PEA FAMILY 



planted in the western states along country roads. It has 

 also been used most successfully as a hedge plant. 



The genus Gleditsia is found in America, Africa, and Asia 

 but not at present in Europe, although in the tertiary period 

 it existed there. 



YELLOW-WOOD. VIRGILIA 



Cladrdstis liitca 



Rarest of the trees of eastern North America. Found principally 

 on the limestone cliffs of Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina, 

 but is hardy at the north and rather extensively cuhivated. It 

 likes a rich moist soil, attains the height of fifty feet, the trunk is very 

 apt to divide into two or three stems, which with slender, wide 

 spreading, pendulous branches form a graceful head. Roots fibrous, 

 branches brittle. 



Bark.—'^vciOQ\\\ gray, or light brown. Branchlets at first downy, 

 but soon become smooth, light brownish green ; later red brown, 

 finally dark brown. 



Wood. — Yellow to pale brown ; heavy, hard, close-grained and 

 strong. Sp. gr., 0.6278 ; weight of cu. ft., 39.12 lbs. 



Winter Buds. — Four in a group, making a tiny cone and inclosed 

 in the hollow base of the petiole. 



Z^rtz/<?j.— Alternate, pinnately compound, eight to twelve inches 

 long, main stem stout, enlarged at base. Leaflets seven to eleven, 

 broadly oval, three to four inches long. Wedge-shaped at base, 

 entire, acute, terminal leaflets rhomboid-ovate. Feather-veined, 

 midrib and primary veins prominent, grooved above, light yellow 

 beneath. They come out of the bud pale green, downy ; when full 

 grown are dark green above, pale beneath. In autumn they turn a 

 bright clear yellow. 



Flowers. — June. Perfect, papilionaceous, white, borne in droop- 

 ing terminal panicles twelve to fourteen inches long, five to six 

 inches broad, slightly fragrant. 



Calyx. — Campanulate, five-lobed, enlarged on the upper side. 



Corolla. — Papilionaceous; standard broad, white, marked on the 

 inner surface with a pale yellow blotch ; wings oblong ; keel petals 

 free. 



Stamens. — Ten, free ; filaments thread-like. 



116 



