102 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
are slender and form a rather narrow crown. Bark deeply 
furrowed, gray to brown. 34’-114’ thick. The young branches 
are frequently winged with cork. A resinous sap which issues 
from wounds is popular among children as ‘‘gum.’’ Leaves 
alternate, almost round in outline, about 5’ wide, cleft into 
4-7 wedge-shaped, serrate lobes, firm, bright green, and shin- 
ing above, paler below, aromatic when bruised, smooth on 
both sides or nearly so, turning red in the autumn before 
they fall. Flowers appear when the leaves are about half the 
adult size. The staminate flowers are borne in slender 
racemes, the pistillate in a dense globular head. Fruit a 
globular, spiny, cone-like aggregate, 114’-114’ in diameter, 
which frequently persists on the tree throughout the winter. 
Connecticut west to Missouri, south to Florida and Texas. 
In Texas it extends to the valley of the Trinity River, most 
abundant in heavy bottom soils. 
The wood is heavy, close-grained, hard but not strong. It 
polishes well and ean be finished to imitate walnut. How- 
ever, if warps and shrinks to such an extent that it is but little 
used for timber. The tree is planted for ornament but is 
transplanted with some difficulty. . Its foliage is beautiful 
throughout the summer and the autumnal tints add to its 
value as an ornamental tree. In our area, it is attacked by a 
fungus parasite which tends to mar the beauty of the foliage 
in the late summer. 
ANONACEAE de Condolle. The Custard Apple Family. 
Asimina (lu) Dunal. The Pawpaw. 
Asimina triloba Duval. <A tall shrub or small tree some- 
times reaching a height of 25° or 30° with a trunk diameter 
of 1°, but usually much smaller, with slender nodding twigs. 
Bark smooth, somewhat ridged on old trees, about 14’ thick, 
gray or brown with lighter blotches except on young twigs, 
where it is reddish brown. Leaves obovate-lanceolate, wedge- 
shaped at base, sharp. pointed at the apex, 4’-12’ long, 
4’-6’ wide, green above, paler and hairy beneath when young, 
becoming smooth with age. The leaves give off a rank foetid 
odor when crushed. The flowers appear before or with the 
