=2. Gleditsia aquática= Marshall. Water Honey Locust. Plate 107. A
medium sized tree with rather smooth bark, which becomes rough and flaky
on large trees; twigs greenish, turning to a light brown by the end of
the year; branchlets a greenish-gray brown; spines all usually more or
less flattened, those of the branchlets and branches, rather few and
usually simple, 4-10 cm. long, those of the trunk branched, spines do
not develop on the year's growth; leaves from old wood pinnate, from the
year's growth bipinnate; rachis grooved and pubescent or puberulent
above and smooth below; leaflets generally 7-11 pairs, variable in shape
and size, generally lanceolate and 1.5-2.5 cm. long, on petiolules about
1 mm. long, glabrous; flowers similar to the preceding species; fruit a
glabrous, shining, oblique pod about 4-5 cm. long, containing 1 seed;
seeds orbicular, flat, chestnut brown, about 1 cm. in diameter.
=Distribution.=--Atlantic Coast from North Carolina south to Florida,
and the Mississippi Valley from southwestern Indiana southward to Texas.
In Indiana this species is rare and limited to the banks of river
sloughs, locally called ponds and to one cypress swamp. It is known to
have occurred on the banks of Wabash and Dan's ponds and Little Cypress
swamp in the southwest corner of Knox County, and in Gibson County on
the bank of a slough near Skelton and about Burnett's pond. The
reference to Posey County is without a verifying specimen, although it
may be found in the county. The writer has visited about every place in
the county where the species might occur, and has never found it.
Gorby's[57] reference for Miami County is without doubt an error. In our
area it is a low crooked tree and grows with its base submerged more or
less during the year. The idea of the proportions of this tree can be
obtained from the measurements taken from the largest tree now known in
Indiana, which is located on the shore of Dan's pond in Knox County. It
measures 158 cm. (66 inches) in circumference at 1 m. above the ground,
and is estimated to be 10 m. (30 feet) high. This species is too rare to
be of economic importance.
=Gleditsia aquatica × triacanthos.= Dr. Schneck[58] found two honey
locust trees which he described as hybrids of the two species. The one
was located on the bank of Dan's pond in Knox County, and the other in
Gibson County. The original description is as follows: "In both
instances the pods are the distinguishing feature. These are very much
alike in both trees, being about 5 inches long, 1-1/2 inches wide,
smooth, shining, of a light brown color and entirely destitute of pulp.
Otherwise the tree cannot be distinguished from the trees among which
they stand. They are both about 50 feet high, with short stems and
spreading branches, and stand about 5 miles apart." The writer has five
fruiting specimens from these two trees, taken by Dr. Schneck. Two of
the sheets have the round and branched spines of _G. triacanthos_.
=3. GYMNÓCLADUS.= The Coffee Tree.
=Gymnocladus dioíca= (Linnæus) Koch. Coffeenut Tree. Plate 108. Medium
sized trees; bark of trunks fissured, the ridges often curling up along
the sides, very hard; twigs at first hairy, becoming glabrous and
mottled gray-brown by the end of the season, robust, usually about 1 cm.
in diameter; leaves alternate, twice pinnate, 3-9 dm. long, leaflets
usually 6-10 pairs, ovate, generally from 3-4 cm. long, generally
oblique and rounded, wedge-shape or truncate at the base, acute or very
sharp-pointed at the apex, petiolules about 1 mm. long, pubescent on
both sides at first, becoming glabrous or nearly so at maturity; flowers
of two kinds, the male and female on separate trees, appearing in May or
June; fruit a pod generally about 1-2 dm. long, thick, curved; seeds
generally 4-7, large, flattened about 2 cm. in diameter; wood heavy, not
hard, coarse-grained and takes a high polish.
=Distribution.=--New York, southwestern Ontario to southern Minnesota
south to Tennessee and Arkansas. This species has been reported or is
known to exist in 33 counties in various parts of the State. It no doubt
was native to every county of the State, except it be those bordering
Lake Michigan from which we have no reports. It is a rare tree in all
parts. Only exceptionally is it found even frequently. A few trees may
be found in one place, and it will not be found again for many miles. No
doubt there are many areas with a radius of 5 to 10 miles where this
tree never occurred. It is usually found in alluvial soil along streams,
or nearby terraces.
=Remarks.=--This species generally is not very tall, and is usually
found in open places in the forest or cut-over lands. However, one
specimen was seen in Posey County that was as tall as a specimen of
pecan of equal size that grew nearby. This species was so rare in this
vicinity that I was asked to drive three miles to identify this tree
which no one could name.
Coffeenut, which is sometimes called Kentucky coffeenut, has always been
so rare as to be of little economic importance. It has no qualities to
recommend it for ornamental planting.
=FABÀCEAE.= The Pea Family.
Trees, shrubs, vines or herbs with alternate leaves, mostly compound;
flowers with five petals which are pea-like (papilionaceous); stamens
generally 10; fruit a legume.
[Illustration: Plate 108.