File:Bulletin (Pennsylvania Department of Forestry), no. 11 (1901) (20316197249).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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184 KENTUCKY COFFEE-TREE Gymnocladus dioica, (Linnaeus) Koch &EKVS DESCRIPTION—This genus comprises only 2 spocies, one Gymnocladus chinensis, a native of southern China, and the other described here. The generic nine Gymnocladoa Is of Greek origin and means "nalted brancli," referring to the stout clumsy branches which are devoid of foliage for about 6 montlis of the year. FOBlt—A medium-sized tree usually 40-80 ft. in height with a diameter of 1-2 ft. but may reach a height of 100 ft. with a diameter of 3 feet. Trunit usually short, soon subdividing into 2 to 4 nearly parallel and vertical secondary stems. Crown narrow, obovate, composed of very stout branchlets. BAXX—Of medium thickness, dark gray to dark brown, roughened by shallow Assures separat- ing low but sharp and homy ridges covered with thin reciurved scales. TWIOS—Very stout, blunt-pointed, greenisfa-brown, often coated with a whitish crusty film, occasionally covered with fine hairs, and marked with large conspicuous lenticels usually most nuinerous on the second years' growtli. Pith large, pink to brown in color. Bin>8—Alternate; terminal bud absent; small, downy, imbedded in twig so that they scarcely project beyond surface, surrounded by incurved hairj- ring of bark, superposed. The uppermost bud is the largest; the lowest is small and located in the depression at top of leaf-scar. LEAYBS—Alternate, twice oompound, 1-8 ft. long, li-2 ft. broad, with 7-13 foliate pinnae; 1-2 basal pairs of pinnae are reduced to entire leaflets. Pinnae have 3-7 pairs of leaflets. Leaflets ovate, 2-2i inches long, wedge-shaped to rounded at base, sharp-pointed at apex, entire to wavy on margin. LEAF-SCARS—Alternate, more than 2-ranked, large, conspicuous, raised on projections of twigs, broadly heart-shaped, paler in color than surrounding twig; contain 8-5 large, raised bundle-scars. rL0W£R8~«Appear about June. Regular, polygamous, or dioecious by abortion. Staminate flowers greenish-white and arranged in a raceiue-llke corymb about 3 4 inches long. Pistillate flowers greenish-white and arranged in terminal racen>es 6-8 inches long. FRUIT—^A broad, flat, thick, stubby reddish-brown pod, 4-10 inches long, 1-2 inches broad, ts. per cubic foot. Used for fence posts, fence rails, and occasionally in construction. DISTIKOUISHINO CHARACTERISTICS—^The Kentucky Coffee-tree, usually called Mahogany in Pennsylvaia, but also known as Coffee Nut, Coffee Bean, and Nicker Tree, can readily be identified by means of its strongly marked distinguishing characteristics. The trunk is short and soon subdivides into 2-4 secondary stems which take an upright position, and are consequently almost parallel to one another. The dark gray to dark brown bark is of medium thickness and roughened by very sharp and firm projecting ridges. The reddish inner bark is often visible at the base of the bark fissures. The twigs are stout, clumsy, without spines or thorns, and greeniah-brown in color but often coated with a whitish crusty film and occasionally with flne hairs. They are marked with large heart-shnped leaf-scars containing 3-5 raised bundle-scars, and contain a large and round pinkish to reddish-brown pith. The buds are all lateral, no terminal buds being present. They are small, covered with minute hairs, almost entirely im- l)edded in the twig, and superposed, i. e., placed above one another. The uppermost bud is UHualiy the largest and surrounded by an incurved and hairy ring of bark. The lower buds are smaller, less evident and located within the depression on the upper margin of the leaf-scar. The twigs are also marked with large orange-colored lenticels, which are especially con- spicuous during the second season of their growth. The leaves are twice compound, 1-3 ft. long and up to 2 ft. broad. The ovate and entire-margined leaflets are very distinctive. They occur on lateral pinnae, except the lower pair or ocoasionally two pairs, which are attached to the main petiole and are about twice the size of the other leaflets. The thi(^, stubby, woody, and persistent fruit-pods with their large dark-brown seeds surrounded by a sweet and sticky pulp cannot be confused with those of any other native or introduced tree. The large terminal racenoes or raceme-like coiTmbs of regular and greenish-white flowers, which appear about June are also distinctive. The Ailanthus or Tree of Heaven, introduced from China, is the only tree which bears a general resemblance to this species, and that only in the stoutness of the branches, and the large size of the leaves. RANGE—Southern Ontario and central New YOrk, southward to the middle of Tennessee, and westward to southern Michigan, southeastern Minnesota and Indian Territory. DISTRIBUTION IN PENN8YXVANIA—Planted as an ornamental tree in all parts of the State. The only locality in the State where It is reported as native is along the Conococheague Creek in Franklin county. Dr. Thomas C. Porter's records show that he found it along this stream, but the writer has followed the stream from its headwaters in the South and North Mountains to the point where it empties into the Potomac without finding a single specimen. The general range of the tree indicates that it may occur in the westem"7~particulariy the north- western part of the State, but no authentic records are available to show that it has been found there as a native tree. HABITAT—Rich woods and bottomlands. Occurs solitary, never in clusters or pure stands. Often only a single tree known in a locality. Will grow practically anywhere In the State, If planted. IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES—The Kentucky Coffee-tree is of no commercial Importance In this State. It is regarded attractive as an ornamental tree and is planted extensively In this State. It loses its leaves early in autunm and develops them late in spring. i
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i \\ i PLATE XCIV. KENTUCKY COFFEE-TREE 1. StHiiiiiiatc rtowers, x ). 2. IMstillate rtowers, x J. , , , , li Portion of a doubly compound Ifiit, x J. , , . . ,^„ -^ i I iviiit nods with a Dortion of one pod removed showing two siM^ds, x §. , .^, , , . t: LSion^^of a winter nvi" sl.owiM« superposod and i,uonspi.no,.s bu.ls, lonticols, pith, ai.d leaf- scars with buiidlc-scars, x i. 6. Section of a winter twig, sliglitl.v enlarged. INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE

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