Key and Guide to Native Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of Dallas County

245. RIVER LOCUST (Amorpha fruticosa L.) or false indigo: a tall shrub fairly common in low, moist ground, more common in sun than shade. Leaves: pinnately compound, of 9 to 25 leaflets, oblong or elliptical, ½ to 1½ in. long, gland-dotted. Flowers: in dense, erect clusters, each floret consisting of one dark purple petal wrapped around the ten gold-tipped stamens and the style. Fruit: pods about ¼ in. long heavily dotted with amber-colored glands. K (p. 160.)

RUE FAMILY

(Citrus Fruits In This Family)

246. PRICKLY ASH (Xanthoxylum clava-herculis L.) also called tear-blanket or toothache tree: a rather small tree common in rich lowlands, “of its largest size on the rich intervale lands of the streams flowing into the Trinity River”. Leaves: pinnately compound of 3 to 9 pairs of leaflets, usually ovate with acute or acuminate tips, 1 to 2½ in. long, shiny above, dull beneath, margins crenate-serrate, aromatic and tingling-spicy as are the fruit and bark. Twigs: have scattered, hooked spines, often black on young shoots. Bark: smooth, bluish gray, conspicuous for its corky, cone-shaped knobs which are sometimes still tipped with sharp spines; bark of root is especially stimulating and tonic, used by negroes for toothache and rheumatism. Flowers: small, white or greenish, in small cymes, opening after the leaves. Fruit: ¼ inch long, and nearly round, pitted capsules split in early autumn to reveal the shiny black seeds; relished by many birds. Wood: light weight, close-grained, light brown with yellow sapwood, not valued as much as the bark.

247. WAFER ASH (Ptelea trifoliata L.) or hop tree: a rare, small tree or shrub of low woodlands. Leaves: pinnately compound, usually composed of three, rarely five leaflets, 2 to 5 inches long, 1 to 3 wide, the terminal generally larger and more tapering toward the base than the others, margins entire or finely serrate, dark and shiny above, gland-dotted beneath. Twigs: dark, glossy, resembling cherry; winter buds rounded, whitish. Bark: of branches resembles cherry, dark and shining but cracks and curls, becoming rough; bitter, tonic. Flowers: greenish white, compound terminal cymes; in midsummer; disagreeable odor. Fruit: winged seed disks similar to those of elm but larger, nearly 1 inch; the drooping clusters conspicuous on winter branches; occasionally used in place of hops in beer brewing. Wood: heavy, hard and close-grained.

MAHOGANY FAMILY

248. CHINABERRY (Melia azederach L.) a familiar cultivated tree occasionally escaped from cultivation; a native of China much planted for shade in the southern states; sometimes found in remote woods where birds must have dropped the seeds. Leaves: alternate, twice-pinnately compound, dark green above, margins of leaflets often shallowly lobed or wavy. Twigs: thick, upright, dark. Bark: dark, somewhat smooth on branches. Flowers: lavender, in large, loose clusters on wood of the previous year, scented, in April or May. Fruit: Opaque, yellow, size of marbles, remaining into winter. Wood: light and brittle, color resembles mahogany but the grain is much coarser and does not polish well. I (p. 353.)

QUASSIA FAMILY

248A. TREE OF HEAVEN, Chinese sumac, (Ailanthus glandulosa Desf.) Several sprouts of this tree were observed in Kessler Park woodlands after this booklet had been set in type. The 1 to 3 foot, pinnately compound LEAVES and very stout TWIGS are ready marks of identification. Flowers: greenish, in large panicles, the staminate ill-scented. Fruit: winged seeds rusty colored. Wood: soft and weak. An escape from cultivation, undesirable because of its numerous root-suckers.

CASHEW FAMILY

249. SMOOTH SUMAC (Rhus glabra L.) abundant tall shrub, in woods or fields, prefers lowlands but also common in shallow depressions of uplands. Leaves: pinnately compound, 6 to 12 inches long, leaflets toothed, dark and smooth above; turning bright scarlet in early autumn. Twigs: smooth, reddish brown or with a whitish bloom; stout; buds entirely encircled by leaf stem or scar, juice milky. Flowers: dioecious, staminate in large, loose clusters of small, creamy flowers; pistillate clusters more compact and soon showing tinge of red. Fruit: dark red, fuzzy, acid skins cover each dry seed, retain color nearly all winter; may be used to make a substitute for lemonade. Wood: too scanty to be of value, center pithy.

