THE SENNA FAMILY. 263 



at its best when abundantly hung with its reddisli, flat pods, and they in 

 outhne are so very different from those of other trees that there is little ex- 

 cuse for confusing it with another. Early in the autumn they fall, as in 

 August they have reached maturity. Sometimes the great spines look 

 almost black and add a certain curious charm to its other attractions. 



G. triacdnihos, honey locust, or honey shucks, the latter a more familiar 

 appellation to the natives who gather its pods and eat the sweet, pulpv 

 substance between the seeds, is a large, graceful tree, marked by an un- 

 usually fine spray of foliage. More than by any other feature it is known 

 through its great reddish brown pods, measuring from nine to twenty 

 inches long. They are curved and in drying twist and retwist while they 

 open and skilfully scatter the seeds in diverse directions. 



KENTUCKY COFFEE TREE. STUHP TREE. 



Gymndcladus dio)ca. 



Bark : grey tinged with red, coarse, rough, separating into persistent scales. 

 Branches : smooth, without thorns. Leaves : one to thre'e feet long with lanceolate 

 stipules; bipinnate, petioled ; pinnas five to nine, either odd or evenly pinnate; 

 leaflets seven to fifteen, or the lowest pinnae with a single leaflet ; they are ovate, 

 taper pointed at the apex and rounded or cordate at the base, entire, fringed 

 about the margins, dark green and glabrous above, pale yellow-green below and 

 slightly pubescent along the ribs. Flcnvers : greenish white ; dioecious, growing 

 in terminal racemes. Legumes: broad; six to ten inches long; reddish brown; 

 flat ; glaucous and containing several hard and grey seeds. 



The study of forest trees during the w^inter is to many quite as fasci- 

 nating, quite as replete with interesting facts as when they are shaking 

 their green umbrellas over their heads. This one, for instance, has at this 

 time a very individual look. It appears stump-like and weather beaten./ 

 as though it were quite shattered with wrestling with strong gales. Then 

 also through its branches hang unopened its great, ungainly looking pods 

 which do not trouble to release their seeds until the approach of early 

 spring. Sometimes they are turned to almost black and appear miserably 

 dead. The tree is not common and is the only member of its genus. At 

 present it is being considerably used for ornamental planting. It is related 

 that during the Revolution, the natives in remote places west of the 

 ALleghanies used its seeds as a substitute for coffee, and in fact, they still 

 call the fruit, coffee nuts. In homeopathic practice also the leaves and 

 seeds are deemed of service. 



