NATIVE WOODY PLANTS OF THE UNITED STATES 
93 
Celtis occidentalis L. Hackberry. 
Range : 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 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 Eriophyes 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. crassifoUa (La Marck) Gray, 
(0. crassifoUa Lam.) and var. pumila Muhl., 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. (pi. 7, A). Desert hackberry. 
Moniisia 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, pyrrholoxia, 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 iguanaea. 
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. 
Cephalantlius occidentalis L. Buttonball bush. 
Range : 3, 4, 5, 11, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. 
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. 
