XI. THE TUPELO TREE. 315 
taper to a long point, sometimes are obtuse, and even emargi- 
nate or slightly notched, at the extremity. Generally, they are 
entire at the edge, but 1 am acquainted with some trees which 
constantly bear leaves of a very large size, and notched with 
several large teeth towards the extremity. The surface is some- 
times perfectly smooth above and below, most frequently hairy 
or downy beneath, especially when young. The texture is 
rather firm and coriaceous. They are borne on short, roundish 
petioles, flat above, green, or of a rich scarlet or crimson color, 
when exposed to hght; and to some shade of these colors, the 
whole leaf turns in early autumn. The petiole often has an 
expansion or margin on each side, and is invested with ciliate 
rows of hairs, which usually fall off as the leaf grows old. 
The sterile flowers sometimes form little umbels or heads of 
from four to eight greenish flowers on the end of a downy foot- 
stalk of a uniform size, and an inch or less in length—some- 
times the footstalk terminates in an open cluster of from two to 
five or six flowers, which are very small, and of a yellowish 
sreen, and rest on very short stalks. ‘The dower consists of 
from four to eight, oblong, or ovate, pointed, obtuse, or emargi- 
nate, green sepals. with from four to eight stamens rising from 
beneath or from the edge of a glaucous, fleshy disk. 
The fertile flowers form a close whorl of three or more very 
small flowers, sometimes but two or one, on the end of a short 
club-shaped footstalk, which lengthens as the fruit advances, 
till it becomes one or two inches long. The fruit, of which 
seldom more than one or two, on the same footstalk, come to 
perfection, is an oblong or elliptic drupe, of a deep blue-black, 
when mature, consisting of a little acid flesh, enveloping a very 
hard stone, longitudinally striated. 
Very little use is made of the wood of this tree. From the 
crossing and intertwining of its fibres, itis excessively difficult 
to split, and therefore, when employed as fuel, it is reserved for 
logs and back-sticks. In the Middle States, it is used to form 
the naves of wheels. But, for this purpose, it is less suitable 
than the elm, asitis said to be more liable to decay when exposed 
to the weather. It has been sometimes turned into bowls and 
other wooden vessels, for which its toughness renders it pecu- 
