Lyonia arborea, 
THE TREE LYONIA. 
Synonymes. 
Andromeda arborea, 
Lyonia arborea, 
Andromede en arbre, Arbre a Poseille, 
Sauerampferbaum, 
Albero dell' Andromeda, Albero dell' j j TAIiY 
acetosa, ) 
Sorrel-tree, 
Linnjeus, Species Plantarum. 
Michaux, North American Sylva. 
Don, Miller's Dictionary. 
Loudon, Arboretum Britannicum. 
France. 
Germany. 
Britain and Anglo-America. 
Derivations The specific name arborea is derived from the Latin arbor, a tree; on account of the large size which this 
species attains. It is called Sorrel-tree from the acidity of its leaves. The French, German, and Italian names signify Androm- 
eda-tree, and Sorrel-tree. 
Engravings. Michaux, North American Sylva, pi. 85 ; Catesby, Natural History of Carolina, i., pi. 71 ; and the figures 
below. 
Specific Characters. Branches taper. Leaves deciduous, oblong, acuminate, serrate, with mucronate 
teeth, glabrous, acid. Flowers in terminal panicles of many racemes. Corollas white, ovoid-cylindri- 
cal; downy. Don, Miller's Diet. 
Description. 
F all the species of the 
? genus, the Lyonia arbo- 
i rea is the only one which 
rises to a sufficient height 
to be ranked among trees. In favourable sit- 
uations, it usually grows to a height of from 
forty to sixty feet, with a trunk from twelve 
to eighteen inches in diameter; but, in dry 
and gravelly soils this tree is observed to be 
so much stinted that it presents itself only in 
the form of a shrub. The bark of the trunk 
is very thick, and deeply furrowed. The 
leaves, which are downy in the spring, and 
become smooth and glabrous in acquiring 
their growth, are alternate, oval-acuminate, 
finely denticulated, and from four to five 
inches long. The flowers, which put forth from June to August, occur in white 
spikes five or six inches in length, and are succeeded by small capsules contain- 
ing a number of exceedingly minute seeds. United in groups, the flowers have 
a fine effect, which renders this tree very proper for the embellishment of gardens 
and ornamental plantations. 
Geography and History. This species is indigenous to the United States, 
from Pennsylvania to Florida ; and is found in the valleys of the Alleghanies 
from Virginia to their termination in Georgia ; but, in advancing either east- 
ward or westward from these mountains, it becomes more rare, and ceases 
entirely in the maritime parts of the southern states. It was introduced into Brit- 
ain in 1752, where it is found in several collections, from fifteen to twenty feet 
in height, and ripens seeds every year, from which an abundance of plants have 
been raised. 
