Handbook of Trees of the Xoktiiern States and Ca 



315 



The Cassena is a beautiful small tree of the 

 coast regions of the soutliern Atlantic and Gulf 

 States, occasionally attaining tlie iieigiit of 20 

 or 30 ft. with broad rounded top and trunk 

 Bometiiues 12 or 18 in. in diameter, or is often 

 no more than a large slirub. It grows mainly 

 in the humid soil of swamps and about tlie 

 borders of pine barren ponds in company with 

 the Cypress, Ogechee Lime, (jums. Sweet Bay, 

 \A'ater and Laurel Oaks, Water Hickory, 

 Planer-tree. etc. Rare in tlie norllicni part of 

 its range it becomes common soutliward. reach- 

 ing its largest size and abundance in southern 

 Alabama, Georgia and Florida. In these re- 

 gions it is often known as Hendcrson-irood. 



Its wood is light, a cu. ft. when absolutely 



dry weighing 29.95 lbs., tough, close-grained, 



easily worked and of a clear creamy white 



color. 2 



Leaves persistent, ohlancoolato or o'.iovatp. 

 IVj-.j In. long, eunoato at l)aso, obtuse or acnto or 

 emargrinate (somotimes roundod or retuse) at apcy 

 with rovohite and entire margins or very re- 

 motely and sharply appressed serrate near ape.K, 

 thick, shining dark green above, paler and pubes- 

 cent on midribs beneath ; petioles short, stout and 

 usually pubescent. Flowers white, scarcely % in. 

 broad, in hairy pedunculate clu.sters from the axils 

 mainly of the leaves of the year, the staminate 

 3-9-flowered and the pistillate usually .3-tlowered. 

 common peduncles nearly 1 in. long ; calyx lobes 

 acute, ciliate. Fruit red drupes ripening in au- 

 tumn and persisting until spring, subglobose, ^4 

 in. in diameter ; nutlets prominently ribbed. 



1. Syn. //cj Duhoon Walt. 



2. A. W., XII, 276. 



