No. 14.] FLOWERING PLANTS AND FERNS. 143 



Populus nigra L. (black). 

 Black Poplar. 



Rare. Roadsides and river banks as an escape from culti- 

 vation: Preston and East Lyme (Graves). April — May. 

 Adventive from Europe. 



Has been more or less planted in this country as an orna- 

 mental tree for more than a hundred years. It grows more 

 slowly than the Cottonwood. 



The var. italica Du Roi, Populus dilatata L., Lombardy 

 Poplar, was formerly much planted for ornament and has 

 rarely escaped to roadsides and river banks: Lyme (Graves 

 & Bissell), East Windsor (Bissell), Southington (Andrews 

 & Bissell), Berlin and Cheshire (Andrews), Newtown (Har- 

 ger), Sherman (Eames). 



The variety is a quick-growing tree of striking habit, but 

 in this climate it is short-lived. 



MYRICACEAE. SWEET GALE FAMILY. 



MYRICA L. 



Myrica Gale L. (classical name). 



Sweet Gale. Dutch or Bog Myrtle. Golden Osier. 



Swamps and borders of ponds and streams. Occasional 

 or local in the northern part of the state, becoming rare south- 

 ward ; not reported from the vicinity of the coast. April. 



The leaves and buds are aromatic and medicinal. 



Myrica carolinensis Mill. 



Myrica cerifcra of Gray's Manual ed. 6, in great part. 

 Bayberry. Candlewood. Waxberry. Wax Myrtle. 



Frequent or common. Dry fields and pastures, sand 

 plains and sea shores. Late May — June ; fruit Sept., per- 

 sisting through the winter. 



The berries yield a wax or tallow, somewhat used for 

 making candles which burn with a faintly aromatic odor. One 

 bushel of berries is said to yield four lbs. of wax. The leaves 

 and the bark of the roots are somewhat medicinal. 



Myrica asplenifolia L. (having leaves like Asplenium, the 

 Spleenwort). 

 Comptonia peregrina Coulter. 



