The Sorrel-tree is a Ijandsome and intere?!t- 

 ing tree, occasionally in the forest att;iining tiie 

 height of 50 to 70 I't. or more, with long clear 

 trunk IS or 20 in. in diameter. When iso- 

 lated it develops a rather irregular narrow- 

 ohlong top, with spreading and drooping 

 branches. 



It occupies mainly weU drained slopes and 

 ridges, in company with various Oaks and 

 Hickories, the Sugar Maple, Sweet and Sour 

 Gums, tlie Silver-bell Tree, Yellow Buckeye, 

 etc. and attains its largest size on the lower 

 slopes of the Alleghany AJountains, Farther 

 east, as I have found it along tiie l)orders of 

 the Dismal Swamp in ^'irginia, it is a small 

 blender-stemmed tree, often with inclined 

 trnid<. and there thriving in moist snil. It ii 

 a distinctly ornamental tree in summer, with 

 handsome foliage and large terminal bunches 

 of tiny cup-shaped white flowers, and in 

 autumn with its bright scarlet foliage. 



It takes its name from a slightly acidulous 

 flavor of its leaves and branchlets, wdiich are 

 tonic, refrigerant and diuretic in properties. 



Tlie wood is fine-grained, ratlicr hard and 



lien'y, a culde foot when absolutely dry w^eigh- 



irg 40.48 lbs., and is useful in turnery, tor 



tool-handles, et.c.i 



Leaves alternate, docidnims. rcvolulc in (lie 

 bud, oblonK to lancculal-c. cuneale at lins... aciil.- 

 or acuminate at apex, iiaei^uiarly scrnil;ii'> wiili 

 slender teeth, lustrous dark ixvrm al.nxi'. piilr ■.\iu\ 

 Rlaueous beneath. FJnirciK l .Tilly-.Vusnsl l nunirr- 

 ous, white, about b, in. I.m;;-, in hTiniual paniclcd 

 racemps. with puli.>s<-.Tit liilirarl cuImI u pedi.^els ; 

 ralvx (leeidv ."i-lohnd. prrsislriit ; cordlla rylindri- 

 r-al. ovoid. livpo^'riKiiis. Willi ■"! iiiiiiiilr rcUcxc'i] 

 liihcs ; sta)nrns 10. 11m' lihiiiirnls widia Ihan (lir 



■idled with rolumnar 

 viiles mnnerous. arn- 

 d ovoid pyramidal 



anthers : disk thin ; ovary 



style and capitate stistna : 



phitropous. Fruit a 'i-ci 



capsule, with remnants it1 |HU-Kistent style and 



calyx, locnlicidally H-valved ; scihIs numerous, th- 



testa pointed at both ends.- 



-. For genus see p. 4.ol'. 



1. A. W., XII, 283. 





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