H.iXDiiOoK OF Teees of the XoirniERX States and (.'axada. 301 



The Wafer Ash is more often a shrub than 

 a tree, but is occasionally found attaining the 

 height of 20 or 25 ft. with broad or rounded 

 til).), and trunk stuuetimes 10 or 12 in. in diame- 

 ter. I have seen it in southern Ontario with 

 a short trunk IG in. in diameter, but such a 

 size is very exceptional. Its dark green tri- 

 foliate leaves and conspicuous bundles of light 

 green wafer-like fruit make it an ornamental 

 object in late summer, and in winter, it i^ 

 hardly less conspicuous on account of the fruit 

 which persists seared and dry upon its naked 

 branches long after the leaves have fallen. 

 The flavor and odor of its leaves and bark 

 when bruised is very similar to that of the 

 hop for which it is sometimes used as a sub- 

 stitute in brewing beer, and it is from thi't 

 fact that it takes its name Hop-tree. 



The wood is rather heavy, a cu. ft. when 



absolutely dry weighing .51.84 lbs., hard and 



close-grained. 1 An extract from its bark is 



sometimes used as a tonic in medicine. 



Leaves with 3 subsessile ovate to oblong leaflets. 

 varying from rounded to cuneate at base, acumi- 

 nate at apex, remotely crenulate, pubescent at 

 first but finally lustrous darli green above, glandu- 

 lar-dotted beneath. Flowers in mid-summer, o£ 

 disagreeable odor. Fruit fiat, similar to that of an 

 elm but larger-winged ail around in dense clusters 

 and persisting on the branches nearly ail winter.^ 



1. A. W., I\', 77. 



2. For genus see p. 44 1. 



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