Handbook of Trees of the JSToethekn States and Canada. 323 



The interesting Wahoo is a small tree, only 

 under the most favorable conditions attaining 

 the height of 20 or 25 ft. with a trunk (i to 8 

 in. in diameter, vested in a smoothish mottled 

 gray bark. When isolated from other trees 

 it develops a wide flat top of slender spread- 

 ing branches. Trees of this species, however, 

 are rare and confined mainlj' to the southern 

 and western parts of its range. Elsewhere it 

 is usually a shrub rather than a tree. 



Its quite ordinary foliage and Hat unassum- 

 ing flowers scarcely attract attention during 

 the summer season, but on the approach of 

 autumn, when its leaves assume a pale yellow 

 color and its singular scarlet purple fruit dan- 

 gles from each branchlet, it is an object of 

 conspicuous l.)eauty, and we see in it then the 

 aptness its occasional names " Jiiirniiig-hush" 

 and ■' Bleeding-heart Tree," as its opening fruit 

 reveals its blood-red contents. 



The wood is rather heavy, a c\i. ft. weighing 

 when absolutely dry 41.08 lbs., hard and close- 

 grained. 



Leaves deciduous, mostly olilong. 2-.") in. long, 

 tapering at base and acuminate or acute at apex, 

 finely crenato-serrate, rather thin, pubescent, paler 

 beneath ; petioles about % in. long ; branchlets 

 usually more or less 4-angled. Floieers about Vj 

 in. across in 7-1.5-flowered trichotomous cymes 

 with slender peduncles : petals purple, obovate, un- 

 dulate : anthers purple. Fruit ripe in October and 

 often persisting into the winter about V2 in. across, 

 deeply :>-4-lobed. smooth, light purple : seed about 

 Yi in. long and covered with a thin scarlet aril.' 



1. For genus see p. 44G. 



