File:Bulletin (Pennsylvania Department of Forestry), no. 11 (1901) (20314972808).jpg

Title: Bulletin (Pennsylvania Department of Forestry), no. 11
Identifier: bulletinpennsylv11pennx (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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207
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PLATE CXIII. SWEET BUCKEYE 1. A llnwciiiii; lti;in(ii, x l. 'J. A tinwcr will) stiyiiiii hclow jiiillitis, luifnial size. .*!. A flitwcr with sliuiiiii nlttivf iinthcrs, iiiituiiil size. 4. A fruiting' luiiinli. ,\ '.. ."(. A siM'd, X I. t'l. I,<iiit;i1mliii;il srrtinn nl' !i simm), \ A. 7. A wiiitir twij;, x A. .S. Section I'l' a wiiilcr twi;; slmwiiiK .\ li'.if-s<!ir with liiiii(llf-s<)iis. s;i;rli(l,v niliii-^<-«l. SWEET BUCKEYE Aesculus octandra, Marshall FOKM—The largest American species of tbe genus. Usually a small tree less than 60 ft. in height with a diameter of 18 inches, but may reach a height of 110 ft. -with a dlamettr of over 3 feet. At its optimum in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Reported a mere shrub in western Texas. BASK—Light brown to grayish-brown, evidently-ftssured, breaking up into many thin irregular scales. See Fig. 79. TWIGS—Stout, at first finely hairy, becoming smooth, reddish-brown to ashy-gray, slightly ill-smelling when bruised. Pith large, light green, circular in outline. BUDS—Opposite; terminal bud present and about 4/5-2 inches long; non-resinous, somewhat blunt-pointed, covered by nearly triangular or ovate keeled scales. Outer bud-scales reddish- brown, covered with a thin bluish bloom; inner bud-scales yellowish-green, enlarging in spring to 1-2 inches. LEAVES—Opposite, compound, with 5, sometimes 7, short-stalked or stalkless leaflets. Leaf- lets oval to obovate, 4-10 inches long, finely toothed on nmrgin, long-pointed at apex, narrowed at base, dark green and smooth on upper surface when mature, yellowish-green and somewhat hairy on under surface. LEAF-SCARS—Opposite, large, heart-shaped to inversely-triangular. Bundle-scars large, usually arranged in 3 groups of 3 to 9 ench. FLOWEES—Appear about April or May when the leaves are developed. Small, yellow or purplish, with 4 conniving petals; borne in finely hairy terminal panicles about 4-12 inches long. Stamens are included in yellow corolla. FRUIT—^Matures about October. A smooth obovoid capsule, about 1-2 inches thick. Seeds several, large, smooth, reddish-brown, lustrous, J-IJ inches broad, somewhat flattened. Valves of capsule thin, pale browTi, not spiny or warty. The fruit is poisonous to stock, but seldom proves fatal. WOOD—Similar to that of the Fetid Buckeye, page 206, but It Is somewhat lighter in weight and has the wood elements in a tier-like arrangement. Used for lumber, veneer, slack cooperage, paper-pulp, candy boxes, dishes, bowls, and artificial limbs. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS—Tlie Sweet Bqckeye, also known as Yellow Buck- eye and Big Buckeye, is native only to the extreme western part of the State. The leaves are opposite, digitately compound with usually 5 or sometimes 7 leaflets. The flowers are sho^vy. yellowish in color, and arranged In large panicles borne at the ends of branches. The stamens are usually included in the corolla while those of the Fetid Buckeye project beyond it. The valves of the fruit-capsule are smooth. The twigs are stout, contain a large pith and are roughened by large conspicuous bundle-scars. The buds are large and non-resinous. The twigs when bruised are less ill-smelling than those of the Fetid Buckeye. It is the largest American siiecies of the genus. RANGE—Western Pennsylvania to Illinois, Iowa, and Oklahoma, south to Georgia and Texas. DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA—Occurs only in the extreme western part of the State. Found in Allegheny, Greene, and Fayette coimties. Very abundant along Dunkard Creek, in the southern part of Greene county. HABITAT—^Usually grows in mixture with hardwoods in rich soil. Prefers rich bottom- lands and valleys. Common along or near streams. IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES—The Sweet Buckeye is of no commercial importance in Pennsylvania. It is very limited in its distribution in the State. The wood which it produces and the small size which it attains in the northern part of its range do not justify its planting for forestry purposes. It is, however, the largest American representative of the genus. It grows rapidly and.may be planted for ornamental purposes. INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE

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