250. WINGED OR DWARF SUMAC (Rhus copallina L.) a tall shrub or rarely a small tree, abundant on limestone hills and bluffs. Leaves: pinnately compound, 6 to 8 inches long, leaflets not or remotely serrate on margins, leafy wings along stem between leaflets. Twigs: slightly pubescent (fuzzy), buds not entirely encircled by leaf scar, juice watery. Flowers: similar to R. glabra but later, in August. Fruit: clusters do not retain their bright color as late. Wood: light and soft, greenish brown.

251. POISON IVY, POISON OAK (Rhus toxicodendron L.) an abundant, woody, high-climbing vine, often appearing shrubby when young, or in the absence of a support; preferring woodlands, but also in open places. Leaves: compound, of three leaflets 2 to 5 inches long, coarsely toothed or lobed or more rarely entire. Bark: noticeable for numerous aerial rootlets on large specimens. Branches: extending at right angles from main stem. Flowers: inconspicuous, whitish. Fruit: white, in small, loose clusters. All parts of the plant very poisonous to the touch: the apparent immunity of some persons may be lost at any time and those who have suffered previous attacks seem more subject to the poison thereafter.

252. AROMATIC OR ILL-SCENTED SUMAC (Rhus trilobata and var. aromatica) or skunk bush: a spreading, low to medium shrub common in dry upland woods. Leaves: compound, of three leaflets, teeth or lobes usually rounded, ½ to 1½ inches long; both plants and opinions vary as to whether leaves are aromatic or ill-scented when crushed. Twigs: are noticeable in winter for their cone-shaped buds. Flowers: in March, small, yellow. Fruit: small clusters of red stone fruits covered with white hairs, ripe in midsummer, decorative. K (p. 204-5.)

HOLLY FAMILY

253. SWAMP HOLLY (Ilex decidua Walt.) or possum haw, a common small tree or shrub thriving best in lowlands, but also grows on dry limestone bluffs. Leaves: 1 to 2 inches long, usually blunt at the tip, margins with small, rounded teeth. Twigs: light gray, the short stems often densely covered with fruit scars, resembling tiny cones; alternate on the branches. Bark: pale gray often mottled, smooth. Flowers: dioecious, white, very inconspicuous. Fruit: round, scarlet or orange, close to the branches, singly or few together, on wood of the previous year, often remain through winter. Wood: heavy, close-grained, creamy-white. This tree suffers from vandals, especially near Christmas, although not evergreen like its spiny-leaved relative, Ilex opaca which is grown commercially and is also a native of East Texas. Youpon (Ilex vomitoria) is another native of East Texas which resembles our swamp holly even more closely except that its leaves are evergreen, and its fruit more pulpy.

STAFF-TREE FAMILY

254. WAAHOO or burning bush (Evonymus atropurpureus Jacq.) a medium to tall shrub or small tree of low woodlands, not very common. Leaves: opposite, simple, 2 to 5 inches long, tapering at both ends, finely serrate, light green and often turning pinkish in autumn. Twigs: green with gray stripes, often more or less 4-angled. Bark: smoothish, mottled gray. Flowers: small, very dark red, 4-lobed, in May. Fruit: crimson, not more than one in each lobe of 4-lobed rosy pod hanging from red, threadlike stem, in winter. Wood: heavy, hard and close-grained. The climbing bittersweet, native of Oklahoma and East Texas, is a member of this family.

MAPLE FAMILY

255. BOX ELDER (Acer negundo L.) a medium-sized tree fairly common in low woods and along stream banks. This is the only member of the family native to Dallas County. Leaves: pinnately compound, opposite, usually 5 leaflets, sometimes 3 or 7, 2½ to 5 in. long, light green, coarsely toothed. Twigs: usually green, smooth. Bark: gray, with regular, shallow furrows. Flowers: dioecious, very small, staminate forming green, silky tassels. Fruit: seeds with elongated wings, in pairs forming v’s, ripen and fall in autumn although their stems cling until spring. Wood: light, soft, close-grained; used for woodenware, interior finish and paper pulp. Sugar can be made from the sap. This tree grows rapidly in a moist situation but is short-lived.

SOAPBERRY FAMILY

256. SPANISH or TEXAS BUCKEYE (Ungnadia speciosa Endl.) a tall shrub or small tree, not very common, in upland woods; native only to Texas, New Mexico and northern Mexico; Dallas County about its northeastern limit. Leaves: pinnately compound, ash-like but alternate, leaflets 1 to 3 inches long, wrinkled undersurface. Twigs: light brown. Bark: light gray, thin, with numerous shallow fissures. Flowers: color of redbud, slightly larger and averaging two weeks later, 4 or 5 slender petals and red stamens often curving in opposite directions. Fruit: 3 or rarely 4 round, black, shiny seeds, smaller than true buckeyes but having the pale “eye-spot”; leathery brown pods usually crack open and drop the seeds in October or November, themselves remaining through the winter. The seeds are powerful emetics and reputed to be poisonous. Wood: heavy, close-grained, soft but brittle, reddish brown. K (p. 215.)

