46 



ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 51 



Fig. 47. — Black locust 

 is conspicuous in the 

 spring because of its 

 profusion of white, fra- 

 grant flowers. It has 

 large compound leaves 

 (inset). 



-«-"«3(i 



Buckeye 



The Ohio buckeye {Aesculus glabra) (Fig. 48) is a native 

 tree which grows along streams and in ravines in the woodlands 

 of Illinois. Occasionally it is used as a specimen tree in orna- 

 mental plantings. It is a small tree, reaching a height of 30-40 

 feet, with a long, round-topped crown. 



Each large, opposite, compound leaf (Fig. 48 inset) consists 

 of five long leaflets which are oval in shape, pointed, and with 

 toothed margins. The leaflets are yellow-green on top and paler 

 with fine hairs on the main veins beneath. The large clusters of 

 conspicuous, pale yellow-green, perfect flowers are produced 

 shortly after the leaves are fully grown. The large, round, 

 sharply warty, brown fruits contain from one to three shiny, 

 brown or dark mahogany, smooth seeds which measure 1 inch 

 or more in diameter. The trunk is covered by dark brown to gray, 

 fissured, scaly bark. 



Although buckeye is relatively free of insect pests it is sus- 

 ceptible to leaf blotch, a fungus disease that causes the leaves to 

 turn brown and fall prematurely and results in serious defolia- 

 tion almost every year. However, this disease can be controlled 



