NATIVE WOODY PLANTS OF THE UNITED STATES 93 



Celtis occidentalis L. Hackberry. 



Range : 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. 



Site : Dry, well-drained, moist, sun, shade. 



Fruit : Drupe ; available September-October, often persistent until 



June. 



A large shrub to more commonly a small or large tree; much spread by 

 introduction as a drought-resistant plant ; root system medium deep to shallow ; 

 rapid growing ; short-lived ; in general free from serious insect enemies and 

 diseases, except for a witches'-broom caused by the mite Eriophyes and a pow- 

 dery mildew fungus ; the witches'-broom does not cause serious damage to the 

 tree ; very resistant to drought ; wood somewhat used commercially ; propagated 

 by layering, cuttings, and seed; easily transplanted when young; 1,500-2,000 

 seeds per pound, germination 86 percent, about 500 usable plants per pound of 

 seed ; seeds treated with concentrated sulphuric acid 1 hour, washed in water, 

 and treated an additional hour in concentrated sulphuric acid, give 84-percent 

 germination in 55 days, as against 22 percent in 65 days after stratification at 

 41 F. for 2 months ; fruit produced sparingly. Very variable in size, form, and 

 color of fruit. 



Several varieties have been described, such as var. canina Sarg. (C. canina 

 Raf.), a tree occurring with the species, var. crassifolia (La Marck) Gray, 

 (C. crassifolia Lam.) and var. pumila Muhl., a low, straggling shrub. 



Stomach records: Twenty-five species of birds, including bobwhite and lesser 

 prairie chicken. Observations: Twenty species of birds, including wild turkey, 

 ring-necked pheasant, and prairie sharp-tailed grouse. 



Celtis pallida Torr. (pi. 7, A). Desert hackberry. 



Momisia pallida (Torr.) Planch. 

 Range: 10, 11, 16, 17, 20. 

 Site: Dry, sun. 



Fruit: Drupe, available July-November. 



A large, spiny, densely-branched, evergreen shrub ; forms dense thickets ; 

 wood useful for fence posts ; seed germination apparently low. 



Stomach records: Six species of birds, including Gambel and scaled quail ; 

 antelope jack rabbit. Observations: Scaled quail, mocking bird, thrasher, 

 phainopeplas, cactus wren, cardinal, pyrrholoxia, towhee, Gambel quail ; used 

 almost to the exclusion of other species as roosts by Gambel quail ; Mexican 

 raccoon, jack rabbit, captive deer. A good honey plant. 



Celtis platycaulis, see Celtis iguanaea. 



Celtis reticulata Torr. Thick-leaved hackberry. 



C. mississippiensis reticulata Sarg. 



Range : 5, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20. 

 Site : Dry, well-drained, moist, sun. 

 Fruit : Drupe, available in September. 



A large shrub to small or large tree ; grows in limestone and other soils in- 

 cluding rocky and gravelly ones ; wood locally used for fence posts ; berries rich 

 in calcium ; formerly a staple Indian food ; seed germination about 80 percent, 

 about 400 usable plants per pound of seed. 



Var. vestita Sarg. (0. rugulosa Rydb.) occurs in the northeastern portions 

 of the range. . 



Celtis rugulosa, see C. reticulata. 

 Celtis rugosa, see Celtis douglasii. 

 Celtis smallii, see Celtis mississippiensis. 



Cephalanthus occidentalis L. Buttonball bush. 



Range : 3, 4, 5, 11, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. 



Site : Well-drained, moist, sun, shade. 



Fruit : Nutlike capsule, available September-December or even later. 

 Commonly a large shrub, rarely a small or even a large tree; flowers in May 

 northward, August southward ; generally occurs in neutral soil ; will grow in 

 fresh soil under cultivation but in the wild state usually dies out for lack of 

 moisture; propagation is by seed sown in fall or stratified and sown in spring, 

 probably also by cuttings. 



Stomach records: Twenty-five species of birds, most of them water or shore 

 birds; composed 1.76 percent of food of 1,725 mallards. Observations: Ring- 

 necked pheasant. Probably poisonous to livestock if eaten. A good bee plant. 



