Genus 2. LIRIODÉNDRON.
Trees with alternate, deciduous, smooth, stipulate, 4-lobed leaves, the stipules large, attached entirely around the stem, and leaving a ridge when they drop off, as in the genus Magnolia. Flowers tulip-shaped, large (3 in.), greenish-yellow. May to June. Fruit a pointed cone, 3 in. long, hanging on the tree till autumn.
L. tulipífera.
Liriodéndron tulipífera, L. (Tulip-tree.) Leaves large, smooth on both sides, somewhat 3-lobed, the end one seemingly cut off, leaving a shallow notch; stipules light-colored, large, oblong, attached all around the stem, often remaining on through half the season. A very large (80 to 150 ft. high), beautiful, rapidly growing tree, with soft, straight-grained, greenish wood, of great use for inside work. Southern New England and southward. Especially abundant and large in the Western States. Also cultivated.
Genus 3. CERCIDIPHÝLLUM.
Shrubs or trees with opposite, rarely subalternate, simple, deciduous leaves. Fruit short-stemmed, with divergent pods, 2-4 in number, splitting open on the outer edges; each one-celled, with one row of lapping, pendulous seeds with membranous wings.
C. Japónicum.
Cercidiphýllum Japónicum. (Katsura-tree.) Leaves broadly heart-shaped, palmately veined with 5-7 ribs, and with an apparently entire margin, dark green above, somewhat glaucous beneath. Under a magnifying glass the margin will be found to have pellucid crenulations. Leafstalk dark red and jointed above the base, the veins somewhat red-tinted. A beautiful, upright tree with birch-like, dotted, brown bark; of recent introduction from Japan, and probably completely hardy throughout the region.