CORNACE^E DOGWOOD FAMILY 



FLOWERING DOGWOOD 



C 6 rnus fldrida, 

 Cornus from cornu a horn, refers to the hardness of the wood. 



A bushy tree, from fifteen to thirty feet high, with short trunk and 

 spreading branches, making a flat-topped head. Roots fibrous. It 

 prefers dry land and will grow under the shade of taller trees. Bark, 

 leaves, and fruit, rich in tannic acid. Ranges from eastern Massa- 

 chusetts to central Florida west through southern Michigan to Mis- 

 souri and Texas. 



Bark. Reddish brown, divided into quadrangular plate-like 

 scales. Bitter and tonic. Branchlets at first pale green, later they 

 are red or yellow green, finally become light brown or reddish gray. 



Winter Buds. Formed in midsummer, terminal bud accompanied 

 by two pairs of lateral buds making a cluster. On fertile shoots the 

 terminal bud is replaced by the head of flower buds, which by mid- 

 summer protrudes from between the two upper lateral buds. 



Wood. Brown ; heavy, hard, strong, tough and close-grained ; 

 will take a beautiful polish. Used for hubs of small wheels, handles 

 of tools, mallets ; largely used in turnery. Sp. gr., 0.8153 ; weight 

 of cu. ft., 50.81 Ibs. 



Leaves. Opposite, somewhat clustered at the ends of the branches, 

 ovate or elliptical, three to five inches long, two to three wide, wedge- 

 shaped at base, wavy or entire, acute. Feather-veined, midrib promi- 

 nent, five to six pairs of primary veins. They come out of the bud 

 involute, at first pale green, downy ; when full grown are bright dark 

 green above, pale and downy beneath. In autumn they turn a brill- 

 iant scarlet. Petioles short, grooved. 



Flowers. April, May. Perfect, greenish, in a close cluster, sur- 

 rounded by a large, showy, four-leaved, corolla-like, white or rarely 

 pinkish involucre, borne on a stout peduncle an inch or an inch and 

 a half long, showy. 



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