257. SOAPBERRY or wild chinaberry (Sapindus drummondii H. & A.) a medium-sized tree, fairly common in lowlands, a tree of the southwest-central states. Leaves: pinnately compound of 4 to 9 pairs of sickle-shaped leaflets about 2½ inches long with entire margins; lack the odd terminal leaflet of walnuts and pecans. Twigs: slender, the outer branches often drooping. Bark: light gray, rough and loosely scaly. Flowers: small, creamy white, showy because of large size of the terminal clusters, in May or June. Fruit: golden, or amber, translucent, size of marbles, drooping from tips of branches, remain until spring when they sometimes turn black. Wood: heavy, strong and splits easily between annual rings, hence used for basket splints.

258. FETID or OHIO BUCKEYE (Aesculus glabra Willd.) medium shrub or rarely small tree in this region, low or upland woods but nowhere common. Leaves: opposite, palmately compound, of 7 to 9 slender, toothed leaflets, 2½ to 4½ inches long, 1 to 2 wide, conspicuous in early spring as they are among the first to open. Twigs: stout, with large opposite buds, the terminal one containing leaves as well as flower clusters; branches usually divide into twos. Flowers: in April, pale yellow clusters, stamens slightly longer than the petals. Fruit: brown, glossy seeds, flattened on one side, with a large, pale “eye-spot”; two or three in a leathery, rounded husk, 1 to 2 inches across, covered with short, scattered prickles. The seed was once believed to be a cure for rheumatism when carried in the pocket. Wood: light, close-grained, tough; used for artificial limbs, splints, woodenware and paper pulp; ill-scented.

BUCKTHORN FAMILY

259. INDIAN CHERRY (Rhamnus caroliniana Walt.) or yellow buckthorn, a shrub or small tree, fairly common in rich, low woods and limestone slopes. Leaves: glossy, dark green, 2 to 5 in. long and 1 to 2 in. wide, rounded at base and acute or acuminate at tip, margins obscurely serrate, veins yellow, evenly spaced and prominent on the under side; turning dark purple or yellow in autumn, tardily deciduous on young trees. Twigs: with naked winter buds small and pointed. Flowers: in May, inconspicuous, usually dioecious. Fruit: size of small peas, containing 2 to 4 seeds; scattered, on short stems; red in summer, turning black in autumn. Wood: hard, light brown, close-grained and brittle.

260. NEW JERSEY TEA (Ceanothus ovatus Desf.) or RED-ROOT; a shrub 1 to 3 feet high, common on dry uplands of woods, meadows and roadsides. Leaves: veins depressed above and prominent beneath as in the other two local members of this family, lowest pair longest, not dark and glossy above, 1 or 2 in. long, less than half as wide. Twigs: slender, retaining stems and whitish fruit “cups” in winter. Flowers: tiny, white, fragrant, in small, dense, rather cone-shaped clusters; the 5 petals and 5 sepals all white and incurved, petals forming a hood from which anthers project; in April. Fruit: small, three-lobed, white, ripening in summer. K (p. 216.)

261. RATTAN VINE or SUPPLE-JACK (Berchemia scandens Trel.) a fairly common, high-climbing, woody vine of low woods. Leaves: similar to Indian cherry except much smaller, 1 to 2 in. long. Stems: smooth, greenish, pliable, tough, very slender when young, becoming several inches thick in old age. Flowers: small, greenish-white, in small panicles. Fruit: oval, blackish, about ¼ in. long, containing one seed. B (Vol. II, p. 502).

VINE (GRAPE) FAMILY

262. VIRGINIA CREEPER (Psedera quinquefolia Greene) (Parthenocissus q. Planch.) or woodbine: common woodland vine preferring lowlands, climbing tall trees or covering stumps. Leaves: alternate, palmately compound, of 5 to 7 leaflets, irregularly toothed, tapering at each end, 2 to 4 in. long; turning bright scarlet in early fall. Flowers: clustered, inconspicuous. Fruit: bluish, round, like tiny grapes, popular with birds. More than one species but not readily distinguished. Some have adhesive disks at the tips of tendrils. Often but needlessly confused with poison ivy.

