47G NKW ENGLAND TKEES IN WINTER. 



SASSAFRAS 



Sassafras variifolium (Salisb.) Kuntze. 

 S. officinale Nees & Eberm. ; S. Sassafras Karst, 



HABIT — A small tree at times reaching- 40-50 ft. in height, with 



a trunk diameter of 2-4 ft.; at the north smaller and often shrubby; 

 In tiie southern states reacliing a height of 100 ft.; branches numerous, 

 stout, more or less contorted, often distinctly in yearly whorls, horizontal 

 , or forming a broad angle with the trunk, subdividing to produce a 

 bushy spray and forming a Mat-topped or slightly rounded oblong 

 head. Limbs brittle and freriuently lost through ice storms or other 

 injuries, giving tlie tree a battered appearance as sliown in photograph. 

 The tree sprouts abundantly from the roots often surrounding itself 

 with a thicket of saplings (see those at right in picture). 



IlARIv — Reddish-brown, deeply furrowed even in comparatively young 

 trefs into broad flat ridges with narrow horizontal cracks running part 

 way around the trunk and dividing the ridges into short blocks. 



TAVIGS — Slender to stout, bright yellowish-green, often reddish where 



exposed to light, smooth and shining or somewiiat downy : inter nodes 

 \"er>' unecjual ; rapidly g"ro"\vn shoots freely branrli i ng the first season, 

 tlie branches exceeding the main axis; twigs spicy-aromatic to both 

 smell and taste, mucilaginous if chewed. LENTICELS — scattered, very 

 inconspicuous. 



LEAF-SCARS — Alternate, more than 2-ranked, small, raised, semi- 

 elliptical, with elevated margins. STIPULE-SCARS — absent. BUNDLE- 

 SCARS — single, furming horizontal line. 



lU'DS — Green, more or less tinged with red toward tip: lateral buds 

 small. di\'ergent; terminal buds large, ri-io mm. long. o\'ate, pointed; 

 flower buds terminal. BUD-SCALES — with thickened veins; generally 

 3, narrower, thicker, shorter scales surrounding terminal bud. 



CO:>II'ARISO\S — Its bright green aromatic mucilaginous twigs which 

 f(irm branches the first season surpassing the main axis, its single 

 bundle-scar and the transverse cracking of the ridges of the bark 

 render the Sassafras one of the mfisi interesting of ow native trees in 

 winter. It is scarcely to be confused with any other form. 



DISTUIDUTTOX — Tn various soils and situations; sandy or rinh woods, 

 along the borders of peaty swamps, thickets and fence-rows. rro\'iuce3 

 of Quebec and Ontario; south to Florida; west to Michigan, Iowa. 

 Kansas, and Texas. 



IN NEW ENGLAND — Maine — this tree grows not beyond Black mint 

 (Scarboro, Cumberland county) eastward; (.Josselyn's New England 

 Rarities, 1G72); not reported again by botanists for more than two 

 hundred years; redisco\-ered at Wells tn ISOr. and North Berwick in 

 1S96; New Hampshire — lower Merrimac valley, eastward to the coast 

 and along the Connecticut valley to Bellows Falls; Vermont — occasional 

 south of the center; Pownal; I-lartland and Brattlebnro; Vernon; Massa- 

 chusetts — common especially in the eastern sections; Rhode Island — 

 common. 



IN CONNECTICUT — Frequent. 



A\'OOn — Soft, weak, brittle, coarse-p:ralned. very durable in tlie soil, 

 a r I j n I a I i c , dull o r a n g" e - 1^ r o w n . with thin light >' e 1 1 o w s a p w o o d of T - 8 

 layers of annual growth; largely used for fence-posts and rails and in 

 the construction of light boats, ox-yokes, and in cooperage. The roots 

 and especially their bark are a mild aromatic stimulant, and oil of 

 sassafras used to perfume soaps, flavor candy, etc. and as an ingredient 

 In liniment is distilled from them. 



