102 Bulletin of the University of Texas 



are slender and form a rather narrow crown. Bark deeply 

 furrowed, gray to brown. % r -l j /i> x thick. The young branches 

 are frequently winged with cork. A resinous sap which issues 

 from wounds is popular among children as "gum." Leaves 

 alternate, almost round in outline, about 5' wide, cleft into 

 4-7 wedge shaped, serrate lobes, firm, bright green, and shin- 

 ing above, paler below, aromatic when bruised, smooth on 

 both sides or nearly so, turning red in the autumn before 

 they fall. Flowers appear when th^ leaves are about half the 

 adult size. The staminate flowers are borne in slender 

 racemes, the pistillate in a dense globular head. Fruit a 

 globular,, spiny, cone-like aggregate, l^'-lVs' in diameter, 

 which frequently persists on the tree throughout the winter. 



Connecticut west to Missouri, south to Florida and Tex-as. 

 In Texas it extends to the valley of the Trinity River, most 

 abundant in heavy bottom soils. 



The wood is heavy, close-grained, hard but not strong. It 

 polishes well and can be finished to imitate walnut. How- 

 ever, it warps -and shrinks to such an extent that it is but little 

 used for timber. The tree is planted for ornament but is 

 transplanted with some difficulty. . Its foliage is beautiful 

 throughout the summer and the autumnal tints add to its 

 value as an ornamental tree. In our area, it is attacked by a 

 fungus parasite which tends to mar the beauty of the foliage 

 in the late summer. 



ANONACEAE de Condolle. The Custard Apple Family. 

 Asimina (L) Dunal. The Pawpaw. 



Asimina triloba Dunal. A tall shrub or small tree some- 

 times reaching a height of 25 or 30 with a trunk diameter 

 of 1, but usually much smaller, with slender nodding twigs. 

 Bark smooth, somewhat ridged on old trees, about %' thick, 

 gray or bmwn with lighter blotches except on young twigs, 

 where it is reddish brown. Leaves obovate-lanceolate, wedge- 

 shaped at base, sharp pointed at the apex, 4'-12' long, 

 4'-6' wide, green above, paler and hairy beneath when young, 

 becoming smooth with age. The leaves give off a rank foetid 

 odor when crushed. The flowers appear before or with the 



