PEA FAMILY 
planted in the western states along country roads. It has 
also been used most successfully as a hedge plant. 
The genus Gledi/s/a is found in America, Africa, and Asia 
but not at present in Europe, although in the tertiary period 
it existed there. 
YELLOW-WOOD. VIRGILIA 
Cladrastis littea 
Rarest of the trees of eastern North America. Found principally 
on the limestone cliffs of Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina, 
but is hardy at the north and rather extensively cultivated. It 
likesarich moist soil, attains the height of fifty feet, the trunk is very 
apt to divide into two or three stems, which with slender, wide 
spreading, pendulous branches form a graceful head. Roots fibrous, 
branches brittle. 
Bark.—Smooth gray, or light brown. Branchlets at first downy, 
but soon become smooth, light brownish green; later red brown, 
finally dark brown. 
IVood.—Y ellow to pale brown; heavy, hard, close-grained and 
strong. Sp. gr., 0.6278; weight of cu. ft., 39.12 lbs. 
Winter Buds.—Four in a group, making a tiny cone and inclosed 
in the hollow base of the petiole. 
Leaves.— Alternate, pinnately compound, eight to twelve inches 
long, main stem stout, enlarged at base. Leaflets seven to eleven, 
broadly oval, three to four inches long. Wedge-shaped at base, 
entire, acute, terminal leaflets rhomboid-ovate. Feather-veined, 
midrib and primary veins prominent, grooved above, light yellow 
beneath. ‘They come out of the bud pale green, downy ; when full 
grown are dark green above, pale beneath. In autumn they turn a 
bright clear yellow. 
Flowers.—June. Perfect, papilionaceous, white, borne in droop- 
ing terminal panicles twelve to fourteen inches long, five to six 
inches broad, slightly fragrant. 
Cakes. 
Corolla.—Papilionaceous ; standard broad, white, marked on the 
inner surface with a pale yellow blotch; wings oblong; keel petals 
free. 
Campanulate, five-lobed, enlarged on the upper side. 
Stamens.—Ten, free ; filaments thread-ike. 
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