File:Bulletin (Pennsylvania Department of Forestry), no. 11 (1901) (20313908088).jpg

Title: Bulletin (Pennsylvania Department of Forestry), no. 11
Identifier: bulletinpennsylv11penx (find matches)
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Pennsylvania. Dept. of Forestry
Subjects: Forests and forestry
Publisher: Harrisburg, Pa. : The Department : WM. Stanley Ray, state printer of Pennsylvania
Contributing Library: Penn State University
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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T PLATE CXIX. MOUNTAIN LAUREL. 1. Plowciiii^' l.i-anrli with (i) immature Icavi-s. (mi iii.itun- l.-av.s. an.l witli (•p<-ii and dosed blossoms, X i. 3. Branch witli mature leaves and niature fruit, x ?.. .3. A fruit, enlarged. 207 MOUNTAIN LAUREL. Kalmia latifolia, Linnaeus. FAMILY AND GENUS DESCEIPTION—The Iltath family, Ericaceae, embraces species which are amongst our best known and most popular shrubs. The Huckle-berries, Blueberries, Cran-. berries, Azaleas, Kalmi^s, and Rhododendrons are some of the commonest representatives. Very few representatives aie of any special economic value on account of the wood which they produce. Some are important on account of their aesthetic value, while others yield valuable food or are used lu medicine. This family comprises about 90 genera with more than 1,400 species, of which number about 40 souera are found in the United States, 7 of which have tree reprefc^entatives. The flora of Pennsylvania comprises liT j^euera with at)out 4") .species. Since most of them are shrubs only 3 species ii:presentiug 3 genera are described here. The genera here described are Kalmia, Khododendron, and Oxydendrum. The genus Kalmia oonipribes 5 or (J species in North America aiul Cuba. The species descrll)e(l on this page is tlio only one vvhlch reaches tree-size. Two otiier shrub species. Sheep Laurel (Kalmia angustifolia L.) and Swamp Laurel (Kalmia polifolia Wang.), are also native to this Slate. The genus is named tifier Peter Kalm, a Swedish naturalist, who traveled in North America during the middle of the 18th century. FORM—In Pennsylvania usually a shrub 5-10 ft. in height with a stout stem which is usually forked, often inclined and bearing divergent branches which form a round compact head. In the South it reaches a height of 30-40 ft. with a diameter of 20 inches. BARK—Very thin, reddish-brown, furrowed, peels off into long, narrow, thin scales ex- posing cinnamon-red inner bark. TWIGS—At first leddish-green covered with \iscid hairs, later becoming decidedly green, and finally brovvn. llather smooth except where rougliened by leaf-scars and bud-scale scars. BUDS—Alternate, ovate, sharp-pointed, greenish in color. Leaf-buds rre formed early and appear below the clustered flower-buds. Fiowor-buds are covered by numerous, downy and over- lapping green scales which arc coated with f^landuiar hairs and enlarge with the developing shoot in spring. LEAVES—Alternate, sometimes paired, .^tirnple, oblong, wedge-shaped at base, ent)tre- margiued, acute at apex sometimes tipped with bristle point, 3-4 inches long, about i of an inch wide. Mature leaves are thick, leathery, dark green, glossy above, yellowish-green below, and persist for two seasons. LEAF-SCARS—Large, imbedded in twig, witii a cluster of bundle-scars. FLOWERS—Emerge from flower buds which begin to expand in early spring and open about May or June. Flowers are borne on red or green scurfy stalks and arranged in dense many- flowered corymbs wiiich have a diameter of about 4 Inches. Calyx is divided into five parts. Corolla is white to rose-colored and viscid pubescent. FRUIT—Matures about September. It is a many-seeded woody capsule, roundish in outline but slightly flve-lobed and covered with viscid hairs. Both style and calyx persist. Each capsule produces many seeds. WOOD—Diffuschporous; heavy, hard, strong, rather brittle. Heartwood reddish-brown, sapwood light^'r colored. Weiglis 44.(52 lbs. per cubic foot. Where it grows to a fair size it is an excellent wood for fuel. It is also used in manufacture of tool liandles, penholders, bucket handles, turnery, and tobacco pipes. About 85,000 lbs. of this wood are produced annually in North Carolina for pipes. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS—The Mountain Laurel, also known as Kalmia and Calico-Bush, is one of our few broad-leaved species whose leaves persist over winter. It can be distinguished from all other species native to this State by its thick leathery leaves which are 3-4 inches long, persistent, decidedly yrlossy on upper surface and yellowish-green on lower surface. The Great Laurel or Rhododendron is also evergreen but its leaves and buds are much larger than those of the Mountain Laurel. The leaves of the Mountain Laurel are shorter, narrower, and sharpci-pointed than tnose of the Khododendron. RANGE—New Brunswick south generally along the mountains to Florida, west to Arkansas. DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA—Thi-jughout the State. Most common In the moun- tainous parts, where it often forms almost impenetrable thickets. HABITAT—Common along margins of swamps and as an understory in deciduous forests. Also found on hillsides and hilltops. Very common on rocky and round hilltops. IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES—The Mountain Laurel remains too small in this State to be of commercial importance on account of the wood which it produces. Next to Rhodo- dendron, it is the most attractive native shrub found in our flora. It is a favorite with loverg of the woods who admire not only its blossoms, but also its leaves and its habit of growth. , I' !^'h

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