112 CHINESE ECONOMIC TREES 



CELTIS 



Tree or shrub. Leaves simple, alternate, stalked, serrate or entire, 

 3-5 nerved at the base, slightly oblique. Flowers small, apetalous, 

 polygamo-monoeeious; staminate clustered, in fascicles at the lower part 

 of the branches ; pistillate flower single, on the axil of the leaves on the 

 upper part of the branches; calyx 4-5 lobed; stamens 4-5, exserted in 

 the staminate flowers, included or absent in the pistillate flowers. 

 Ovary sessile, 1 r celled. Style 2 lobed. Fruit a fleshy drupe; stone 

 thick-walled and bony, 1 seeded and with a thin flesh which is edible 

 in some species. 



About 50, species widely distributed in the temperate and tropical 

 regions. The species are chiefly useful for ornament, although the 

 wood, which is light and soft and easily split, is often used for the 

 manufacture of furniture and utensils. The Chinese species require 

 thorough study before a true conception of the genus is possible. 



Celtis bungeana Blume. 



Small tree with flattened or rounded crown, 10-15 m. high. Bark 

 smooth, light gray. Branchlets glabrous. Leaves about 6 cm. long, 

 ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, rounded at the base, upper half 

 of the margin serrate or sometimes nearly entire, the margin at the base 

 always entire, dark green, shiny above, light green on the lower surface. 

 Petioles slender, about 7 mm. long. Fruit purple-black, small; pedicels 

 slender, but.longer than the petioles of the leaves. Stone smooth, white 

 and almost globular. 



China and Korea. 



(Hupeh, Szechuan, Yunnan, Shensi, Shantung and Chihli. ) 



Distinctly characterized by glossy green foliage and a black fruit 

 with smooth, white stone. 



Celtis sinensis Persoon. 



(C. japonica Planchon.) Chinese Hackberry. 



Tree to 10 m. tall with smooth gray bark. Leaves ovate, to oblong- 

 ovate, to ovate-lanceolate, rounded or subcordate, unequal at the base, 

 acuminate, serrate-dentate, pubescent on both faces when young, gray- 

 green or glaucescent and reticulated beneath, 5-10 cm. long. Fruit 



