338 FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 



bark of a grayish brown color, and is surmounted by a broad, stiff-branched 

 crown. It only rarely reaches a height of from 20 to 25 feet and a diameter of 

 from 8 to 10 inches, and is usually smaller, with stems from 2 to 4 inches thick. 

 Mature leaves (fig. 157), silky white when young, are thick and shiny yel- 

 lowish green ; smooth and shiny on their upper sides, and densely covered with 

 white or gray wool beneath ; their margins curl under as the season advances. 

 The hairy, long-tailed fruits (fig. 157) are inclosed at their bases with a hairy, 

 tubular case. 



Wood, pale reddish brown ; otherwise very similar to that of mountain ma- 

 hogany. The rarity and small size of the tree prevent the wood from becoming 

 of economic use. 



Longevity. — Age limits undetermined. Two trees, respectively 3J and 5 

 inches in diameter, were 17 and 35 years old. This shows an exceedingly slow 

 growth, such as is peculiar to the other species. 



RANGE. 



California. — Sides of a single canyon on the south coast of Santa Catalina Island. 



OCCURRENCE. 



Precipitous, rocky canyon sides, associated with western sumach (Rhus ovata) and 

 Ad> nostoina fascicithitum. 



Climatic Conditions (marked by high temperature) and silvical characteristics 

 undetermined. 



Curl-leaf Mahogany; a Mountain Mahogany. 

 Cercocarpus ledifolius Nuttall. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS. 



Ordinarily 15 to 20 feet high and G to S inches in diameter, but occasionally 

 25 to 30 feet high and 12 to 18 inches through — rarely much larger; very fre- 

 quently only a low, broad, much-branched shrub. The trunks are generally 

 short, more or less crooked, and large crumpled limbs stand out irregularly 

 and with numerous stiff twigs produce a low, dense crown. The hard, firm, 

 thin, scaly bark is reddish brown and gray tinted. Leaves (fig. 158), ever- 

 green ; those of each season's growth remain on the tree about two seasons, 

 and are very thick, the edges curled toward the under side, which is densely cov- 

 ered with light brownish, minute hairs. The long-tailed hairy fruits, surroun(Ted 

 by a small cylindrical case, are stemless (fig. 158). Wood, very dense, fine- 

 grained, exceedingly heavy, checking and warping badly in drying, after which 

 it is very hard ; freshly cut wood is a distinct mahogany red, browning with 

 exposure. The poor timber form of even the largest trunks renders the wood 

 of little commercial use, for which its rich, attractive color makes it suitable. 

 Exceedingly important for fuel in some localities, usually where there is little 

 or no other wood supply obtainable. It deserves the forester's attention on 

 account of useful though open cover it forms on arid, wind-swept mountain 

 slopes. Few other species possess its wonderful adaptability to such unfavor- 

 able conditions. 



Longevity. — Not fully determined. Gives evidence of being long-lived, but 

 of very slow growth. Trees from 8 to 10 inches in diameter are from 68 to 95 

 years old. Further study of their age limits is required. 



° Unfortunately no more distinctive common name is available for this and the suc- 

 ceeding species than " mountain mahogany," by which both are known in the field. 

 They are probably not distinguished by laymen. To avoid confusion, it is desirable 

 to call Cercocarpus ledifolius curl-leaf mahogany and Cercocarpus parvifolius birch-leaf 

 mahogany. 



