in spring. A rare tree in cultivation, probably 

 because difficult to propagate, except from seed, and the seed- 

 lings make a slow growth for the first few years. The leaves 

 change to a brilhant light crimson color in early autumn, and 

 remain on the trees until cut by severe frosts. The wood is 

 quite hard and fine-grained, but has not been sufficiently abun- 

 dant to attract much attention. A small tree, but sometimes 

 reaches a bight of fifty or sixty feet. Hardy in my grounds 

 and probably farther north. 



PARKINSONIA, Limi. 



A small genus of about eight species, one-half of which are 

 natives of North America, but in the warmer regions. Leaves 

 large and much divided, the leaflets bipinnate. Fruit, long bean- 

 like pods, containing several seeds. 



FarkinsoiiiLi atnkata, Linn. — Leaves twelve to eighteen inches 

 long, with small, but numerous spiny leaflets. Flowers yellow, 

 in axillary racemes, three to six inches long. Pods two to ten 

 inches long, containing from one to five seeds, tlie pods being 

 contracted or compressed between the seeds. A small tree in 

 Texas, and tlirough Mexico. Wood hard. 



P. floriiinni, Watson. — Somewhat larger leaflets than the last, 

 with axiUary racemes, the pods narrow with acute margins on 

 the ventral side, seeds also thinner. A small tree on the Eio 

 Grande, Southern Texas. 



P. niitTophylla, Torr. — Leaflets few and pinnate, quite short, 

 four to six leaflets in each. Flowers deep straw-color, the upper 

 petals white. Pods two to three inches long, and one to three- 

 seeded. Southern Arizona. 



P. Torreyana, Watson. — Leaves composed of two to three pairs 

 of leaflets, oblong, narrowed towards the base. Flowers in long 



