PINACEAE 

 White Spruce 



Picea canadcnsis (Mill.) BSP. [Picea alba Link] 



HABIT. A tree 50-60 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 

 1-2 feet; forming a rather broad, open, pyramidal crown. 



LEAVES. Spirally arranged, but crowded on the upper 

 side of the branches by the twisting of those on the under side; 

 awl-shaped, 4-sided, incurved; dark blue-green; about ^4 inch 

 long; ill-scented when bruised. Persistent for several years. 



FLOWERS. April-May; monoecious; the staminate oblong 

 cylindrical, long-stalked, J/2-M inch long, composed of many 

 spirally arranged, red anthers: the pistillate oblong-cylindrical, 

 composed of broad, reddish scales (subtended by orbicular 

 bracts) spirally arranged upon a central axis. 



FRUIT. Autumn or early winter of first season, falling 

 soon after discharging the seeds; pendent, slender, oblong- 

 cylindrical, nearly sessile cones, 1-2 inches long; seeds about ^ 

 inch long, with large wings oblique at the apex. 



WINTER-BUDS. Broadly ovoid, obtuse, light brown, y^/i 

 inch long. 



BARK. Twigs smooth, gray-green, becoming orange-brown, 

 finally dark gray-brown; thin, light gray-brown on the trunk, 

 separating into thin, plate-like scales. 



WOOD. Light, soft, weak, straight-grained, light yellow, 

 with sapwood of the same color. 



DISTRIBUTION. Common in the northern half of the 

 Lower Peninsula and throughout the Upper Peninsula. 



HABITAT. Low, damp woods; banks of streams; borders 

 of lakes ; high rocky or sandy slopes ; loves the cold winters. 



NOTES. A vigorous and beautiful tree in regions suffi- 

 ciently cold. 



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