124 FOREST TREES OF CALIFORNIA. 



margins of the sinus lobes) ; the canaliculate slender leaf- 

 stem from one to two inches long, about one fourth to one 

 third less than the roundish blade, in Autumn smooth, with 

 a tiny tuft of hairs at the base or center of radiating nerves, 

 rounded heart-shape, deep and gracefully sweeping but 

 sharply cut sinus, lobes sharply lance-shaped, divided nearly 

 to the middle, margin saw-toothed or sharply doubly so, i. e. 

 teeth upon teeth; from five to twenty flowers, in umbels at 

 the end of a slender minutely two-leaved or bracted common 

 flower-stem ; the velvety cup purple, sepal divisions longer 

 than the green ash-white petals, stamen threads also velvety 

 hairy at the base ; wings of the two seeds spread at right 

 angles, about an inch long. Lest the casual observer be con- 

 fused, it is remarked that there are really three kinds of 

 flowers: First, male flowers, with oval crisped petals and no 

 gland at their base, nor trace of any pistil, but in lieu of it a 

 tiny tuft of white hairs — the stamens inserted upon a large 

 orbicular fleshy cushion or gland. Second, female flowers, 

 with two styles to the twin germs, which, with the eight 

 imperfect stamens, are inserted on the receptacle, but having 

 five small fleshy glands, at the base of which the line-like 

 petals are inserted. Third, flowers with ovate crisped petals, 

 eight perfect stamens, embrj'onic pair of seeds and only one 

 central style, all on a large circular fleshy cushion or disk. 

 This species also furnishes a sweet sugary sap. 



THE GREAT RED ALDER. 



(Alnus rubra.) 



" She loves the purling streams, and often laves 

 Beneath the floods, and wantons with the waves." 



— Virgil. 



THE common cognomen, Alder, is apt to be associated 

 in our minds with familiar forms on the mountains, 

 or in other lands, and hence signify some sort of bush 

 or large shrub ; whereas, this Pacific Red Alder, rubra spe- 

 cies, is a large and handsome upright tree, forty, eighty, or 

 one hundred feet high, two to four or more feet, rarely six, in 

 diameter; clean shaft, twelve to forty feet and upwards; bark 

 of leaden hue, or lighter whitish and smooth, in extreme 

 age becoming roughly creviced and almost black at the base; 

 the branching portion somewhat elongated-elliptical, or 

 conic in regular outline, except in great age, when it becomes 

 more round-topped ; but the usual forms are, in a high 



