Handbook of Trees of the Xortiieun States axd Canada. 101 



The Narro\v-le;ii Cottonwood is a niodiuni- 

 size tree rarely surpassing 00 or 70 ft. in 

 heiglit or 18 in. in tliic-i<ness of trunk. It 

 develops a rather narrow pyramidal top of 

 ascending pale ashen gray branches, light 

 orange-brown lustrous branchlets of the season 

 and small buds. The livid smooth bark of the 

 younger trunks becomes lissnicd witli n'^i'. as 

 the trunk enlarges, and linally is furrowed 

 with dark firm ridges. Its small short- 

 stemmed narrow green leaves are more sug- 

 gestive of some of the broader-leaved \\illows 

 than of the other Poplars, and constitute a 

 feature by which this tree is quickly recog- 

 nized. It is the commonest Cottonwood over a 

 considerable part of its range skirting the 

 banks of streams and moist places between the 

 altitudes of 5000 and 10000 ft. above the sea. 

 It is extensively planted as a shade tree in the 

 streets of towns of Colorado and Utah. 



The wood is light, a cubic foot weighing 



24.38 lbs., soft, not strong, and of a light 



brown color with lighter sap-wood. 



Lrnrrs lanceolate to ovato-lanccdlate. 2-.".il. in. 

 long, rounded or cum'ati' at base, iiarrowiiii; to an 

 acute or hlunt api'x, tiiu'ly sci-rati' tlic ciilirc Icnuili 

 (or coarsely serrate on \ ij^oroiis slmotsi rather 

 thin, slabrous, .vollow-fireen above, paler beneath. 

 with broad midribs; petioles 1/2-% in. Ions srrooved 

 above but not laterall,v flattened. F1air(rs in 

 closely flowered s'abroiis short-stalked aments : 

 stami'nate with cup-shaped disk and 12-20 sta- 

 mens : pistillate with cup-shaped disk and broad- 

 lolied stigmas. Fruit in erect or inclined aments, 

 2-;; in. long with broad-ovoid crowded short- 

 [)ediceled capsules. 



