Hanbeook of Teees of the: Noktiieen States axd Cj 



ANADA. 



403 



The Forestiera or Swamp Privet is a low 

 wide-spreading tree occasionally 25 ft. in 

 height and 1 ft. in diameter of trunk. It often 

 is no more than a small shrub in stature, send- 

 ing up from the ground several crooked or in- 

 clined stems. It inhabits low banks of streams, 

 lake-shores and deep swamps subject to occa- 

 sional inundation, in company with various 

 Willows, the Button-bush, Planer-tree, Bald 

 Cypress, Gums, Water Locusts, Water Hickory, 

 Deciduous Holly, etc., or often occupying ex- 

 clusively tracts of low river banks and swamps 

 of considerable e.xtent. JIany such regions in 

 the southern states are beautified by the rich 

 green masses of its abundant foliage. 



The wood of the Forestiera is rather light, 

 a cubic foot when absolutely dry weighing 

 39.34 lbs., hard, strong, of close grain and suit- 

 able for use in turnery. 2 



Leaves deciduous, oval to ovate-elliptical, 2-.T 

 in. long, about equally acuminate or acute at botli 

 ends, glabrous, crenate-serrate or entire, especially 

 at base ; petioles slender, about M.> in- long. 

 Flowers in early spring, before the leaves, tbo 

 staminate in dense close clusters ; the pistillate 

 mostly in short panicles ; calyx wanting- Fntit 

 an oblong to linear-oblong wrinkled and pitted 

 drupe, from 14 to % in. long, dark blue at ma- 

 turity, with coriaceous longitudinally ribbed and 

 fibrous pit.'^ 



1. Syn. Adelia acuminata Michx. 



2. A. W., V, 111. 



3. For genus see p. 455. 



