CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION 



95 



GENUS 33. GYMNOCLADTJS. 



Tall trees with alternate, very large (2 to 4 ft. long), un- 

 equally twice-pinnate leaves. Flowers white, conspicu- 

 ous, in racemes at the ends of the branches. Fruit a large 

 pea-like pod. Some trees are without fruit through the 

 abortion of the pistils. 



Gymnocladus Canad6nsis, Lam. 

 (KENTUCKY COFFEE-TREE.) Leaves 2 to 

 3 ft. long, often with the lower pinnae 

 simple and the upper pinnate. Leaflets 

 ovate, of a dull bluish-green color. Shoots 

 cane-like, blunt and stubby, quite erect. 

 Bark exceedingly rough. Pod large, 6 to 

 10 in. long, 2 in. broad, with seeds over 

 in. across. A large (50 to 80 ft. high) tree 

 with compact, tough, reddish wood. Wild 

 from western New York southwestward, 

 and occasionally cultivated as an orna- 

 mental tree. 



a. Canadensis. 



GENUS 34. GLEDITSCHIA. 



Usually thorny trees with alternate, once to twice ab- 

 ruptly pinnate leaves. Flowers inconspicuous, greenish, 

 in small spikes. Summer. Fruit a small or large pea- 

 like pod, with one to many seeds ; ripe in autumn, but 

 often hanging on the trees through the winter. 



1. Gleditschia triacnthos, L. (HONEY- 

 LOCUST.) Leaflets lanceolate-oblong, some- 

 what serrate. Pods linear, 1 to 1 ft. long, 

 often twisted, filled with sweet pulp be- 

 tween the seeds. A large, handsome, clean 

 tree, with usually many stout, much- 

 branched thorns, especially abundant on 

 bruised portions of the trunk and large 

 branches ; thorns compressed at base. 

 Wild from Pennsylvania southward and 



westward, and extensively cultivated throughout. 

 A variety without thorns is frequently met with (var. inermis), also 



one with drooping foliage (var. Bujotii pendula). 



Or. triacanthos. 



