Handbook of Treks of the Xoktiieun States and Canada. 381 



The Sweet-leaf is a small tree occasion:illy 

 attaining the height of 30 or 40 ft. witli 

 rather wide open top of slender branches, an 1 

 a trunk 8 or 10 in. in diameter. Like tlio 

 Sparkleberry and Wax Myrtle, with wiiich 

 it is associated, it loves tlie shade of the forest, 

 and in these localities, so shut away from sun- 

 light that we almost wonder at its e.xisteiie:^. 

 its handsome foliage is as singular as its 

 abode. Each branchlet is upturned and bsars 

 near its tip a cluster of drooping spreading 

 leaves. Its identity can be at once detected by 

 the segmented pith of its branchlets and tlie 

 agreeable somewhat sweetish flavor of its 

 leaves. It inhabits rich well-drained but moist 

 eoil of the forests of the south Atlantic and 

 Gulf states, from the coast to an altitude of 

 about 3,000 ft. on the Alleghany ^Mountains, 

 and is especially a pleasing object in early 

 spring, when its puts out its whorls of delicate 

 fragrant flowers, at the time when its old 

 leaves of the preceding season are withering 

 and falling to the ground. 



Its light soft fine-grained wood is easily 



worked and would be useful in turnery, a 



cubic foot weigliing, when absolutely dry, 33.19 



Ibs.i The leaves and fruit yield a yellow dye 



and the bitter roots have tonic properties. 



Leaves oblong to obovato, mostly 4-6 in. long, 

 cuneate at base, acute or acuminate, obscurely 

 crenate, serrate or suhentire. revolute in the bud. 

 tomentose beneath at first but at maturity lustrous 

 dark green above, paler and pubescent beneath, 

 subcoriaceous and with arcuate veins : petioles 

 short, stout. Floirrrx in early spring, creamy 

 white and fragrant, subsessile in several-flowered 

 clusters from the axils of the leaves of the pre- 

 vious season : calyx cup-shaped, puberulous, with 

 rounded lobes : corolla % in. long, oblong, obtuse, 

 each lol)e bearing a cluster of exserted stamens ; 

 ovary 3-eelled with .'t nectiferous glands opposite 

 the lobes of calyx. Fruit (.\ugust-September) an 

 oblong nut-like pubescent drupe about Mi in. long.' 



1. A. W., XII, 285. 



■J. I'or genus see pp. 45:!-4.')4. 



