FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 419 



Madrona. 

 Arbutus menziesii Pursh. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS. 



Madrona is often a stately tree from GO to 80 feet high, with a straight, 

 clean trunk from 2 to 3 feet in diameter ; sometimes, but rather rarely, con- 

 siderably taller and thicker. Very frequently low and shrubby, or from 25 to 

 40 feet high, with a crooked or leaning trunk from 8 to 15 inches through. Its 

 red-brown trunks, red branches, and shiny, evergreen foliage distinguish it at 

 once from all other trees or shrubs in its range. The crown form varies from 

 a narrow, dense, columnar one in younger trees to a broad rounded one in 

 old trees. The thin, reddish-brown bark of old trunks is loosely scaly, mainly 

 only on the lower trunk ; that of the upper stem, limbs, and twigs, and of 

 young trunks, very thin, smooth and red, peeling off in thin, irregular, 

 flakes, much as in tbe sycamores. The showy, large clusters of flowers resemble 

 lilies of the valley. Mature leaves (fig. 200) are thick, leathery, smooth through- 

 out, shiny on their upper sides, whitish beneath, and 2i to 5 inches long. The 

 brilliant orange-red, berry-like fruit (fig. 200), ripe late in fall, and often borne 

 in great abundance, makes the trees most beautiful in autumn. Wood, pale 

 reddish brown, with a thin whitish sapwood ; rather heavy, dense, fine-grained, 

 hard (when dry), but cuts like soft wood when green, and is usually quite 

 brittle. Suitable for cabinet work and an excellent charcoal wood. At present 

 not important for commercial purposes, but. with a better knowledge of how to 

 season it, the wood should be of more economic value in a region so lacking in 

 hard woods. 



Longevity. — The age attained by very large trees is unknown. Gives evidence 

 of being long-lived. Grows very slowly, especially in diameter, but with little 

 loss of vigor. Trees 12 to 10 inches through are (>0 to 85 years old. Further 

 study of age limits is desirable. 



RANGE. 



Coast region of southern British Columbia and Washington to southern California ; 

 reported also in northern Lower California. Range still imperfectly known. 



Bitixisii Columbia. — East coast of Vancouver Island, and sparsely northward to 

 Seymour Narrows, and around south eftd nearly to Tort San Juan. Adjacent islands 

 and immediate mainland coast. Noted on Vancouver Island at Victoria, near Nanoose 

 Bay ami at Departure Bay; not in Port Renfrew region. 



WASHINGTON. — Frequent in coast region, especially on Puget Sound. Noted in valley 

 of Elwha River ; shores of Hood Canal in vicinity of Union City ; Mat Mats Bay ; 

 vicinity of Seattle. 



Ohkgon. — Common along coast, up rivers, and inland on southern coast ranges and 

 slopes of Siskiyous eastward to head of Bear River IT. 40 X., It. 2 E.) ; also northward 

 on west slopes of Cascades to Umpqua Rogue River Divide (T. 33 S., R. 1 W. and 1 t.. .". 

 E.), and reported farther north on Lost Creek (T. 22 S., R. 1 E.). Locally noted at 

 Astoria and Cold Beach. 



California. — Northern cross ranges and coast ranges southward to San Gabriel Moun- 

 tains ; also southward in Sierras to head of Tuolumne River (lat. 37° 4.".'); generally 

 from sea level to about 3,000 feet elevation. Northern cross ranges eastward to yellow 

 pine belt in Shasta National Forest ; southern slope of Siskiyous eastward at least to 

 railroad crossing. Klamath National Forest, in Siskiyou County; noted on west slop.' 

 only of Marble Mountain up to 4,000 feet and westward into basin of Russian Creek, valley 

 of North Fork Salmon River, to Sawyers Bar, Forks of Salmon River, and up east slope 

 of Salmon Summit to 4,700 feet. Noted in Humboldt County on west slope of Trinity 

 Summit above Iloopa Valley at elevations below 4,000 feet, and westward into lloopa 

 Valley, Supply Creek Canyon, Miners Creek Canyon. Redwood Creek, Korbel, and Blue 

 Lake; farther south in Little Van Dusen Canyon and westward to Bridgeville and 

 Hydesville; also in McNutts Gulch (south of Domingo Hill) on road from Capetown to 

 Petrolia, and south of l'etrolia on Upper Mattole to Briceland ; lower slopes King 



