Remarks.—This species is usually a small shrub, and usually bears fruit when only 1.5-2 meters (5 or 6 feet) tall. Only a few trees have been seen that were 40 cm. (4 inches) in diameter. The small size at which this species fruits, easily distinguishes it from other species in our area. Its habitat also serves to distinguish it. Along Lake Michigan it grows on the dry sand dunes, and in southern Indiana it grows on dry rocky slopes.
Sargent who has examined all of my specimens credits Indiana with the typical species, and separates from it a form which he calls Celtis pumila variety Deamii[47]. This variety is based upon my No. 18,727, and the type specimen has been photographed to illustrate this species. The writer is not able to separate the two forms in our area, and believes that all belong either to Celtis pumila or to the new variety.
3. Celtis mississippiénsis Bosc. (Celtis laevigata Willdenow). Sugarberry. Hackberry. [Plate 63.] Medium sized trees with the bark of the trunk of large trees irregularly covered with wart-like excrescences, rarely somewhat irregularly fissured, bark of the upper part of trunk and larger branches resembling that of the beech; leaves of an ovate-lanceolate type, as a whole narrower than the preceding species; on petioles 5-12 mm. long, blades of fruiting twigs 4-8 cm. long, usually rounded at the base, sometimes oblique, slightly cordate or somewhat narrowed at the base, usually gradually long-taper pointed at apex, margins generally entire, rarely a few teeth toward the apex, green on both surfaces, generally mature leaves are smooth above and below, more rarely somewhat rough above, and with some pubescence along the veins beneath; fruit in late summer an orange red color, gradually becoming darker until late autumn when it becomes red; pedicels shorter or longer than the petioles, usually slightly longer and ascending, fruit nearly globose, a trifle smaller than the preceding, and about two-thirds as large as the first.
Distribution.—Virginia, southern Indiana, Missouri, eastern Kansas, south to the Gulf States and west to Texas. In Indiana it is confined to the southwestern counties. It is now known to definitely occur in Sullivan, Gibson, Posey, Warrick and Spencer Counties. Two trees were noted also, in the Muscatatuck bottoms near Delany Creek in Washington County. A "single bush about eight feet high" was reported from Jefferson County by Young. This may have been the preceding species. It was also reported by Haymond from Franklin County.
Remarks.—With one exception all the specimens of this species have been found in very low ground. Usually it is associated with such low ground species as pecan, sweet gum, swell-butt ash, and the cane. One very peculiar specimen was found on the crest of a ridge about seven miles north of Salem in Washington County. It was a tree about fifteen feet tall, and had very narrow entire leaves.
MORÀCEAE. The Mulberry Family.
Trees or shrubs with a milky sap; leaves simple, alternate, petioled, 3-5 nerved at the base; fruit fleshy.
| Branches without spines; leaves serrate; pistillate flowers in spikes | [1 Morus.] |
| Branches with spines; leaves entire; pistillate flowers in heads | [2 Maclura.] |