263. PEPPER VINE (Cissus arborea Des Moulins) a fairly common vine in river bottoms and low, sandy soils. Leaves: alternate, twice-pinnately compound, dark green, reddish when young and in autumn; resembling chinaberry; decorative. Stems: slender. Flowers: whitish, small. Fruit: like small grapes but glossy black, inedible, ripe in August. K (p. 223).

264. COW-ITCH VINE (Cissus incisa Des Moulins) a rather rare vine preferring open, sandy woods. Leaves: fleshy, sometimes palmately compound, or deeply 3-lobed or 3-parted. Stems: somewhat fleshy. Flowers: small, in compound umbels, usually 4 spreading petals. Fruit: small, grape-like, blackish. K (p. 222).

265. (CISSUS AMPELOPSIS Pers.) no common name; a rare vine of low woods. Leaves: grape-like, but smooth and thin, broadly oval, or heart-shaped, coarsely toothed. Fruit: bluish, inedible, like small grapes. Main STEM: sometimes with many short, leafy branches. B (Vol. II, p. 509).

266. MUSTANG GRAPE (Vitis candicans Engelm.) abundant vine of roadside thickets and woods. Leaves: large, angled, shallow-toothed, very wooly beneath; the leaves of young shoots are usually deeply, many-lobed in marked contrast to the older. Flowers: small, whitish, fragrant, in drooping clusters. Fruit: large as marbles, acid, but palatable, blackish, ripe July. K (p. 220).

267. SUMMER GRAPE (Vitis species) a vine of woods and roadside thickets. Leaves: large, unlobed to deeply lobed, wooly when young. Fruit: small, pleasant, ripe in autumn.

ST. JOHN’SWORT FAMILY

268. ST. ANDREW’S CROSS (Ascyrum hypericoides L.) low shrub of low, sandy woods, rather rare. Leaves: ½ to 1½ inches long, opposite, many remaining green through mild winters. Flowers: yellow, about ½ inch across, of four petals, falling early; two of four sepals larger, leaflike, clasping bud or seed-pod between them. Fruit: several small seeds in each disk-like pod, tardily deciduous. B (Vol. II, p. 528).

CACTUS FAMILY

269. PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS (Opuntia Sp.) a shrub, common in meadows and dry woods. Branches (joints): broad, flat, green, spiny and somewhat leaflike. True LEAVES: small, fleshy, thick scales, early deciduous. Flowers: 2 to 5 inches across, having many glossy, yellow petals and numerous stamens. Fruit: reddish, prickly, about an inch across and slightly longer. This shrub is a valued forage crop in many parts of western Texas, after the spines have been burned off with a blow torch.

DOGWOOD FAMILY

270. FLOWERING DOGWOOD (Cornus florida L.) shrub or small tree, very rare; usually in rocky or sandy woods, often with cedar. Leaves: simple, 2 to 5 inches long, 1¼ to 2 wide, opposite, mostly in clusters at the ends of branches; entire or nearly so, veins prominent beneath. Twigs: distinguished in winter by the pale “flat turnip-shaped” flower buds; bright red or yellowish green, slender. Bark: furrowed and breaking into somewhat rectangular plates; astringent and aromatic, used in medicine. Branches: usually horizontally spreading and upcurved at tips. Flowers: greenish yellow, small, in dense heads surrounded by 4 large, white, notched, petal-like bracts; in March and April. Fruit: dense clusters of glossy, scarlet, oval berries, about ½ inch long. Wood: heavy, hard, strong, very close-grained; for turnery, tool handles, forms for metal-spinners for which last it is sold by the pound.

271. DWARF or ROUGH-LEAF DOGWOOD (Cornus asperifolia Michx.) a large shrub, or rarely a small tree, common and widespread, preferring lowlands. Leaves: simple, opposite, nearly entire, rough above, paler and downy beneath, 2 to 4 inches long, ovate or oblong. Twigs: bright red in winter, rough or with whitish pubescence. Bark: thin, narrowly ridged, with close, dark red-brown scales. Flowers: small, white, in flat-topped clusters, in April or May following black haw flowers which they resemble. Fruit: small, white, on reddish stems, ripe late summer and fall. Wood: heavy, hard, strong, fine-grained; adapted for turnery.

