TUPELO GUM (Cotton Gum) 



{Nyssa aqiiatica Marsh.) 



THE tupelo gum, or cotton gum, inhabits only 

 the deep river swamps or coastal swamps which 

 are usually inundated during a part of the year. 

 The commonly enlarged base, large-sized fruit, or 

 "plum," hanging on a long stem, together with the 

 brittleness of the twigs, serves to distinguish it 

 from the black gum. It forms a tall, often slowly 

 tapering, somewhat crooked 

 trunk, 50 to 75 feet in height r 



and 2 to 3 feet in diameter. 

 The spreading, rather small ^ 

 branches form a narrow, ob- '\ 

 long or pyramidal head. ' 



The branches are generally 

 smooth and light brown in 

 color. The bark of the trunk 

 is thin, dark brown, and fur- 

 rowed up and down the 

 trunk. 



The leaves are sim- 

 ple, ovate or oblong 

 in shape, acute and 

 often long - pointed. 

 When mature, they 

 are thick, dark green 

 and lustrous on the 

 upper side, pale and 

 somewhat downy on 

 the lower side, 5 to 7 

 inches long and 2 to 4 inches at the top, wedge- 

 shaped at the base, irregular and slightly notched or 

 toothed on the margin. The leaf-stem is stout, 1 to 



2 inches long, grooved and enlarged at the base. 

 The flowers, which appear in March or April, 



are of two kinds, usually l)oi*ne on separate trees, 

 the male in dense round clusters, and the female 

 solitary on long slender stems. 



The fruit, ripening in early fall, is a so-called 

 "plum," oblong or obovate in shape, about an inch 

 long, dark purple, and has a thick, tough skin en- 

 closing a flattened stone, borue on a slender stalk 



3 to 4 inches hmg. 



The wood is light, soft, and not strong. It ia 

 used for woodenware, brooiu handles, fruit and 

 vegetable packages. As lumber it is marketed as 

 tupelo or bay poplar. The root-wood is often ex- 

 tremely light in weight and is sometimes used for 

 floats for fish nets. 



72 



TUPELO GUM 

 Leaf, one-third natural size. 

 Twig, two-thirds natural size. 



