Part 17

Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, pointed at the tip, tapering to the base, up to 8 inches long and less than half as broad, coarsely toothed along the edges, yellow-green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and smooth on the lower surface; leafstalks up to ½ inch long, usually finely hairy.

Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but on the same tree, appearing in June after the leaves are fully grown, without petals, greenish or yellowish, the staminate many in elongated catkins up to 8 inches long, the pistillate 1-3 together.

Fruit: Spiny bur up to 2 inches in diameter, brown, splitting open to reveal 3 flattened nutlets.

Wood: Soft, light in weight, reddish-brown.

Uses: Furniture, interior finishing, fuel. The nuts are edible delicacies.

Habitat: Formerly in rocky woods, once occupying several acres near Olmstead in Pulaski County. Now virtually extinct, except for a few sprouts, due to a disease of the bark. A tree about 40 feet tall still exists near Little Grassy Lake in Williamson County.

Range: Maine to southern Ontario and southern Minnesota, south to Delaware, Kentucky, and southern Illinois, and in the mountains to central Alabama.

Distinguishing Features: In addition to its large, spiny fruits, the Chestnut can be distinguished by its sharply toothed leaves. Yellow Chestnut Oak may sometimes have similar leaves, but the pith of the oak is star-shaped.

COMMON CATALPA Catalpa bignonioides Walt.

Other Names: Lady Cigar Tree; Indian Bean.

Growth Form: Short to medium tree up to 40 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1 foot; crown broadly rounded.

Bark: Light brown, with thin, platy scales.

Twigs: Stout, smooth or slightly hairy, orange-brown to grayish, with conspicuous lenticels; leaf scars in whorls of 3, round-elliptic, elevated, with 12 or more bundle traces.

Buds: Round, reddish-brown, slightly hairy, very small.

Leaves: Whorled, simple; blades ovate, short-pointed at the tip, heart-shaped at the base, up to 8 inches long and about as broad, smooth along the edges, yellow-green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and finely hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks stout, smooth, up to 6 inches long.

Flowers: Large, showy, several in a large cluster, appearing in May and June, the clusters usually more than 6 inches long, each flower up to 2 inches long, the petals white and spotted with purple.

Fruit: Elongated capsules up to 1½ feet long and ½ inch thick, brown, splitting into 2 parts to reveal several winged, hairy seeds about 1 inch long.

Wood: Light in weight, soft, coarse-grained, pale brown.

Uses: Fence posts, railroad ties; ornamental.

Habitat: Along railroads, streams, in fields; planted elsewhere.

Range: Native from Texas to Georgia and Florida; widely planted elsewhere.

Distinguishing Features: The leaves of this species, when crushed, give off a very unpleasant aroma.

CATALPA Catalpa speciosa Engelm.

Other Names: Western Catalpa; Lady Cigar Tree; Indian Bean.

Growth Form: Medium tree up to 60 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3 feet; crown broad, widely spreading.

Bark: Light brown, dark brown, or black, usually with rather deep furrows.

Twigs: Stout, smooth, brown, with conspicuous lenticels; leaf scars in whorls of 3, with one of the 3 scars smaller than the other 2, round-elliptic, elevated, with 12 or more bundle traces.

Buds: Round, brown to black, smooth, very small.