PINACEAE 

 Black Spruce 



Picea mariana, (Mill.) BSP. [Picea nigra, Link ] 



HABIT. A small tree 20-30 feet high, with a trunk diameter 

 of 6-10 inches; forming a narrow-based, conical^ more or less 

 irregular crown of short, slender, horizontal branches ; often 

 small and stunted. 



LEAVES. Spirally arranged, spreading in all directions ; 

 awl-s'haped, 4-sided, blunt at the apex, -more or less incurved ; 

 stiff; dark blue-green and glaucous; y%~Y^ inch long. Persistent 

 for several years. 



FLOWERS. April-May ; monoecious ; the staminate sub- 

 globose, about Y% inch long, composed of many spirally arranged, 

 dark red 1 anthers ; the pistillate oblong-cylindrical, composed of 

 broad, purple scales (subtended by rounded, toothed, purple 

 bracts) spirally arranged upon a central axis. 



FRUIT. Autumn of first season, but persistent on the 

 branch for many years; pendent, ovoid, short- stalked cones, 

 about i inch long; seeds about ^ inch long, with pale brown 

 wings 5^2 inch long. 



WINTER-B'UDS. Ovoid, acute, light red-brown, puberul- 

 ous, % inch long. 



'BARK. Twigs at first green and rusty-pubescent, becoming 

 dull red-brown and rusty-pubescent; thin, gray-brown on the 

 trunk, separating into thin, appressed scales. 



WOOD. Light, soft, weak, pale yellow-white, with thin, 

 pure white sapwood. 



DISTRIBUTION. Occurs sparingly in southern Michigan; 

 more abundant in the northern portions. 



HABITAT. Cold, sphagnous bogs and swamps; shores of 

 lakes. 



NOTES. Short-lived. Undesirable for ornamental planting. 

 Growing to its largest size in the far north. 

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