Handbook of Trees op the ^N'oetheen States and Canada. 381 



The Sweet-leaf is a small tree occasionally 

 attaining the height of 30 or 40 ft. with 

 rather wide open top of slender branches, and 

 a trunk 8 or 10 in. in diameter. Like the 

 Sparkleberry and Wax Jlyrtle, with wliich 

 it is associated, it loves the shade of the forest, 

 and in these localities, so shut away from sun- 

 light that we almost wonder at its e.xistence, 

 its handsome foliage is as .singular as its 

 abode. Each branchlet is upturned and bears 

 near its tip a cluster of drooping spreading 

 leaves. Its identity can be at once detected by 

 the segmented pith of its branchlets and the 

 agreeable somewhat sweetish flavor of its 

 leaves. It inhabits rich well-drained but moist 

 soil of the forests of the south Atlantic and 

 Gulf states, from the coast to an altitude of 

 about 3,000 ft. on the Alleghany Mountains, 

 and is especially a pleasing object in early 

 spring, when its puts out its whorls of delicate 

 fragrant flowers, at the time when its old 

 leaves of the preceding season are withering 

 and falling to the ground. 



Its light soft fine-grained wood is easily 



worked and would be useful in turnery, a 



cubic foot weighing, when absolutely dry, 33.19 



Ibs.i The leaves and fruit yield a yellow dye 



and the bitter roots have tonic properties. 



Lrnrcs oblonfr to obovatp, mostly 4-6 in. Ions, 

 cuneate at basp. acute or acuminate, obscurely 

 crenate, serrate or subentire. rovohite in the hud, 

 tonicntose beneath at first hut at maturity lustrous 

 dark f^reen above, paler and pubescent honoath. 

 suhcoriaceous and witli arcuate veins : petioles 

 short, stout. Floirrr.t in early spring, creamy 

 white and l^ragrant. subsessile in several-flowered 

 clusters from the axils of the leaves of tlie pre- 

 vious season : calyx cup-sbaped. puberulous, with 

 rounded lobes : corolla 14 in. long, oblong, obtuse, 

 each lobe bearing a cluster of exserted stamens ; 

 ovary 3-celled with 5 nectiferous glands opposite 

 the lobes of calyx. Fruit (August-September) an 

 oblong nut-like pubescent drupe about % in. long.' 



1. A. W., XIT, 28.'5. 



-. I'or genus see pp. 4.5.J-454. 



