TREES OP THE NORTHERN UNITED STATES 



ORDER XVII. LEGUMINOS-ffi. (PULSE FAMILY.) 



A very large order of plants, mainly herbaceous ; found 

 in all climates. A few are shrubby, and others are from 

 small to large trees. 



GENUS 28. LABURNUM. 



Low trees or shrubs with alternate, palmate leaves of 

 three leaflets. Flowers conspicuous, pea-blossom-shaped, 

 in long hanging racemes, in late spring. Fruit pea-pod- 

 shaped, dark brown, and many-seeded ; ripe in autumn. 



Laburnum vulgare. (LABURNUM. 

 GOLDEN -CHAIN. BEAN-TREFOIL TREE.) 

 Leaves petiolate, with 3 ovate-lanceolate 

 leaflets, pubescent beneath. Flowers 

 bright yellow, nearly 1 in. long, in long 

 (1 ft.), pendulous, simple racemes ; in late 

 spring. Pods 2 in. long, linear, many- 

 seeded, covered with closely appressed 

 pubescence ; one edge thick ; ripe in au- 

 tumn. A low, very ornamental tree, 10 

 to 20 ft. high, often cultivated ; from Swit- 

 zerland. Varieties with reddish, purple, 

 and white flowers are also in cultivation. 



Var. alpinus has smooth pods. 



GENUS 29. CARAGANA. 



Leaves alternate, deciduous, abruptly once-pinnate; 

 leaflets mucronate; stipules usually spinescent. Flowers 

 pea-flower-shaped, mostly yellow. Trees or shrubs of Asia. 



Caragana arbor&scens, Larn. (PEA-TREE.) 

 Leaves with 4 to 6 pairs of oval-oblong, 

 mucronate-pointed, hairy leaflets ; petioles 

 unarmed ; stipules spinescent. Flowers yel- 

 low, blooming in May. Pods brown, ripe in 

 August. A low, stiff, erect tree, 10 to 15 ft. 

 high ; in poor soil a bush. From Siberia; fre- 

 quent in cultivation. 



C. arbor^scens. 



