358 



The Hackberries 



short-pointed or bluntish, toothed, or sometimes nearly or quite entire- margined, 

 the base usually more or less cordate; they are bright green and roughish on the 

 upper surface, lighter green and somewhat hairy beneath, at least on the veins; the 

 leaf-stalks are short, stout, hairy. The fruit varies in color from red-purple to 

 yellowish, is globular, 6 to 8 mm. in diameter and usually more than one half as 

 long as its usually short stalk, which equals or exceeds the subtending leaf-stalk 

 in length. 



7. THICK-LEAVED HACKBERRY Celtis reticulata Torrey 



This is a small tree, perhaps never over 15 meters high, and grows in rocky or 

 gravelly soil, especially along rivers, from Kansas to Texas, Colorado, Nevada, 



Arizona, and southern CaHfomia, and is 

 reported as extending into Lower Cali- 

 fornia. 



The bluish-gray bark has many corky 

 warts or ridges, which are sometimes 3 

 cm. high. The young twigs vary from 

 quite hairy to nearly or quite smooth; 

 they are green at first, but early become 

 brown. The leaves are thick, strongly 

 netted- veined, with the veins impressed 

 on the upper surface and prominent on 

 the lower; they are 7 cm. long or less, 

 ovate, pointed, bright green, and either 

 very rough or nearly smooth above, pale 

 green and hairy on the underside; their 

 margins vary from nearly or quite entire 

 to strongly toothed ; the rather stout leaf- 

 stalks are from 4 to 10 mm. in length. 

 The fruit is red, globular, 8 to 12 mm. in diameter, its stalk usually much longer 

 than the subtending petiole of the leaf. It is also called Palo Blanco and simply 

 Hackberr\', in Texas. The wood is very similar to that of the eastern Hackberry, 

 but heavier; its specific gravity being about 0.72. 



Fig. 317. Thick-leaved Hackbeny. 



8. HELLER'S HACKBERRY - Celtis Helleri Small 



hackberr)' grows in dr^- soil in southern Texas, sometimes occurring 

 " tree with a maximum observed height of about 10 meters and a 

 ^.5 meters and has widely spreading branches. 



^erous corky warts. The young twigs are slender and hairy, 



"^rown. The leaves are rather fiiTn in texture, ovate to 



nceolate, 4 to 9 cm. long, pointed or blunt, toothed, at 



