180 



G3.— Western Suoar-berry. Hack berry. Palo Blanco. {Cel 

 tis occidentalism Liun., var. reticulata.) 



A rather small tree, usually growiuf^ along streams iu high mouutaiu 

 cauyons, or in less favorable situations reduced to a shrub. It occurs 

 fiom the mountains of southern Arizona through the Eocky Mountains 

 to eastern Oregon j sometimes 30 feet high, with a trunk 18 inches in 

 diameter, but mostly with a short, thick trunk, and branching near 

 the ground, thus furnishing but little good timber, although the latter is 

 sound, heavy, hard, and desirable for turnery. The wood is not gener- 

 ally distinguishable from that of the type which is found farther east. 



Descriptmi.—ljeiiYea thickish, 1 to 2^ iDclies long and | to 1^ inches wide, mostly 

 Leart-sLaped, with an acute apex, sometimes ovate lance-shaped ; base often with 

 unequal sides (oblique) ; margin entire or sharply toothed ; upper surface rough, with 

 Hue, sharp teeth pointing toward the apex; usually with soft pubescence below or 

 roughish on the veins, which are peculiarly joined into a net-work (reticuJaic). 

 Fruit globular, cherry-like, reddish-yellow (purple with age), ^ of an inch in diameter, 

 with large stone and scanty flesh (sweetish) ; on slender stems, i to ^ of an inch long 

 from asils of leaves. Young shoots hairy. Resembles an Elm iu its general appear- 

 ance. 



64. Mexican Mulberry. {Morus ^nicrophyllaj Buckley.) 



A small tree, sometimes 20 to 25 feet high and to 10 inches in di- 

 ameter, or reduced to a shrub. It occurs most commonly in the mount- 

 ain canyons of southern New Mexico, where it probably attains its 

 largest size (also in western Texas and Mexico). The wood is hard 

 and heavy, but of little use, except for fuel as the trunks are generally 

 much distorted, flattened, and twisted. 



Descrijytion. — Leaves small, 1 to if inches long, |^ to 1 inch wide, ovate-heart-shaped, 

 sharp-pointed, margin sharply toothed ; rough, with short bristly hairs above and 

 below ; leaf-stems and young shoots velvety. Fruit small, often sweet and pleasant. 

 Bark much broken, except in young trees. Milky juice exudes from a freshwound. 



PLATANACE^ : PLA.NE-TEEE FAMILY. 



65. — Sycamore. {Platanns Wrightii, Watson.) 



A middle-sized tree^ 40 to GO feet in height and 1 to 2 feet in diameter, 

 abundant in the mountain canyons of southwestern New Mexico, and 

 in some localities being the predominant species (it occurs also in 

 southeastern Arizona and in Mexico). The wood is light, soft, and 

 brittle. 



Description. — Leaves alternate, rounded in outline, 5 to 7 inches broad, deeply cut 

 into 3 to 7 (chiefly 5) sharp-pointed lobes; usually a deep sinus at the base; young 

 shoots and leaves densely clothed above and below with a velvety down, which is 

 more or less i)crsistent with age. The seeds are packed in a spherical head — '' ball " — 

 which is f of an inch in diameter, 3 to 5 of these balls borne on a long pendent stem. 

 The trunks are often crooked and more winding than other species of Platanus. 



