464 NEW ENGLAND TREES IN WINTER. 



HACKBERRY 



Sugar Berry, Nettle Tree, False Elm, Hoop Ash. 

 Celtis occidentalis L. 





HABIT A small to medium sized tree 20-45 ft. in height with a trunk 

 diameter up to 2 ft., reaching over 100 ft. in height further south; 

 rather variable in habit, generally forming a flattish to round-topped 

 wide-spreading, oblong head with somewhat the aspect of an Elm; 

 branches numerous, horizontal or slightly drooping, more or less zigzag; 

 spray slender; berry-like fruit generally persistent throughout the 

 winter. 



BARK Grayish-brown, on trunk and older limbs roughened with 

 narrow projecting ridges which are sometimes reduced to warts or are 

 almost entirely lacking. 



TWIGS Slender, somewhat zigzag, brownish, more or less shining, 

 more or less downy; wood of twigs light greenish yellow when 

 moistened. LENTICELS scattered, raised and more or less elongated 

 longitudinally. PITH white, finely chambered. 



LEAP SCARS Alternate, 2-ranked, small, semi-oval, placed at right 

 angles to the twig on a projecting cushion. STIPULE-SCARS present, 

 elongated, inconspicuous. BUNDLE- SCARS appearing as a single con- 

 fluent scar, evidently 3 in surface section. 



BUDS Small, 6 mm. or generally under in length, downy, chestnut 

 brown, ovate, sharp-pointed, flattened, appressed; terminal bud absent. 

 Buds frequently transformed into insect galls (swellings on twig 

 photographed). BUD-SCALES 3-4 visible, closely overlapping in two 

 ranks increasing in size from without inward, longitudinally striate if 

 viewed toward light, generally dark margined. 



FRL'IT A small, purplish, more or less spherical stone-fruit on long, 

 slender stems. 7-10 mm. in diameter, often remaining on tree throughout 

 winter. Flesh edible, sweet as is also the seed inside the stone. 



COMPARISONS The Hackberry is often taken for an Elm. The warts 

 or narrow ridges on its bark, however, and its chambered pith readily 

 distinguish it from the Elm if the berry-like fruit which is generally 

 present fails to be found. The twigs are so frequently disfigured by 

 insect galls that their presence might almost be given as a distinguishing 

 character. 



DISTRIBUTION In divers situations and soils; woods, river banks, 

 near salt marshes. Province of Quebec to Lake of the Woods, occa- 

 sional; south to the Gulf states; west to Minnesota and Missouri. 



IN NEW ENGLAND Maine not reported; New Hampshire sparingly 

 along the Connecticut valley, as far as Wells river; Vermont along 

 Lake Champlain, not common; Norwich and Windsor on the Connecti- 

 cut; Massachusetts occasional throughout the state; Rhode Island 

 common. 



IN CONNECTICUT Occasional to frequent, especially in river valleys 

 and along the coast. 



WOOD Heavy, rather soft, not strong, coarse-grained, clear light 

 yellow, with thick lighter colored sapwood; largely used for fencing 

 and in the manufacture of cheap furniture. 



