Handbook of Trees of the Xoktiiekn States and Canada. 287 



The Coffee-tree, or as it is commonly called 

 the Kcntvicky Coffee-tree, sometimes attains 

 the height of 100 ft. and in tlu> forests with 

 straifjht columnar trunk '2-4 ft. in thicknes.s 

 covered with a grayish l);irk. rough with 

 firm prominent scales. In the open it de- 

 velops a rather wide obovoid top, conspicuous 

 in summer on account of its graceful airy 

 foliage and perhaps interspersed with its great 

 brown pods. On the approach of winter its 

 manner of shedding its large bicompound 

 leaves suggested to the common mind the er- 

 roneous idea that it is shedding also its twigs 

 and its appearance then, when leafless, has 

 given rise to the name Slunip-trce. It is con- 

 fined in its distribution to low rich bottom- 

 lands in company with the Black Walnut, 

 Buckeye, Redbud. Ilackberry, Slippery Elm, 

 Honey Locust, Oaks and Hickories, but is no- 

 where abundant. Its common name, Coffee- 

 tree, is given to it because its seeds in early 

 days were used to some extent as a substitute 

 for coffee. 



The wood, of which a cu. ft. when abso- 

 lutely dry weighs 43.21 lbs., is heavy, strong 

 and very durable, and is useful for posts, rail- 

 way ties, furniture, etc. 2 



Lrair.t larffo, 2-.'>-ft. Ions, with strong potiolos 

 and lO-lS pinn.T" n.nch l)o,Trin? 10-14 ovate mem- 

 braneous nearly glahroiis leaflets. Flntrrrs stami- 

 nate flower-clusters .".-(> in. Ions: the pistillate^ 

 lO-li; in. Ions with lonser pedicels. Frttit pods 

 mostly 4 10 in. Ions. IV2-2 in. broad, remaining 

 closed on the hranchlets late into the winter with 

 Bweet pulp and seeds •% in. across.^ 



1. Syn. Oymnocladus Canadcsis 



2. A. W., 11, 27. 



.'{. For genus see p. 442. 



Lam. 



