Trees of New York State 315 



CORNACEAE 



Cornus florida L. [ryiioxvlon Hoiiiluiii (L.) Rafinesque] 



Flowering Dogwood 



Habit — A low. Inishy tree ir)-;5{) feet in heiglit witli a trunk diameter of 

 <i-10 inches, under optimum conditions occasionally 3r)-40 feet tall with 

 a trunk 12-18 inches in diameter. Trunk short, «nth little taper, often 

 oblique, abruptly breaking up 6—10 feet above the ground into a number 

 of stout, elongated. wide-s])ieading limbs which form a broad, low, flat- 

 topped crown. 



Leaves — Opposite, clustered near the ends of the branches, ovate to elliptical 

 ( I- oval with prominent arcuate veins, 3-o inches long, acute at the apex, 

 cuneate at the base, entire or remotely crenulate, at maturity thick, light 

 green with scattered hairs above, paler and puberulous below. Petioles 

 grooved. Vi;— % of an inch long. 



riowers — Appearing in May and June when the leaves are about half grown, 

 seseile in the axils of small, deciduous bracteoles, the whole forming a 

 dense, terminal head surrounded by an involucre of 4 large, white or 

 pinkish white, obovate, notched, petaloid bracts. Inflorescence 2-4 inches 

 in diameter when fully expanded; individual flowers about % of an inch 

 across at anthesis. Calyx slightly ureeolate, puberulous. somewfiat 

 4-angled and 4-lobed at the top, adherent to the ovary. Petals 4, ligulate, 

 reflexed after anthesis, inserted with the stamens at the top of the ovary. 

 Stamens 4. exserted, A\ith slender filaments and oblong anthers. Pistil 

 consisting of an inferior 2-celled ovary crowned with a slender filiform 

 style and capitate stigma. 



Fruit — A bright scarlet, ovoid drupe, about % of an inch long, crowned 

 with the persistent calyx and withered style, borne in clusters of 3 or 

 more and surroimded at the base by the remnants of abortive flowers. 

 Drupes mature in September and October. Pit ovate, 2-celled. grooved 

 on one side. 



Winter characters — Twigs slender, red or yellowish green, usually appearing 

 somewhat mealy from minute, closely appressed pubescence. licaf -scars 

 decurrent. A\-ith V-shaped notch between, those on the older growth nearly 

 encircling the twig. Terminal buds of two sorts. Terminal leaf -bud flat- 

 tened, conical, covered by a single pair of bud-scales. Terminal flower- 

 buds subglobose. covered by 4 scales which enlarge and tuni white in the 

 spring. Lateral buds minute, covered by the persistent bases of the leaf- 

 stalks. Mature bark dark brown to black, broken into quadrangular 

 scales, resembling alligator leather. 



Habitat — Attains its best development on rich, well-drained soils along 

 streams and on moist slopes, generally in the shade of other species. 

 ('(inimon in open woodland on rocky slopes and ridges. 



Range — Central New England westward through New York and southern 

 Ontario to Missouri, southward to Florida and eastern Texas. Zones A, 

 B, and C. 



Uses — Wood hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, light reddish brown, •^^-ith 

 wide, paler sapwood. Largely used in turnery, for shuttles, wheel hubs, 

 tool handles, and occasionally for engraving. It is prized as an orna- 

 mental tree because of its unusual form and showy flowers and fruits. 

 A form with bright pink or red flowers is extensively propagated. 



