=2. MACLÙRA.= The Osage Orange.
=Maclura pomífera= (Rafinesque) Schneider. Hedge. Osage Orange.
(_Toxylon pomiferum Raf._) Plate 65. Trees with brown shreddy bark on
old trees; mature twigs greenish gray, zigzag; spines about 10-15 mm.
long; leaves ovate to oblong lanceolate, average blades 7-12 cm. long,
wedge-shape, rounded or cordate at the base, long taper-pointed at the
apex, margins entire, pubescent on both sides while young, becoming at
maturity lustrous and glabrous above, remaining pubescent beneath; fruit
globose, about 1 dm. in diameter; wood heavy, very hard and strong, the
most durable in contact with the soil of any of our post timbers.
=Distribution.=--Missouri and Kansas south to Texas. Introduced into
Indiana for hedge fences. There is some question as to the ability of
this species to escape. I have heard that it frequently sends up root
shoots at several feet from hedge fences, and that it frequently seeds
itself along old hedge fences. For the past few years I have given the
species especial attention and I have never seen it as an escape except
in three instances.
=Remarks.=--This species was formerly much planted for farm fences, but
since land has become so valuable, its use has been discontinued, and
the old fences are being dug up. The tree grows a short trunk, and one
was noted in Grant County that was at least 6 dm. in diameter that was
estimated to be less than fifty years old. This species is subject to
the San Jose scale and in some localities it has been killed by it. It
has been but little used for forest planting, and the plantations are
not yet old enough to measure their success.
[Illustration: Plate 65.