169 



31.— Beareerry. Bear Wood. Shittim Wood, {Rhamnus 

 FitrsMana, De CandoUe.) 



A shrub or small tree, 6 to 25 feet in height, and from 4 to 12 inches 

 in diameter. It occurs in northern Montana and Idaho (also along 

 the Pacific coast from northern California to Washington Territory). 



Generally associated with conifers in canyons and low x)laces. The 

 wood is light and hard, but brittle, being of little importance. The 

 bark, however, has of late become an important article of of commerce, 

 being extensively employed for officinal purposes under the name of 

 G a scar a sagracla. 



Description. — Leaves chiefly alterDate, elliptical, H to 3| inches long, H to If inches 

 broad, finely toothed on the margin, and sonaewhat downy below. The fruit is 

 berry-like, black, 3-lobed, larger at the top, 3-seedefl, and borne in clusters on rather 

 long stems from the axils of leaves; about i of an inch in length. Young branches 

 and stems of tlie leaves woolly. 



SAPINDACE J^:: : SOAPBEREY FAMILY. 



32.— Spanish Buckeye. ( Ungnadia speciosa, Endlicher.) 



A shrul^or small tree, 20 to 30 feet in height and 6 to 12 Inches in 

 diameter, found growing abundantly on moist bottoms and rich slopes 

 of southern I^ew Mexico (western Texas, and northern Mexico). The 

 wood is soft, rather heavy, but lacking in strength. The fruit and leaves 

 are said to be poisonous. 



Description. — Leaves comj^ouud, composed of from 3^ to 5^ pairs of leaflets, 

 which are on very short stems, ovate, lance-shaped, and with a rather long point; 

 the margins have fine, or large and distant teeth ; in length the leaflets vary from 2 

 to 4 inches and from f to If inches in width. Shell of fruit thin, smooth, brown, 

 strongly 31obed, containing as many dark, shiny nuts about i- an inch in diameter. 

 The flowers appear in advance of the leaves in small lateral clusters. Young shoots 

 and leaf-stalks downy. 



33. — Wild China. Soapberry. [Scqnndus marginatiis, Willdenow.) 



A rather large and somewhat important tree, occurring in southern 

 Isew Mexico (and Arizona; eastward through the Gulf States to the 

 Atlantic coast). It grows chiefly in mountain valleys and river-bottoms, 

 attaining its largest size in eastern Texas, 10 to 60 feet in height, with 

 a diameter of J to 1^ feet. The wood is heavy, hard, and strong; it 

 splits easily, and is extensively used in the manufacture of cotton 

 baskets. 



Description. — Leaves compound ; leaflets nine to eighteen, arranged in opposite 

 pairs or alternate, lance-ovate, hooked, unequal sided, unsyram.etrical ; veins promi- 

 nent above. Fruit globular, berry-like, borne in the axils of leaves. 



