IIaxdhook of Tkees of tiik XoirrjiKKX Staths axd Caxada. 41.*] 



Tlie Black or Sweet ITaw is a low bushy tree, 

 sometimes attaining the heiglit of 25 or 3U ft. 

 with trunk 8 or 10 in. in diameter, and is 

 often shrubby, especially in the northern part 

 of its range. It develops a wide rounded tup 

 of many rigid branches and frequent spur-likr 

 hranchlets. and its trunk is often crooked ur 

 inclined. 



It iuluibits mainly dry riK'ky hillsides ami 

 uplands, freciueutiy along fence rows and ro.ul- 

 Bides, where its seeds have been dropped by 

 the birds. Itarer to the westward it is espe- 

 cially common in the vicinity of the coast. 

 Like the other arborescent representatives of 

 the genus, its glossy leaves and numerous 

 clusters of white flowers and ornamental fruit 

 have made this tree po])ular for ornamental 

 planting, in parks and private grounds both 

 in this country and in Europe. 



The fruit is very sweet and occasionally 

 eaten by children, but is of no practical im- 

 portance. 



Its close-grained hard wood is unimportant 



commercially, but the bark is used in medici c, 



as it possesses neurotic, antispasmodic, tonic 



and diuretic properties. 



Leaves oval to ovate or occasionally obovato, 

 1-3 in. long, obtuse or roundcfi at base and obtusr 

 or acutish at apex, finely serrate, at maturily 

 firm, coriaceous, shinin.i; dark m'een aliove. paler 

 and glabrous beneath : petioles about '•. in. hiii,', 

 grooved and nearly terete or on vigorous shoo-s 

 slightly margined. Flnirers white, Vj in. wide, in 

 several-rayed cymes 2-4 in. across. Fruit, rii>e iti 

 October, oval or subglobose. glaucous, blue-black 

 in red-stemmed few-fruited clusters ; stone Hat or 

 slightly convex one side, blackish.* 



1. For 



see p. 4; 