SAPODILLA FAMILY

272. WOOLY BUMELIA, CHITTAM WOOD, or GUM ELASTIC (Bumelia lanuginosa Pers.) a common tree of widespread and varied habitat. Leaves: mostly blunt at apex, entire, 1 to 2½ inches long, dark and smooth above, whitish or sometimes rusty, wooly beneath, especially when young; tardily deciduous. Twigs: with small, scattered spines usually tipping the smallest twigs. Flowers: in July, whitish, inconspicuous. Fruit: ripe Sept. and Oct., oval, black, few or solitary; sweetish, with a single, dark brown, shining seed about ¼ inch across. Wood: hard, heavy, tough, smooth-grained.

EBONY FAMILY

273. PERSIMMON (Diospyros virginiana L.) a common small or rarely large tree, on dry, open ground, old fields or sometimes rich bottom lands. Leaves: ovate, entire, 4 to 6 inches long, dark and shining above, paler beneath. Twigs: slender, light brown or ashy gray, with a thick pith cavity. Bark: dark, divided into nearly square blocks. Flowers: dioecious, pistillate solitary bell-shaped about ¾ inch deep and ½ inch wide; staminate shorter and tubular clustered in 2’s or 3’s; both creamy colored, opening in May. Fruit: soft, round, orange-brown, about 1 to 2 inches across, containing many large, flat, smooth seeds; edible, ripe in fall and winter, whenever the calyx separates readily from the fruit. Wood: hard, dense, strong; brown or black heartwood, wide sapwood white or yellowish; used for shuttles, golf-stick heads, but not commercially valuable.

OLIVE FAMILY

274. WHITE ASH (Fraxinus americana L.) a common, rather large tree of widespread and various habitat. Leaves: opposite, pinnately compound, 5 to 9 but usually 7 leaflets, entire or with obscure or rounded teeth, 3 to 5 inches long and 1½ to 3 wide, dark green above and paler beneath. Twigs: stout, gray or light brown in winter, with large, roundish leaf-scars concave or notched on upper side. Bark: dark brown or gray, broken by many narrow fissures. Flowers: dioecious, the staminate clusters often mistaken for seeds when they harden and cling through winter, a condition caused by the sting of an insect mite. Fruit: nearly cylindrical seed with a thin wing attached, oar-shaped, 1 to 2½ inches long, in dense clusters. Wood: heavy, hard, tough, strong, brown; valuable for tool handles, oars, furniture and interiors; valued as a shade tree.

275. GREEN ASH (Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. lanceolata Sarge.) prefers bottom lands. Leaves: differ from white ash in the leaf color which is light or bright green on both sides, margins more sharply serrate and serrations extending nearly to the base, leaflets narrower. Fruit: wings extend more than half way along two sides of the seed portion. Twigs: leaf-scar straight or nearly so on upper side. Since this tree often hybridizes with the white ash, the species are sometimes hard to distinguish.

276. SPRING HERALD (Adelia pubescens Nutt.) spring goldenglow, or devil’s elbow; an abundant shrub of medium height, widespread but preferring upland woods. Leaves: simple, opposite, ¾ to 1½ inches long, blunt, with fine, rounded teeth. Twigs: light, gray, zigzag or tangled. Flowers: dioecious, very early, petal-less, clusters of stamens pale yellow, pistillate flowers greenish. Fruit: oval, bluish, ripen and fall early in summer. These bushes make dense cover for birds and small animals. It is always distinguishable from swamp holly by its opposite twigs. K (p. 287).

277. SWAMP PRIVET (Adelia acuminata Poir.) a tall shrub or rarely a small tree growing only in low or swampy woods where fairly common. Leaves: opposite, usually 1½ to 3 inches long and about an inch wide, margins entire or finely serrate, tips acuminate. Twigs and BARK: dark, rather smooth with light dots. Flowers: similar to spring herald. Fruit: elongated, usually tapering.

VERVAIN FAMILY

278. FRENCH MULBERRY (Callicarpa americana L.) or beautyberry: a medium shrub fairly common in low woods especially where sandy. Leaves: simple, opposite, coarsely toothed, 3 to 5 inches long, 1½ to 3 wide, light green, tapering at both ends, softly fuzzy on both sides and with tiny shining glands beneath. Twigs: with pale, rusty fuzz. Flowers: pale pink, in dense clusters close to the branches at each pair of leaves. Fruit: bright reddish purple, about ¼ inch across, in dense clusters 1 to 1½ inches across, surrounding the stems. Often planted for the decorative fruits which are attractive to birds. K (p. 341).

