NATIVE WOODY PLANTS OF THE UNITED STATES 93 
Celtis occidentalis L. Hackberry. 
Range: 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 28, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. 
Site: Dry, well-drained, moist, sun, shade. 
Fruit: Drupe; available September-October, often persistent until 
June. 
A large shrub to more commonly a small or large tree; much spread by 
introduction as a drought-resistant plant; root system medium deep to shallow; 
rapid growing; short-lived; in general free from serious insect enemies and 
diseases, except for a witches’-broom caused by the mite Hriophyes and a pow- 
dery mildew fungus; the witches’-broom does not cause serious damage to the 
tree; very resistant to drought; wood somewhat used commercially ; propagated 
by layering, cuttings, and seed; easily transplanted when young; 1,500-2,000 
seeds per pound, germination 86 percent, about 500 usable plants per pound of 
seed ; seeds treated with concentrated sulphuric acid 1 hour, washed in water, 
and treated an additional hour in concentrated sulphuric acid, give 84-percent 
germination in 55 days, as against 22 percent in 65 days after stratification at 
41° F. for 2 months; fruit produced sparingly. Very variable in size, form, and 
color of fruit. 
Several varieties have been described, such as var. canina Sarg. (C. canina 
Raf.), a tree occurring with the species, var. crassifolia (la Marck) Gray, 
(0. crassifolia Lam.) and var. pumila Mubl., a low, straggling shrub. 
Stomach records: Twenty-five species of birds, including bobwhite and lesser 
prairie chicken. Observations: Twenty species of birds, including wild turkey, 
ring-necked pheasant, and prairie sharp-tailed grouse. 
Celtis pallida Torr. (pl. 7, A). Desert hackberry. 
Momisia pallida (Torr.) Planch. 
Range: 10, 11, 16, 17, 20. 
Site: Dry, sun. 
Fruit: Drupe, available July—November. 
A large, spiny, densely-branched, evergreen shrub; forms dense thickets; 
wood useful for fence posts; seed germination apparently low. 
Stomach records: Six species of birds, including Gambel and scaled quail; 
antelope jack rabbit. Observations: Scaled quail, mocking bird, thrasher, 
phainopeplas, cactus wren, cardinal, Pyrrholuxia, towhee, Gambel quail; used 
almost to the exclusion of other species as roosts by Gambel quail; Mexican 
raccoon, jack rabbit, captive deer. A good honey plant. 
Celtis platycaulis, see Celtis iguanaed. 
Celtis reticulata Torr. Thick-leaved hackberry, 
C. mississippiensis reticulata Sarg. 
Range: 5, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20. 
Site: Dry, well-drained, moist, sun. 
Fruit: Drupe, available in September. 
A large shrub to small or large tree; grows in limestone and other soils in- 
cluding rocky and gravelly ones; wood locally used for fence posts; berries rich 
in calcium; formerly a staple Indian food; seed germination about 80 percent, 
about 400 usable plants per pound of seed. 
Var. vestita Sarg. (C. rugulosa Rydb.) occurs in the northeastern portions 
of the range. ; 
Celtis rugulosa, see C. reticulata. 
Celtis rugosa, see Celtis douglasii. 
Celtis smallii, see Celtis mississippiensis. 
Cephalanthus occidentalis L. Buttonball bush. 
Ineioees 8 4) Oy ills 1G, al, 1G, AU Pal, Be Oey OL a) Oo) PG Ps 7485 ail} : 
Site: Well-drained, moist, sun, shade. 
Fruit: Nutlike capsule, available September-December or even later. 
Commonly a large shrub, rarely a small or even a large tree; flowers in May 
northward, August southward; generally occurs in neutral soil; will grow in 
fresh soil under cultivation but in the wild state usually dies out for lack of 
moisture; propagation is by seed sown in fall or stratified and sown in spring, 
probably also by cuttings. 
Stomach records: Twenty-five species of birds, most of them water or shore 
birds; composed 1.76 percent of food of 1,725 mallards. Observations: Ring- 
necked pheasant. Probably poisonous to livestock if eaten. A good bee plant. 
