Handbook of Trees of the Noktiikun SrAiics and Canada. 107 



The Swamp Poplar wlioro conditions are 

 favorable for best de\eln])nu'nt, in tlic lowor 

 Mississippi \'alley. attains a licij,'lit uf SO or 

 90 ft., with straight cdhnHnar trnnk I'.i ft. in 

 diameter vested in a grayish brown bark with 

 prominent scaly ridges, and develops an open 

 irregular top with few large brandies. In the 

 Atlantic states it rarely attains a greater 

 height than 40 or 50 ft. Here it i.s rare and 

 local and is confined to tlie borders of ponds 

 and swamps more or less permanently in- 

 undated. In the Mississippi basin it is more 

 abundant, and it is found in company with the 

 Honey and Water Locusts, Mississippi Hack- 

 berry, Swamp White Oak, Red and Drummond 

 Maples, Sweet Gums, Tupelos, etc. 



The wood of the Swamp Poplar is of a 

 grayish brown color with light sap-wood. A 

 cubic foot when absolutely dry weighs 25.48 

 lbs. It is manufactured into lumber, under 

 the name of Black Poplar, for interior finish- 

 ing, etc.i 



LcarcM 4 8 in. lone;, broad ovate with petioles 

 long and terete, varying from round to cordate at 

 base, crenate, obtuse or subacute at apex, covered 

 with white woolly tomentum at first but finally 

 glabrous with brown buds acute or obtuse, resin- 

 ous. Flowers (April-May) glabrous scarious fim- 

 bricated scales, staminate aments stout, densely- 

 flowered, finally 2-:*. in. lonsj and drooping ; 

 stamens 12-20; pistillate aments small, raceme- 

 like, few-flowered with short style; ovary ovoid. 

 and thick 2 or ."t-lobed sti^-mas. Fruit (ripe in 

 May) with ovoid-oblong pointiMl 2-:!-valved cap- 

 sules, shorter than or efpialling the pedicels. 



1. A. W., IV, 97. 



