TREES AND SHRUBS 



base, covered with down when young, ghibrous when old, 4^ ins. long, 3| ins. 

 broad ; petiole very short. 



A deciduous bash or low tree ; Branches tortuous, somewhat ascending. 



Native of I^evant ; introduced 1739. Sometimes called P. u?idul.ata, and 

 considered by some as a stunted variety of P. oiientalis. 



WESTERN PLANE, Platanus occidentalis. 



Parks, gardens, avenues. May. This is usually larger and more rapid in 

 growth than its relative of the East. Its leaves are larger and less deeply 

 lobed, and its seed-balls are larger, and usually hang singly on the slender 

 peduncles. 



Floxveis as in P. orie?italis, in globular heads, 2-4, more commonly only 1, on 

 long slender peduncles, larger than P. 07~ientulis ; 3Iales axillary, dark red; 

 Females terminal, light green, tinged red; Fruit a globular head of 1 -seeded 

 nuts ; balls large, smoother than P. orientalis, brownish, ripe in October or 

 November, persistent through winter ; seed-fibres said to cause irritation of the 

 mucous membrane of the eyes, nostrils, mouth, and probably the lungs. 



Leaves alternate, broadly 5-lobed or angled, a few large acute serratures, 

 cordate or truncate at base, when young scurfy with rusty-coloured tomentum 

 or silky down, glabrous when older, bright green above, paler beneath, slightly 

 hairy in axils of veins and on principal ribs, petiole purplish-red, leaves up to 

 8 ins. by 8 ins., stipules brown, woolly, caducous. Autumn tints yellow to red- 

 brown. 



A deciduous tree, 70-80 ft. ; Bark smooth, light ash-colour, flaking off in 

 small pieces ; Br-anches tortuous, axillary buds concealed within hollowed base 

 of petioles, conical, pubescent, pale brown or olive ; Twigs rounded, olive-green ; 

 Wood used for cabinet-work. 



Introduced from N. America about 1636 ; there called Button-wood ; reaches 

 height of 140-170 ft. Probably lives more than 600 years. 



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