512 The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 
There are three small trees in Kew Gardens, the largest about 20 feet high, 
growing in a densely wooded part close to the Arboretum Nursery. 
A tree growing in the garden at Harpton in Radnorshire, at an elevation of 700 
feet above sea-level, was in 1905 274 feet high by 2 feet 8 inches in girth, The 
owner, Sir Herbert E. F. Lewis, Bart., who kindly sent us particulars, has not 
noticed during the last forty years any considerable increase in the size of this 
tree. Its leaves turn bright yellow in autumn. 
TIMBER 
The wood seems to be unknown in commerce, and is not mentioned by any of 
the English writers, but Sargent says it is very durable under water and used for 
keels of boats, and being extremely difficult to split, is also used for yokes, rollers, 
wheel-hubs, and pumps. Sections of it in Hough’s American Woods, Pt. I. No. 9, 
show a pale or reddish-brown wood of very close texture, somewhat resembling 
sycamore in appearance. (Hi. J. Be) 
NYSSA AQUATICA, Cotron Gum, TuprELo Gum 
Nyssa aquatica, Marshall, Arbust. Am. 96 (1785); Linnzeus, Sp. PZ. 1058 (ex parte) (1753); Sargent, 
Silva N. Amer. v. 83, t. 210 (1893), and Zrees NW. Amer. 711 (1905). 
Nyssa uniflora, Wangenheim, Mordam. Holz. 83, t. 27, f. 57 (1787). 
Nyssa denticulata, Aiton, Hort. Kew. iii. 446 (1789). 
Nyssa tomentosa, Michaux, F2. Bor. Am. ii. 259 (1803). 
Nyssa angulisans, Michaux, oc. cit. 
Nyssa grandidentata, Michaux f., Hist. Arb. Am. ii. 252, t. 19 (1812); Loudon, A7d, et Frut. Brit. 
iii, 1319 (1838). 
A tree, attaining in America 100 feet in height, with a trunk 12 feet in girth 
above the greatly enlarged base. Bark thick, longitudinally fissured, and roughened 
on the surface by small scales. Young shoots pubescent towards the tip, becoming 
glabrous below in summer. Leaves (Plate 199, Fig. ro) elliptical or ovate-oblong, 
base rounded or tapering, apex long-acuminate; margin entire or repand, ciliate, 
often with one to three or more triangular teeth, usually ending in a bristle; upper 
surface dark green, glabrous ; lower surface greyish in colour and with a scattered, 
fine pubescence; petioles more or less pubescent, 1 to 14 inch or more in length. 
Flowers on long, slender, pubescent peduncles: staminate flowers pedicellate in 
dense clusters, with a cup-shaped, obscurely five-toothed calyx and oblong short petals 
rounded at the apex ; pistillate flowers solitary, with long, tubular calyx, ovate minute 
spreading petals, and included stamens with small mostly fertile anthers. Fruit 
solitary, on long, drooping stalks, oblong, dark purple, about an inch long; stone 
obovate, rounded at the apex, pointed at the base, flattened, with about ten wing-like 
ridges. 
