=6. Prunus serótina= Ehrhart. Wild Cherry. Cherry. =Wild Black Cherry.=
Plate 104. Medium to large sized trees; bark of young trees smooth,
becoming on old trees irregularly fissured and separating in small scaly
plates; twigs slender and smooth, sometimes pubescent while young;
leaves oval, oblong-oval, ovate or narrowly ovate, generally 5-12 cm.
long and 2-4 cm. wide, generally narrowed at the base, sometimes
rounded, short or long acuminate at the apex, margin finely serrate with
incurved sharp callous teeth, smooth above and below, sometimes slightly
pubescent beneath while young; flowers appear in May, when the leaves
are almost grown, on the ends of the year's growth, in racemes generally
5-10 cm. long; fruit ripens in July and August, globose, about 6-10 mm.
in diameter, dark red to almost black.
=Distribution.=--Nova Scotia to South Dakota, south to Florida and west
to Texas. Found in all parts of Indiana. It prefers a moist loose soil
and is usually found with beech, sugar maple, tulip, white ash and white
oak. In the original forest it was a rare to a frequent tree, and only
rarely and locally did it ever become common. It grew to be several feet
in diameter and was as tall as the highest trees of the forest. The
trunk of the tree, however, was inclined to be crooked. It has now
become a frequent tree along fences.
=Remarks.=--The wood of wild cherry from pioneer times has been a
favorite wood, and for this reason the tree soon disappeared and today
large trees are very rare. The wood is strong, close-grained,
reddish-brown, and very much resembles mahogany. In value it stands
second in Indiana woods. It is used principally for furniture, office
and store fixtures.
The wild cherry grows readily from seed; is not difficult to transplant;
adapts itself to almost all kinds of soils and grows rapidly. In Spring
it is one of the very first trees to put out its leaves. It is not shade
enduring, which no doubt, in a great measure, accounts for its rarity in
the primeval forests. When grown in the open the tree usually produces
an abundance of fruit which is much relished by birds. This species has
many good features, and might be used to advantage in forest planting.
=CAESALPINÀCEAE.= The Senna Family.
Leaves simple; flowers pink; seed pod papery 1 Cercis.
Leaves compound; flowers not pink; seed pod woody or
leathery.
Trees with thorns; stamens 3-5, longer than the corolla;
pods flat and leathery; seeds about 1 cm.
(1/2 inch) long 2 Gleditsia.
Trees without thorns; stamens 10, shorter than the
corolla; pods swollen, woody; seeds about 2 cm.
(1 inch) long 3 Gymnocladus.
=1. CÉRCIS.= The Redbud.
=Cercis canadénsis= Linnæus. Redbud. Plate 105. Small trees; bark of
trunk of old trees fissured, reddish-brown; twigs glabrous, light brown,
becoming a dark brown; leaves alternate, broadly ovate, average blades
6-14 cm. long, cordate at base, short-pointed, sometimes short-acuminate
or rarely rounded at the apex, margins entire, glabrous or pubescent on
unfolding, at maturity usually glabrous on both sides, or with a few
hairs in the axils of the veins or along the veins, sometimes more or
less pubescent beneath, and with hairs on the veins above; petioles
generally 2-6 cm. long; flowers appear in April or May before the
leaves, in clusters of 4-8 on the branches of the preceding season, pink
or rose color; pods 5-10 cm. long, thin, flat and glabrous; wood heavy,
hard and weak.
=Distribution.=--In Canada along the shores of Lake Erie and Ontario,
New York west through Michigan to Iowa, south to the Gulf States and
west to Texas. Found throughout Indiana except there are no records from
the counties bordering Lake Michigan. In the northern part of the State
it is rare or frequent in alluvial soil along streams or in rich woods.
In the southern part of the State it is a frequent to a common tree in
ravines and on slopes. It is never found in wet situations, and
consequently is absent in the "flats" of the southern counties.
=Remarks.=--The redbud is the common name for this tree throughout the
State. In one locality it was known as the fish blossom because the
larger fish spawn when this tree is in flower. In text books it is also
called Judas tree. It is usually a tree 1-1.5 dm. in diameter and 5-10
m. high. It is of no economic importance and is classed as a weed tree
in the woodlot and should be removed.
It is frequently recommended for ornamental planting. It prefers a rich
moist soil, and is shade enduring, although it succeeds best in the open
or in a light shade.
=2. GLEDÍTSIA.= The Honey Locust.
Pods more than 8 cm. long; seeds oval 1 G. triacanthos.
Pods less than 8 cm. long; seeds orbicular 2 G. aquatica.
=1. Gleditsia triacánthos= Linnæus. Honey Locust. Plate 106. Medium to
large sized trees; bark of old trunks fissured and peeling off in
strips; spines on trunk large and often much branched, sometimes 4 dm.
long; spines on branches not so large, generally more or less forked;
twigs at first green, turning a light brown; leaves pinnate or
bipinnate, 1-2 dm. long, rachis permanently pubescent; leaflets 9-14
pairs, fewer on the bipinnate forms, petiolules about 1 mm. long, form
variable from ovate to lanceolate, sometimes somewhat falcate, generally
2-3 cm. long, usually more or less pubescent beneath; flowers appear in
May or June, inconspicuous, greenish-yellow, rich in honey, their
appearance being announced by the hum of the swarm of insects visiting
them; fruit a flat, linear twisted pod, 2-4 dm. long, glabrous and
lustrous or pubescent on the sides; seeds several, oval, about 6 mm.
wide, and 10 mm. long, glabrous and chestnut brown; wood heavy, hard,
strong, coarse-grained and takes a good polish.
[Illustration: Plate 105.