Handbook of Trees of the Northern States and Cj 



Tlic Woolly Binni'lia is a small or modium- 

 sizc tree, occasionally attaining the height of 

 50 or GO ft. and 2 or .'5 ft. in thickness of 

 trunk. \Mien isolatetl from other trees it de- 

 velops a rounded or oblong rather open top, of 

 rigid branches, more or less spinescent with 

 thick sharp spines. The bark of trunk is of a 

 brownish gray color, reticulated with firm 

 prominent ridges. 



To the northward in its range it inhabits 

 usually well-drained gravelly or sandy soil, in 

 company with the Post, Black-Jack. Chin- 

 qun]iin and other Oaks, Mocker-nut and Shag- 

 bark Hickories, Blue Ash, Red-bud, etc., but in 

 the south it occupies moist low-lands, as well 

 as the drier uplands. A gum exud^'s from it 

 when wounded which gives it the name Gum- 

 elastic. It is a clear viscid substance, some- 

 times used domestically. 



Its wood is rather hard and hea\y, a cubic 

 foot weighing when absolutely dry 40.7 S lbs., 

 tough, smooth-grained and of nuirked charac- 

 teristic sti-ucture.i 



Leaves mostly obovate or oblanceolate, 1-2% in. 

 long, narrow, cuneate at base, rounded or bluntly 

 pointed at apex, woolly tomentose at first but at 

 maturity dark green and glabrous above and 

 densely tomentose beneath as are the short 

 petioles and all new growth, tardily deciduous. 

 Floinm (.Tuly-.Vtigust) in usually scveral-fiowered 

 fascicli'S with pedicels alxmi 's in. long: calyx 

 with obtuse or munded lolics : staiiiinodia ovate, 

 acute denticulate. Fruit dnun'. black. Y_. in. or 

 less In length ; seed oblong, rounded at apex, about 

 Y4 in. long.- 



Var. ri(/i<la. Gray, is a form found along the 

 Mexican boundary with rigid spinescent branchlets 

 and smaller thicker leaves. 



1. A. W., XI, 200. 



2. For genus see p. 4.".:}. 



