CHECK LIST OF FOREST TREES 5 



is another group of oaks to which it was necessary to apply the group 

 name "Live Oak.'' 



Among the willows are groups of varieties for which there are no 

 suitable common names other than those applied to the type species. 

 Scdix longifolia and Salix nigra with their several varieties have 

 received/ resnectivelv, the group names "Sandbar Willow" and 

 "Black Willow." 



By far the most perplexing group of closely related species and 

 their numerous varieties is the genus Tilia, the basswoods. Alto- 

 gether there are over 25 different forms of them. A few species of 

 this group are so well marked that they have acquired fairly dis- 

 tinctive common names. Suitable common names for the remainder 

 of the group could not be found or coined from easily seen character- 

 istics of the different forms. It therefore seemed necessary, for the 

 present at least, to apply to all of these forms the general name 

 "Basswoed." It is safe to assume that few lay stuclents of trees 

 will fail to recognize this group as basswoods. Moreover, the woods 

 of different species and varieties are so much alike in texture and other 

 physical qualities as not to be easily distinguished. Certainly, wher- 

 ever several different species or varieties of this group are cut for 

 lumber the product is bound to be marketed simply as Basswood. 



Likewise, the several varieties of Betula papyri/era were given the 

 group name "Paper Birch," since from their general resemblance 

 to the type species the lay student must for the present recognize 

 them only as Paper Birch. 



Although application of these eroup names enabled the Committee 

 on Common Names satisfactorily to dispose of the question of com- 

 mon names for a number of different groups, the committee believes 

 that as these various forms become better known some of them at 

 least are likely to acquire acceptable distinctive common names. 



MISAPPLIED COMMON NAMES 



Not a few trees have received common names which are misapplied 

 but which through long usage have become too thoroughly established 

 to be .discarded. A striking example of this misapplication of names 

 is the use of the term " cedar" for species of Juniperus, TJiv f ;. Oupres- 

 Ohamaeq/paris, and Tumion, groups of trees which botanically 

 speaking are not cedars. The true cedars are species of Cedrus, of 

 which we have no native representatives. Consistency, too. is often 

 lacking in this improper practice. For example, Juniperus virginiana 

 is practically always called "'Red Cedar," but Juniperus pachyphlqea 

 is generally called "Alligator Juniper" instead of "Alligator Cedar." 

 Lumber manufacturers have in the past applied the name " Oregon 

 Pine" to a species of Pseudotsuga, not a pine, and the name " Larch" 

 to a species of Abies. So, too. the name "Bald Cypress" applied to 

 To i odium, not a true cypress, is a misnomer. Many other examples 

 of this misapplication of common names could be cited. 



Lack of exact knowledge of the true botanical nature of these groups 

 of trees on the part of those who faultily applied these names is the 

 reason for this confusion. Whenever there has been a clear under- 

 standing of the true botanical nature of a group of trees there has not 

 been improper naming. Accurate popular understanding of such 

 well-known groups of trees as pines, oaks, beech, birches, poplars, 



