Trees of New York State 319 



CORNACEAE 



Nyssa sylvatica Marsh. [Nyssa multiflora Wang.] 



Black Gum, Pepperidge, Tupelo 



Habit — In New York State generally a niediuinsized tree 40-70 feet in 

 height with a trunk diameter of 1-3 feet, farther south occasionally 100 

 feet tall, at the northern limits of its range often reduced to a shrub. 

 Trunk straight, continuous into the crown, clothed with tough, slender, 

 pendulous branches to \\'ithin a few feet of the ground. Crown variable, 

 sometimes short, cylindrical and flat-topjjcd. at others pyramidal, conical, 

 or inversely conical and flat-topped. 



Leaves — Alternate, oval to obovat^, 2-5 inches long, acute at the apex. 

 cuneate at the base, entire or rarely coarsely dentate, at maturity thick. 

 dark green and lustrous above, paler and often hairy below, borne on 

 ciliate petioles %-l% inches long. Leaves turn bright scarlet on the 

 upper side before falling in the autumn. 



Flowers — ^Apearing in May and early June when the leaves are about half 

 gro\\ni, yellowish green, polygamo-dioecious, borne on long, slender, hairy 

 peduncles. Staminate flowers in dense, many-floAvered heads. Calyx 

 tubular, minutely 5-lobed. Petals ligulate, acute, thick. Stamens 5-10. 

 exserted in the sterile flower, sessile or wanting in the fertile flower. 

 Fertile flowers in bracteolate clusters of 3. Calyx cylindrical, shallowly 

 5-lobed. Petals ovate, obtuse, blunt, much shorter than the calyx-tube. 

 Pistil consisting of an inferior 1-2-celled ovary surmounted by a terete, 

 pointed style stigmatic toward the tip. 



Fruit — ■ An ovoid, dark blue drupe, from %-% of an inch long, borne on 

 long, slender peduncles in clusters of 1—3, ripening in October. Flesh 

 thin, acid. Pit ovoid, slightly compressed, with 10—12 low, longitudinal 

 ribs. 



Winter characters — Twigs slender, smooth, grayish to reddish brown, witli 

 numerous lateral, short, slow-growing spurs crowded with leaf -scars. Pith 

 diaphragmed-stuffed. Buds ovate, acute, smooth, reddish brown. al)out 

 1/4 of an inch long, with 3-5 visible scales. Mature bark thick, grayish. 

 dlAaded by deep fissures and interrupted ridges into quadranglar or 

 hexagonal blocks, resembling alligator skin. 



Habitat — This species is widely disseminated by birds and grows on a variety 

 of habitats. It attains its best development along stream courses and 

 about the margins of ponds and sluggish streams, but thrives on hillsides 

 and in abandoned pastures. 



Eange — Southern Maine westward through southern Ontario to central 

 Michigan and southeastern Missouri, southward to Florida and eastern 

 Texas. Zones A. B, and C. 



Uses — A timber species of secondary importance. Wood heavy, soft, strong, 

 very tough, not durable, difficult to season, pale yellow or nearly white 

 with thick, paler sapwood. Largely used as "thin" lumber in the manu- 

 facture of egg- and orange-crates. The toughness of the wood renders it 

 valuable for wheel hubs, rollers, etc. When treated, it is suitable for 

 railroad ties. 



