134 CHINESE ECONOMIC TREES 



ovate-cordate, margin entire or crenate, palmately veined and petiolate, 

 purplish at the time of unfolding, later light green. Flowers dioecious, 

 apetalous, inconspicuous. Staminate nearly sessile, with a minute 

 calyx and an indefinite number of stamens on slender filaments; 

 stamens 12 mm. long. Pistillate flowers on a short stalk, composed of a 

 minutely 4-parted calyx and 3-6 carpels with elongated, slender, purplish 

 styles. Ovules numerous. Fruit, small pods, 12-20 mm. long, 2-3 

 together on a short stalk, dehiscent at maturity. Seeds numerous. 



One species, for a long time known only from Japan. A large, 

 handsome ornamental tree, propagated by seeds sown in the spring or 

 by green wood cuttings and by layering. A conspicuous feature of this 

 tree is the lateral spurs on the branches, each bearing a pair of leaves or 

 an inflorescence, the spurs being formed by short annual accretions 

 extending over a period of years. 



The number of seeds per pound is about 766,500. The period of 

 germination is sometimes very rapid, sometimes very tardy, the sprout- 

 ing period ranging from 20 days to 50 days after sowing. 



Cercidiphyllum japonicum Siebold & Zuccarini. 

 (C. japonicum var. sinense Rehder & Wilson.) 



Tree usually with a single trunk, occasionally subdivided into 

 several stems, attaining a height of 20-40 m. Leaves 5-10 cm. long, ovate 

 or orbicular, crenate serrate or nearly entire, subcordate or slightly 

 truncate at the base, pale green, glabrous above, pubescent along the 

 veins below; petioles 2 cm. long. Pods 2-3 on a short peduncle, 10-15 

 mm. long, tapering toward the apex. 



Western China: Shensi, and abundant in W. Szechuan and W. 

 Hupeh. Cercidiphyllum is perhaps the largest deciduous tree in China. 

 It thrives best in rich moist soils; frequently found on the banks of 

 streams. It is rapid growing in youth, attaining great size and girth at 

 maturity. The Cercis-like foliage turning red and yellow in the autumn, 

 the small pod-like capsules and the spirally twisted, furrowed bark are 

 characteristic of this tree. The wood is light, soft and straight grained, 

 light brown, with the sap and heart woods showing a marked difference 

 in color, used for furniture, general construction, wood carving, sketching 

 boards and utensils. 