BIGNONIA FAMILY

279. CIGAR TREE (Catalpa speciosa Warder.) a tree well known in cultivation and rarely as an escape, in woods. This tree with its large, opposite, heart-shaped LEAVES, showy white or lavender, flaring bell-shaped FLOWERS and pencil-like PODS is too conspicuous to require a detailed description. Wood: soft, light, coarse-grained; sometimes planted in groves in rich soil for use as fence posts or sometimes for railroad ties.

280. TRUMPET CREEPER (Tecoma radicans L.) a rare vine growing along fence rows and edges of woods in sandy land; common in East Texas. Leaves: pinnately compound and opposite, of 9 to 11 leaflets, toothed, pointed, ovate. Flowers: large, orange-red, flaring trumpet-shaped, nearly 3 inches long. Fruit: pods 2 to 5 inches long, tapered; seeds flat, winged, numerous.

281. BUTTONBUSH (Cephalanthus occidentalis L.) button willow: usually a large shrub, fairly common in swamps or near water; often cultivated. Leaves: simple, opposite or in whorls of 3 or more, smooth, dark green, with a stout yellow midrib, 2 to 7 inches long, ½ to 3½ wide. Twigs: stout, smooth, with a thick pith, pale reddish-brown and covered with a bloom in their first winter. Bark: dark, rough, with narrow scales; contains tannin; used in treatment of fevers. Flowers: creamy white, fragrant, in dense balls about 1 to 1½ inches in diameter. Fruit: a dark brownish, hard ball, remaining through the winter.

HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY

282. CORAL HONEYSUCKLE or TRUMPET HONEYSUCKLE (Lonicera sempervirens L.) an evergreen vine, rare except in cultivation; common in East Texas; low woods and thickets. Leaves: oblong, smooth, upper pairs united or encircling stem. Flowers: Trumpet-shaped, light red, yellowish inside, 1 to 1½ inches long, in clusters. Fruit: scarlet, fleshy.

283. BUSH HONEYSUCKLE (Lonicera albiflora T. & G.) not very common; on limestone bluffs, upland meadows and thickets. Leaves: opposite, upper pair usually united or encircling stem, not evergreen. Stems: stiff and upright or sometimes long and trailing, both usually to be found on one bush; this habit is the best point of distinction between this species and the rarer trumpet honeysuckle when there are no flowers present. Fruit: scarlet, fleshy. Flowers: whitish or yellowish, small. K (p. 382).

284. INDIAN CURRANT (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus Moench.) or coralberry, the last name also used for other plants, locally well known as buckbrush or partridge brush. This 1 to 3-foot shrub is abundant in woodlands, especially in rich soil. Leaves: simple, opposite, entire or nearly, 1 to 1½ inches long, usually blunt at tip, darker above. Twigs: wiry, brown. Flowers: white, small, in dense clusters at leaf-axils. Fruit: magenta red, in dense clusters encircling stems, remaining through winter. The much smaller size of bush, leaves and fruit clusters prevents confusion with French mulberry. B (Vol. III, p. 277).

285. BLACK HAW (Viburnum rufidulum Raf.) or possum haw: a shrub or more often a small tree; in woods, preferring lowlands. Leaves: thick, glossy, finely serrate, about 3 inches long and half as wide; a rusty fuzz at the base of the veins beneath; simple, opposite, red in autumn. Twigs: sometimes coated with rusty fuzz as the buds always are. Bark: dark reddish brown, with small, roundish scales. Flowers: late March or early April, white, in flat clusters about 5 or 6 inches across. Fruit: oval, about one-half inch long, blue with a bloom, containing a single stony seed; especially attractive in autumn, turning from red to blue. Wood: ill-scented.

286. ELDERBERRY or common elder (Sambucus canadensis L.) usually a tall shrub; common in low, rich woods. Leaves: pinnately compound, of 5 to 11 oblong, or oval, smooth leaflets, 2 to 4 inches long, the lower often 3-parted; sharply serrate, opposite. Twigs: with thin woody layer surrounding thick white pith. Flowers: small, white, in large, compound, flat clusters; sweet-scented. Fruit: purplish black, glossy, juicy, popular with birds, ripe in late summer. K (p. 381).

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A. Blakeslee & Jarvis, “Trees in Winter,” Macmillan, 1926. Includes only the trees found in New England, about 25 of them also here; illustrated. Contains a good section on the care and planting of trees.

B. Britton & Brown, “Illustrated Flora of the Northern States and Canada,” 3 vol., Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1913 edition. These volumes, though technical, are helpful in the identification of many plants because of the detailed line drawings which illustrate every species.

C. Brown, H. P., “Trees of Northeastern United States,” Christopher Publishing house, 1938, second edition. Useful leaf, fruit and twig keys.

