218 



SWEET VIBURNUM. 

 Viburnum Lentago, Linnaeus. 



FAMILY AND GENUS DESCRIPTION— The Honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae, is rather 

 widely distributed in temperate regions. It comprises about 10 genera with 275 species 

 of shrubs, trees, vines, and a few perennial herbs. About 8 genera are native to North 

 America and 7 to Pennsylvania. The 7 genera native to this State comprise about 31 species, 

 most of which are shrubs. The principal native genera are: The Elderberries (Sambucus), the 

 Viburnums (Viburnum), the Bush Honeysuckles (Diervilla), the Honeysuckles (Lonicera) and the 

 Snowberries (Symphoricarpos). Since most of the representatives of these genera are shrubs 

 only a few have been discussed in this publication. A description of the others may be found 

 in Gray's New Manual of Botany, or Porter's Flora of Pennsylvania. The Elders, belonging to 

 the genus Sambucus, are among our best known shrubs. The Common Elderberry (Sambucus 

 canadensis L.) is probably the best known. The flowers are conspicuous and sometimes used in 

 making wine. The fruit is eaten and also made into wine, pies, and jellies. The Honeysuckles 

 (Lonicera) are very common in our gardens and parks as ornamental shrubs and vines. They 

 comprise about 100 species of which number at least 10 species are native to Pennsylvania. The 

 Viburnums (Viburnum) also comprise about 100 species of which number about 20 species are 

 native to North America and 11 to Pennsylvania. All of our species are usually shrubs, rarely 

 small trees. The two species described on the following pages are occasionally found as small 

 trees. 



FORM — A shrub or small tree usually attaining a height of 10-15 ft., but may reach a height 

 of 30 ft. with a diameter of 10 inches. Trunk usually short, bearing a round-topped crown formed 

 by slender and usually drooping branches. 



BARK — Disagreeable in odor, reddish, roughened in older specimens by division and subdivision 

 into thick plates which are scaly on the surface. 



TWIGS — At first greenish and covered with rusty hairs, later reddish to orange and rather 

 smooth, 



BUDS — Opposite, long, slender, scurfy, reddish-brown, covered by two rather rough scales. 

 Lateral buds are usually leaf-buds and closely appressed to twigs. Terminal buds are often 

 flower buds with a marked swelling at the base, and about i of an inch long. 



LEAVES — Opposite, simple, ovate, about Zi inches long, sharp-pointed, narrowed or rounded 

 at base, closely and very sharply serrate on margin, bright green, smooth on both upper and 

 lower surfaces. Veins conspicuously connected by veinlets. Petioles often winged and grooved. 



LEAF-SCARS — Opposite, wide, broadly U-shaped, not encircling twigs, and usually with 3 

 bundle-scars. 



FLOWERS — Small, perfect, white, appearing in May or June in dense, many-flowered, sessile, 

 terminal cymes which are usually 3-5 inches broad. 



FRUIT — A black or dark blue fleshy, sweet, rather juicy drupe, containing a flat oval stone, 

 and grouped into small clusters borne on slender, reddish, and often drooping stalks. 



WOOD — Diffuse-porous; heavy, hard, dense, yellowish-brown, with very disagreeable and per 

 sistent odor. Weighs 45.51 lbs. per cubic foot. Not important commercially. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS— The Sweet Viburnum, also known as Sheepberry, 

 Nannybery, and Wild Raisin, resembles the Black Haw more closely than any other of our 

 native Viburnums. It can be distinguished from the latter by its leaf-blades with acuminate 

 apexes, its long-pointed buds, and its winged petioles. The Black Haw has leaf-blades with 

 obtuse or merely acute apexes, short-pointed buds, and no winged leaf-petioles. The small 

 lateral branches of the Black Haw are often stiff and stand out almost at right angles to the 

 main axis, while those of the Sweet Viburnum are flexible and more erect. 



RANGE — Quebec to Manitoba, south to Georgia, Indiana and Missouri. 



DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA — Common in the eastern, southern, and central parts of 

 the State; local in the western part, and less frequent in the northern part. 



HABITAT — Usually found along or near banks of streams and borders of lakes located in or 

 near wooded areas. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES — The Sweet Viburnum has no commercial value, so far as 

 wood production is concerned. Its form, flowers, fruit, and foliage make it one of the most 

 attractive of our small ornamental trees. 



