THE SWEET OR RED GUM AND WITCH HAZEL 



183 



color of the heartwood and its use has become increasingly com- 

 mon since the decorative qualities and commercial possibilities 

 of the wood have come to be appreciated. It might be stated 

 parenthetically that the red gum is not related to the black, cotton 

 and tupelo gums so common in similar situations throughout the 

 southeastern United States, which belong to the genus Nyssa and 

 are related to the dogwood. 



Fig. 39. Sketch Map Showing Present Range (black areas) and Fossil 

 Occurrences of the Sweet Gum (solid black circles) 



The red gum belongs to the genus Liquidambar, a name derived 

 from the latin for amber colored gum in allusion to the balsamic 

 exudation or gum which it yields. The tree is a native from south- 

 western Connecticut to southeastern Missouri and southward to 

 peninsular Florida and eastern Texas. It reappears in a closely 

 related form known as the variety mexicana in the uplands of 

 central and southern Mexico and the highlands of Guatemala. 



