Handbook of Trees of the Northern States and Caxada. 217 



Only under iiiOr,t favorable conditions does 

 the Papaw attain tlit- liei,i;lit of 30 or 40 ft. 

 and is often only a lai','e shrub. Its trunk is 

 rarely more than from 8-12 in. in diameter. 

 thuuuli 1 have seen it measuring 18 in. It eom- 

 nionly uruws in thickets occupying tlie grounii 

 exclusively, and is sometimes scattered as 

 an umlergruwtli in tiie forests of rich bottom- 

 lands. Wlien isolated it develops a distinct 

 pyramidal head. The bark of the trunk is of 

 a dark brown color, thin and quite sniootli. 

 or sparingly fissured on old trunks. 



The handsome foliage of the Papaw, its 

 beautiful llowers in earl}^ spring, and its curi- 

 ous fruit in autumn, strongly recommend it 

 for ornamental planting. The fruit when very 

 ripe is delicious and nutritious and sold in 

 considerable quantities in local markets in 

 regions where the trees abound. 



The light wood, of which a cubic foot weighs 

 24.73 lbs., is of handsome greenish and yellow 

 tints when freshly cut. but is of no commercial 

 importance. Tlie fibrous inner bark was for- 

 merly used for iiiaking cord for fish nets.i 



L- iircK lanco-obovate, 8-l'2 in. Inng. cunoate at 

 base, abruptly acuminate or acute at apex, glabrous 

 light green above, paler beneath. Flowers ap 

 pearing with the leaves, dark purple. IV^ in 

 across, with rust.v toraentose peduncles ; sepals 

 broad-ovate, densely dark-tomentose : petals at 

 first small and green but finally purple when fully 

 grown and 2 or 3 times as long as the sepals. 

 nectiferous at base. Fmit cylindrieal-oblong. ob 

 lique. 3-5 in. long, single or ilustcri'd 2 or :? 

 together with common piMlmcli'. wiih smooth 

 yellowish green rind, custjird like fragrant luscious 

 flesh and oblong seeds aiiout 1 in. long.- 



1. A. W., IV, 76. 



2. For genus see p. 435. 



