Trees of Sew Yorl,- Shile 22 



zzo 



LAURAGEAE 



Wassiifias variit'dlimii (Salish.) Ktzo. | Sassafras Sassafras Karst.; Sassafras 

 (iriiciiialc Neos. and KIxmhi. | 



Sassafras 



Habit — A nu'diuiu-sizod tree, commonly 40-50 feet in height with a trunk 

 diameter of 1-3 feet, generally shrubby at the northern limits of its 

 range, in the south occasionally 100 feet tall. Trunk short, stout, soon 

 breaking up into many stout, more or less abruptly spreading and con- 

 torted branches to form a flat-topped or rounded-oblong, bushy crown. 



Leaves — Alternate, ovate or obovate, -t-G inches long, 2-4 inches w'ide, entire 

 and acute at the apex or 2-3-lobed, the lobes broadly ovate and acute 

 with broad, rounded sinuses. At maturity the leaves are thin, dull dark 

 green above, paler and glabrous or pubescent below, burne on slender 

 petioles, %-l% inches long. 



Flowers — Appearing in May with the leaves, dioecious, borne in lax, pilose, 

 few-flowered racemes from the axils of large, obovate bud-scales. Calyx 

 pale yellowdsh green, divided nearly to the base into 6 narrow obovate 

 lobes. Stamens 9, inserted in 3 sets on the margin of the calyx-tube, 

 those of the inner set with orange-colored glands at the base and reduced 

 in the staminate flowers to orange-colored staminodia. Anthers opening 

 by 4 pores. Pistil consisting of a 1-celled, light green, glabrous ovary, a 

 slender curved style and a capitate stigma. 



Frmt — An oblong, 1-seeded, dark blue, lustrous berry, %-% of an inch 

 long, borne upright on a bright red, club-shaped, fleshy stem which is 

 terminated bj' the fleshy, obscurely 6-lobed calyx-limb in which the fruit 

 rests, falling soon after maturity from the persisting stalk. 



Winter characters — Twigs slender, smooth and lustrous or somewhat downy, 

 rather brittle, spicy-aroniatic, light yellowish green, at length reddish 

 brow'n. Vigorous shoots branch freely the first season. Inner bark mu- 

 cilaginous. Pith large, white. Terminal bud ovate, acute, green, \ii-% 

 of an inch long. Lateral buds smaller and divergent. Mature bark 

 thick, reddish brown, with deep furrows and flat-topped ridges crossed by 

 horizontal cracks. 



Habitat — Prefers a rich, sandy loam but thrives in a variety of sites along 

 fences, in abandoned pastures, and in open, hardwood forest-s. 



Range — Central New England west through southern Ontario, southern 

 ^lichigan to Iowa and eastern Kansas, south to Florida and eastern Texas. 

 Zones A, B and C. 



Uses — Not an import^int timber species. Wood soft, brittle, coarse-grained, 

 aromatic, dull orange-brown with pale yellow sapwood, ven- durable in 

 contact mth the soil. Used for fence posts, pails, in cooperage, etc. The 

 oil of sassafras which is used to scent soap and liniment, is distilled from 

 the roots and bark of this species. 



