512 The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



There are three small trees in Kew Gardens, the largest about 20 feet high, 

 growing in a densely wooded part close to the Arboretum Nursery. 



A tree growing in the garden at Harpton in Radnorshire, at an elevation of 700 

 feet above sea-level, was in 1905 27^ feet high by 2 feet 8 inches in girth. The 

 owner, Sir Herbert E. F. Lewis, Bart., who kindly sent us particulars, has not 

 noticed during the last forty years any considerable increase in the size of this 

 tree. Its leaves turn bright yellow in autumn. 



Timber 



The wood seems to be unknown in commerce, and is not mentioned by any of 

 the English writers, but Sargent says it is very durable under water and used for 

 keels of boats, and being extremely difficult to split, is also used for yokes, rollers, 

 wheel-hubs, and pumps. Sections of it in Hough's American JVoods, Pt. I. No. 9, 

 show a pale or reddish -brown wood of very close texture, somewhat resembling 

 sycamore in appearance. (H. J. E.) 



NYSSA AQUATICA, Cotton Gum, Tupelo Gum 



JVyssa aquatica, Marshall, Arbust. Am. 96 (1785) ; Linnaeus, Sp. PI. 1058 (ex parte) (1753) ; Sargent, 

 Silva N. Amer. v. 83, t. 210 (1893), ^"^^ Trees N. Amer. 711 (1905). 



Nyssa uniflora, Wangenheim, Nordam. Hoh. 83, t. 27, f. 57 (1787). 



Nyssa denticulata, Alton, Hort. Kew. iii. 446 (1789). 



Nyssa iomentosa, Michaux, Fl. Bor. Am. ii. 259 (1803). 



Nyssa angulisans, Michaux, loc. at. 



Nyssa grandidentata, Michaux f., Hist. Arb. Am. ii. 252, t. 19 (1812) ; Loudon, Arb. et Frut. Brit. 

 iii. 13 19 (1838). 



A tree, attaining in America 100 feet in height, with a trunk 12 feet in girth 

 above the greatly enlarged base. Bark thick, longitudinally fissured, and roughened 

 on the surface by small scales. Young shoots pubescent towards the tip, becoming 

 glabrous below in summer. Leaves (Plate 199, Fig. 10) elliptical or ovate-oblong, 

 base rounded or tapering, apex long-acuminate ; margin entire or repand, ciliate, 

 often with one to three or more triangular teeth, usually ending in a bristle ; upper 

 surface dark green, glabrous ; lower surface greyish in colour and with a scattered, 

 fine pubescence ; petioles more or less pubescent, i to i^ inch or more in length. 



Flowers on long, slender, pubescent peduncles : staminate flowers pedicellate in 

 dense clusters, with a cup-shaped, obscurely five-toothed calyx and oblong short petals 

 rounded at the apex ; pistillate flowers solitary, with long, tubular calyx, ovate minute 

 spreading petals, and included stamens with small mostly fertile anthers. Fruit 

 solitary, on long, drooping stalks, oblong, dark purple, about an inch long ; stone 

 obovate, rounded at the apex, pointed at the base, flattened, with about ten wing-like 

 ridges. 