D. Coulter, John M., “Botany of Western Texas,” the U. S. National Herbarium, Vol. II, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., 1894. Obviously out of date and also out of print but describes a few species of this region which are to be found in no other book.

E. Gray, Asa, “Gray’s New Manual of Botany,” American Book Co., 7th edition, 1908. A technical handbook for the flowering plants and ferns of the Central and Northeastern states and Canada. Mentioned here because its system of classification and scientific names has been followed, in most cases. This manual more nearly conforms to the new international rules of classification than any other available, except Sargent.

F. Hough, Romeyn Beck, “Handbook of the Trees of the Northern States and Canada.” Published by the author, Lowville, N. Y., 1907. Includes many of our trees and useful because of the detailed photographic illustrations.

G. Mattoon & Webster, “Forest Trees of Texas,” bulletin 20, Texas Forest Service, College Station, 1928. Contains descriptions and drawings of 92 Texas trees, about 45 of them in Dallas County. Inexpensive.

H. Parks, H. B., “Valuable Plants Native to Texas,” Bulletin 551, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, College Station, 1937. Notes on the uses and habits of native plants, with special emphasis on honey plants.

I. Rogers, Julia Ellen, “The Tree Book,” Doubleday Page, 1912. Old but still popular guide to the trees of North America, illustrated. Useful and interesting facts about trees are here told in a most interesting manner.

J. Sargent, Charles Sprague, “Manual of the Trees of North America,” Houghton Mifflin, 1933. Includes complete technical descriptions of the 56 plants in this booklet which sometimes attain such height and habit as to be called trees.

K. Schulz, Ellen D. (Quillen), “Texas Wild Flowers,” Laidlaw Bros., 1928. Describes about 18 of the species in this booklet. One of the best books for beginners in the study of wild flowers of our region.

L. Small, John Kunkel, “Flora of the Southeastern United States,” published by the author, 1903. This is the only complete floral manual ever published which includes Dallas County. Needed for identification of a few species but the book is out-of-date in its system of classification and also out of print. Ditto for the edition of 1913.

M. Small, John Kunkel, “Manual of the Southeastern Flora,” published by the author, New York, 1933. Descriptions technical but helpful in the identification of a few species not described in many other books. This volume does not include Texas.

