FOKEST TEEES. 



131 



insects, and the sweet fruit attracts birds in autumn. Leaves 

 hang on late, but all drop at once when cut by frost. 



Celtis Tala, Gillies— var. pallida, Planch.— A Mexican species, 

 found in a few localities within the United States, Southern 

 Florida (Garber), in the lower Rio Grande, and westward 

 through Southern New Mexico (Botany, Mexican Boundary Sur- 

 vey.) A tree sometimes twenty feet high, Celtis reticulata of 

 Torrey, may prove to be a distinct species, but the genus is a 

 difficult one, and the species not readily defined, as thej* are 

 quite variable ; and there are many varieties. There are also 

 two or more species and several varieties found in China and 

 Japan. 



CERCis, Linn. — Red- Bud, Judas- Tree. 



A genus of four species, one in Europe, one in Asia, one in 

 the Atlantic States, and one in California, and eastward. Small 

 trees, with smooth, heart-shaped leaves, and pea-shaped flow- 

 ers, appearing early in spring, before the leaves. Seeds in 

 small, pea-shaped pods. 



Cercis Canadensis.— Red-Bud.— Leaves broadly heart-shaped, 

 dark green, smooth, and glossy. Flowers reddish-purple, in 

 sessile clusters, nearly covering the smaller branches in spring, 

 before the leaves appear. A very handsome little tree, with 

 smooth bark. In favorable situations it grows to twenty or 

 thirty feet high. Wood hard and compact, resembling that of 

 the apple tree, in New York, southward to Florida, and west- 

 ward to Wyoming, in rich soils. 



C. occidentals. — Western, or California Red-Bud. — Leaves 

 smaller than those of the Eastern species, and only about two 

 inches broad ; round heart-shape. Flowers rose color, and seed 

 pods about two inches long, sharp-pointed at both ends. Cali- 

 fornia, Mexico, and eastward to Texas. 



€. siliqnastrnm. — European Judas-Tree. — Leaves somewhat 

 kidney-shaped. Flowers larger than in our native species, but 

 seldom produced in such abundance ; a little darker in color. 

 There are varieties with white flowers, and one with pale rose- 

 colored flowers. A tree growing twenty feet high, a native of 

 Southern Europe. Only occasionally hardy in our more North- 

 ern States, and the flower buds, which in aU the species are 

 formed in the autumn, are frequently killed by the severe cold 

 of winter. 



