280. CLADKASTIS LUTEA YELLOW -WOOD 25 



280. CLADRASTIS LUTEA, KOCH. 



YELLOW-WOOD. GOPHER-WOOD. VIRGILIA. 



Ger., Gelb-holtz; Fr., Bois jaune; Sp., Madera amarilla. 



SPECIFIC CHABACTEBS: For botanical characters see generic description, this 

 being the only species. 







A tree of medium size, sometimes attaining the height of 50 to 60 

 ft. (18 m.) and a trunk diameter of 18 in. to 2 ft. (0.60 m.) or 

 rarely somewhat surpassing those dimensions. It is one of the hand- 

 somest of our deciduous trees, with a full rounded top of clean rich 

 green umbrageous foliage, and when festooned with its long stems 

 of white pea-like flowers it is an object of uncommon beauty. Its 

 trunk is vested in a thin bark of the smoothness of Beech bark, but 

 of somewhat darker color. 



HABITAT. From Cherokee county, Xorth Carolina, westward 

 through central Tennessee and from southern Kentucky to northern 

 Alabama and Georgia; also in southwestern Missouri. It is a rare 

 and local tree in this limited range, and is found mainly in rich well- 

 drained soil along the courses of streams. 



PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. Wood rather light, hard, strong, close- 

 grained, compact and of a light-brownish yellow color with paler 

 yellow sap-wood. Specific Gravity, 0.6278; Percentage of Ash, 0.28 ; 

 Relative Approximate Fuel Value, 0.6260; Coefficient of Elasticity, 

 100226 ; Modulus of Rupture, 902 ; Resistance to Longitudinal Pres- 

 sure, 534; Resistance to Indentation, 183; Weight of a Cubic Foot 

 in Pounds, 39.12. 



USES. Little use is made of the wood though the heart-wood is 

 used to some extent for making a yellow dye. The chief claim of the 

 tree to economic value is its use as an ornamental shade tree, and 

 as such is sure to grow in public favor as its qualities become more 

 widely known. It is hardy at least as far north as northern New 

 York, and little effected by insect-pest or blight. 



ORDER HAMAMELIDACE^: WITCH HAZEL FAMILY. 



Leaves simple, deciduous, alternate, petiolate, with stipules. Flowers perfect 

 or unisexual; calyx 4-lobed and with tube coherent to the ovary or none; petals 

 4 and perigynous or none; stamens 4 or 8 or numerous with 2-celled introrse 

 anthers; ovary compound formed by the union below of 2 carpels, 2-celled and 

 with 2 subulate styles; ovules 1 or many, anatropous and suspended from an 