INDEX

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Acer negundo, 255

Adelia acuminate, 277

Adelia pubescens, 276

Aesculus glabra, 258

Amorpha fruticosa, 245

Aristolochia tomentosa, 228

Ascyrum hypericoides, 268

ash, green, 275

ash, prickly, 246

ash, wafer, 247

ash, white, 274

B

bear grass, 205

beautyberry, 278

beech family, 212-220

Berchemia scandens, 261

bignonia family, 279-281

birthwort family, 228

bois d’arc, 226

box elder, 255

buck-brush, 284

buckeye, fetid, 258

Ohio, 258

Spanish, 256

Texas, 256

buckthorn, Carolina, 259

yellow, 259

buckthorn family, 259-261

Bumelia lanuginosa, 272

bumelia, wooly, 272

burning bush, 254

button willow, 281

buttonbush, 281

buttonwood, 231

C

cactus family, 269

Callicarpa americana, 278

Canada moonseed, 230

Carolina moonseed, 229

poplar, 207

Carya buckleyi, 211

pecan, 209

texana, 210

cashew family, 249-252

Catalpa speciosa, 279

catbrier, 204

Ceanothus ovatus, 260

cedar, mountain, 202

red, 201

Celtis laevigata, 225

occidentalis (var.), 224

Cephalanthus occidentalis, 281

Cercis canadensis, 241

reniformis, 242

cherry, Indian, 259

wild black, 236

Chinaberry, 248

wild, 257

chittam wood, 272

cigar tree, 279

Cissus ampelopsis, 265

arborea, 263

incisa, 264

Cocculus carolinus, 229

coralberry, 284

honeysuckle, 282

vine, 229

Cornus asperifolia, 271

florida, 270

cottonwood, 207

cow-itch vine, 264

Crataegus, 232

D

devil’s elbow, 276

dewberry, 235

Diospyros virginiana, 273

dogwood, dwarf, 271

flowering, 270

rough-leaved, 271

dogwood family, 270-271

Dutchman’s pipe, 228

E

ebony family, 273

elder, 286

box, 255

elderberry, 286

elm, American, 221

cedar, 222

red, 220

slippery, 220

white, 221

winged, 223

Eve’s necklace, 244

Evonymus atropurpureus, 254

F

false indigo, 245

Fraxinus americana, 274

pennsylvanica (var.), 275

French mulberry, 278

G

Gleditsia triacanthos, 243

grape, mustang, 266

summer, 267

grape family, 262-267

greenbrier, 204

gum elastic, 272

H

hackberry, rough-leaved, 224

southern, 225

haw, black, 285

possum, 253, 285

red, 232

hawthorn, 232

hickory, 211

holly, swamp, 253

holly family, 253

honey locust, 243

honeysuckle, bush, 283

coral, 282

honeysuckle family, 282-286

hop tree, 247

horse-apple, 226

I

Ilex decidua, 253

Indian cherry, 259

Indian currant, 284

indigo, false, 245

ivy, poison, 251

J

Juglans nigra, 208

Juniperus mexicana, 202

virginiana, 201

L

lily family, 204-205

locust, honey, 243

river, 245

Lonicera albiflora, 283

sempervirens, 282

M

Maclura pomifera, 226

mahogany family, 248

maple family, 255

Melia azederach, 248

Menispermum canadense, 230

mesquite, 240

moonseed family, 229-230

Morus rubra, 227

mulberry, French, 278

red, 227

mustang grape, 266

N

necklace, Eve’s, 244

nettle family, 220-227

New Jersey tea, 260

O

oak, basket, 215

black jack, 218

bur, 214

chestnut, 216

chinquapin, 216

cow, 215

duck, 217

dwarf post, 213

mossy cup, 214

pin, 217

poison, 251

post, 212

red, 219

scrub, 213

Spanish, 219

swamp chestnut, 215

Texas red, 219

water, 217

olive family, 274-277

Opuntia sp., 269

Osage orange, 226

P

palm family, 203

palmetto, dwarf, 203

Parthenocissus, 262

Partridge brush, 284

pea family, 240-244

peach, 239

pecan, 209

pecan, bitter, 210

pepper vine, 263

persimmon, 273

pine family, 201-202

pipevine, wooly, 228

plane tree family, 231

Platanus occidentalis, 231

plum, dwarf, 238

Mexican, 237

wild, 237

poison ivy, 251

oak, 251

poplar, Carolina, 207

Populus deltoides (var.), 207

possum haw, 253, 285

prickly ash, 246

prickly pear cactus, 269

privet, swamp, 277

Prosopis glandulosa, 240

Prunus angustifolia (var.), 238

mexicana, 237

persica, 239

serotina, 236

Psedera quinquefolia, 262

Ptelea trifoliata, 247

Q

Quercus macrocarpa, 214

marilandica, 218

muehlenbergii, 216

nigra, 217

prinus, 215

rubra, 219

Shumardii (var.), 219

stellata, 221 and var., 213

texana, 219

R

rattan vine, 261

redbud, 241, 241

red-root, 260

red haw, 232

Rhamnus caroliniana, 259

Rhus copallina, 250

glabra, 249

toxicodendron, 251

trilobata (var.), 252

river locust, 245

Rosa foliosa (foliolosa), 234

setigera, 233

rose, pasture, 234

prairie, 233

rose family, 232-239

Rubus trivialis, 235

rue family, 246-247

S

Sabal minor, 203

St. Andrew’s cross, 268

St. John’swort family, 268

Salix nigra, 206

Sambucus canadensis, 286

Sapindus drummondii, 257

sapodilla family, 272

sarsaparilla, wild, 229

sawbrier, 204

skunkbush, 252

Smilax, 204

soapberry, 257

family, 256-258

Sophora affinis, 244

Spanish buckeye, 256

dagger, 205

spring goldenglow, 276

herald, 276

staff-tree family, 254

stretchberry, 204

sumac, aromatic, 252

dwarf, 251

ill-scented, 251

smooth, 249

winged, 250

supplejack, 261

swamp holly, 253

privet, 277

sycamore, 231

Symphoricarpos, 284

T

tear-blanket, 246

Tecoma radicans, 280

Texas buckeye, 256

toothache tree, 246

trumpet creeper, 280

honeysuckle, 282

U

Ulmus americana, 221

alata, 223

crassifolia, 222

fulva, 220

Ungnadia speciosa, 256

V

vervain family, 278

Viburnum rufidulum, 285

vine family, 262-267

Virginia creeper, 262

Vitis candicans, 266

sp., 267

W

waahoo, 254

wafer ash, 247

walnut, black, 208

walnut family, 208-210

willow, 206

family, 206-207

woodbine, 262

X

Xanthoxylum clava-herculis, 246

Y

Yucca, 205