Handbook of Trees of the Northern States and Canada. 405 



The Common Catalpii rarely attains a 

 greater lu'iylit tluui 5U or tiO ft., and its sliort 

 stout trunk is sometimes 3 or 4 ft. in dianirt m. 

 Its iiabit is to form a wide ri)und<Ml to|i. ni 

 few spreading crooked branclK's and thick up 

 right braiu'hiets. It is hite in spring, aftci- 

 the leaves of most of the trees are well alon^^, 

 when this tree opens its buds and unfolds its 

 ample leaves, and these are soon after fol- 

 lowed by its beautiful pyramids of llowors, 

 wliieh are scarcely equaled in size and at- 

 tractiveness by those of any other American 

 tree. As we contemplate the mass of iieart- 

 shaped leaves interspersed with these great 

 pyramids of handsome flowers we do not 

 wonder that it is extensively planted for orna- 

 ment both in this country and in Europe. 

 Through this agency it has become w idcdy 

 naturalized throughout eastern United States, 

 far outside of its native habitat. The limit 

 of its natural range cannot be determined with 

 certainty, but its supposed limits are indicated 

 on the acompanying map. 



The wood is soft, coarse-grained and durable, 

 and valued for fence-posts, rails, etc. A cabie 

 foot, when absolutely dry, weighs 27.88 lbs. 2 



Leaves broad-ovate. 6-12 in. long, cordate at 

 base, acute or acuminate, entire or with 1 or :_• 

 lateral lobes, strong-scented, pale tomentose at 

 ■first, at maturity light green and glabrous al)0\-('. 

 paler, pube.scent and with dark glands in the 

 axils of the veins beneath ; petioles terete and 

 nearly as long as the blades. FUnrcrx numerous 

 in large panicles, 8-10 in. long and broad : corolla 

 nearl.v '1 in. in length, and 1 M; in. broad cam- 

 panuiate, white thickly sjjotted within on lower 

 side with vellow and purple : lower lobe entire. 

 Fruit: capsiile l()-:2(» in. long, V,-!,.', in. thick, thin- 

 walled : se<'ds about 'i in. wide with gray wings 

 terminating mostly in pointed tufts of hairs.^ 



1. Syn. Catalpabif/nonioides Walt. 



'2. A. W., IV, 89. 



.'{. For genus see p. 4r.O. 



