Haistdbook of Trees of the Noetheen States and Canada. 37'( 



Tlie Woolly Bumelia is a small or medium- 

 size tree, occasionally attaining the height of 

 50 or 00 ft. and 2 or 3 ft. in thickness of 

 trunk. \Yhen isolated from other trees it de- 

 velops a rounded or oblong rather open top, of 

 rigid branches, more or less spinescent with 

 thick sharp spines. The bark of trunk is of a 

 brownish gray color, reticulated with firm 

 prominent ridges. 



To the northward in its range it inhabits 

 usually well-drained gravelly or sandy soil, in 

 company with the Post, Black-jack, Chin- 

 quapin and other Oaks, Mocker-nut and Shag- 

 bark Hickories, Blue Ash, Red-bud, etc., but in 

 the south it occupies moist low-lands, as well 

 as the drier uplands. A gum exudes from it 

 when wounded which gives it the name Gum- 

 elastic. It is a clear viscid substance, some- 

 times used domestically. 



Its wood is rather liard and heavy, a cubic 

 foot weighing when ab.solutely dry 40.78 lbs., 

 tough, smooth-grained and of marked charac- 

 teristic structure. 1 



Leaves mostly obovate or oblanceolate. 1-21/2 in. 

 long, narrow, cuneate at base, rounded or bluntly 

 pointed at apex, woolly tomentose at first but at 

 maturity dark green and glabrous above and 

 densely tomentose beneath as are the sliort 

 petiole's and all new growth, tardily deciduous. 

 Flotocrs (,Tuly-Aiigust) in usually several-flowered 

 fascicles with pedicels about Vs in. long ; calyx 

 with obtuse or rounded lobes ; staminodia ovate, 

 acute denticulate. Fruit drupe, black, Ms in- or 

 less in length ; seed oblong, rounded at apex, about 

 ^4 in. long.- 



Var. riqida. Gray, is a form found along the 

 Mexican boundary with rigid spinescent branchlets 

 and smaller thicker leaves. 



1. A. W., XI, 260. 



2. For genus see p. 4.'!i."i. 



