ALTERNATE-LEAVED DOGWOOD 
ALTERNATE-LEAVED DOGWOOD 
Cérnus alternifolia, 
Usually a shrub sending up several stems from the ground; some- 
times a tree, flat-topped and bushy, that reaches the height of twen- 
ty-five feet. Found along the margins of the forest and by the bor- 
ders of trees and swamps; in moist, well drained soil. 
Bark.—Dark reddish brown, with shallow ridges. Branchlets at 
first pale reddish green, later dark green. 
Wood.—Reddish brown, sapwood pale; heavy, hard, close-grained. 
Sp. gr., 0.6696; weight of cu. ft., 41.73 lbs. 
Winter Buds.—Light chestnut brown,acute. Inner scales enlarge 
with the growing shoot and become half an inch long before they 
fall. 
Leaves.—Alternate, rarely opposite, often clustered at the ends of 
the branch, simple, three to five inches long, two to three wide, oval 
or ovate, wedge-shaped or rounded at base ; margin is wavy toothed, 
slightly reflexed, apex acuminate. They come out of the bud invo- 
lute, reddish green above, coated with silvery white tomentum be- 
neath, when full grown are bright green above, pale, downy, almost 
white beneath. Feather-veined, midrib broad, yellowish, prominent 
beneath, with about six pairs of primary veins. In autumn they turn 
yellow, or yellow and scarlet. Petioles slender, grooved, hairy, with 
clasping bases. 
Flowers.—April, May. Perfect, cream color, borne in many-flow- 
ered, broad, open cymes, at the end of short lateral branches. 
Calyx.—Cup-shaped, obscurely four-toothed, woolly. 
Corolla.—Petals four, valvate in bud, inserted on disk; cream col- 
ored, oblong, rounded at apex. 
Stamens.—Four, inserted on the disk, alternate with the petals, 
exserted ; filaments long, slender; anthers oblong, introrse, versa- 
tile, two-celled ; cells opening longitudinally. 
Pistil.—Ovary inferior, two-celled; style columnar ; stigma capi- 
tate. 
Fruit.—Drupe, globular, blue-black, one-third inch across, tipped 
with remnant of style which rises from a slight depression ; nut obo. 
void, many-grooved. October. 
This is the only Dogwood with alternate leaves; all the 
others bear their leaves opposite. The tree is very pretty 
because of its wide spreading shelving branches and flat- 
topped head, and is often found in ornamental grounds. The 
175 
