Handbook of TrelEs of the !N"ortheen States and Canadj 



349 



The Yellow Biu-kthorn or Indian Cherry, as 

 it is also calh'd. is a small slciulcr tree with 

 unarmed branches sometimes attaining the 

 hight of 30 or 3o ft. witli trunk G or 8 in. in 

 diameter. It is more often, however, shrubby 

 and scattered as an undergrowth through for- 

 ests of the Black Jack. Post, Shingle and Chin- 

 quapin Oaks. Blue Ash. Bumelia, etc., on rich 

 bottom-lands and limestone slopes. In these 

 situations its clear bright green foliage and 

 berries, varying from scarlet to black according 

 to degree of ripeness, are highly ornamental 

 and have occasioned its planting in ornamental 

 shrubberies, for which it is well adapted. Its 

 fruit is sweet and edible though of no com- 

 mercial importance. 



The Avood is rather light, a cu. ft. weighing 



34.04 lbs., but hard and close-grained and of a 



rich brown color with clear yellow sap-wood. 



Lea res elliptical to ovate, 2-0 in. long with 6 

 or 7 pairs of veins arcuate near the margin, 

 wedge-shaped or rounded at base, acute (or some- 

 times acuminate) at apex, obscurely serrate- 

 crenate or nearly entire, tomentose at first but at 

 maturity shining dark green with impressed veins 

 above, glabrous or nearly so beneath ; petioles 

 pubescent; winter buds naked. Flowers (May- 

 >Tune» perfect, about % in. broad, in pubescent 

 umbels or some solitary on peduncles from Vs to 

 % in. long ; calyx .5-lobed ; petals 5, enveloping a 

 short stamen. Fruit subglobose, % in. in di- 

 ameter, ripening in early autumn, black and 

 sweetish when fully ripe and containing 2-4 

 closely coherent nutlets rounded on back. 



