DIOSPYROS VIRGINIANA, L. 161 



above the beach grass, exposed to the buffeting of fierce winds 

 and the incursions of salt water, which comes up around them 

 during the heavy winter storms. These trees are not in 

 thriving condition ; several are dead or dying, and no new 

 plants are springing up to take their places. A cross-section 

 of the trunk of a dead tree, as large as any of those living, 

 shows about fifty annual rings. There is no reason to suppose 

 that the survivors are older. This station is said to have 

 been known as early as 1846, at which date the ground 

 where they stand was grassy and fertile. These trees, if 

 standing at that time, must assuredly have been in their 

 infancy. The encroachment of the sea and subsequent 

 change of conditions account well enough for the present 

 decrepitude, but their general similarity in size and apparent 

 age point rather to introduction than native growth. 



South to Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana ; west to Iowa, Kansas, 

 and Texas. 



Habit. One of the Rhode Island trees measured 3 feet 

 11 inches girth at the base, and gradually tapered to a height 

 of more than 40 feet (L. W. Russell). The trees at New Haven 

 are 15-20 feet in height, with a trunk diameter of 6-10 inches, 

 trunk and limbs much twisted by the winds. Their branches, 

 beginning to put out at a height of 6-8 feet, lie in almost 

 horizontal planes, forming a roundish, open head. 



Bark. Trunk in old trees dark, rough, deeply furrowed, 

 separating into small, firm sections ; large limbs dark reddish- 

 brown ; season's shoots green, turning to brown. 



Winter Buds and Leaves. Buds oblong, conical, short. 

 Leaves simple, alternate, 3-6 inches long, about half as wide, 

 dark green and mostly glossy above, somewhat lighter and 

 minutely downy (at least when young) beneath, ovate to oval, 

 entire ; apex acute to acuminate ; base acute, rounded or 

 truncate ; leafstalk short ; stipules none. 



Inflorescence. June. Sterile and fertile flowers on separate 

 or on the same trees ; not conspicuous, axillary ; sterile often in 

 clusters, fertile solitary ; calyx 4-6-parted ; corolla 4-6-parted ; 

 about inch long, pale yellow, thickish, urn-shaped, constricted 



