Key And Guide To Native Trees, Shrubs, And Woody Vines Of Dallas County

KEY AND GUIDE TO NATIVE TREES, SHRUBS AND WOODY VINES OF DALLAS COUNTY

by NORMA STILLWELL Dallas, Texas April, 1939 PRINTED BY PROCTOR-ADAMS PRINTING SERVICE DALLAS, TEXAS...

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PREFACE

This simple key and guide to the woody plants—trees, shrubs and woody vines—which grow naturally in Dallas County, Texas, has been prepared to help beginners of any age in getting better acquainted with these leafy neighbors and friends. Woody plants offer one of the best places to begin a study of nature: first because there are but few kinds to learn in comparison with many other living forms—about 90 of these plants against estimated numbers for the county of about 300 birds, 500 to 1000 othe

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HOW TO USE THE KEY

This key is based chiefly on leaves and twigs, as they offer the easiest clues for identification, especially in this climate where leaves are present about three-fourths of the year. The best method of study is to carry this booklet to the woody plant or plants you want to know. If this is not convenient, have at least a leafy twig in hand. When collecting specimens for study (a large-paged magazine will do for carrying and pressing), notes should include the date and location, any peculiaritie

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GLOSSARY

axil: the angle where a leaf stem joins a twig. deciduous: losing its leaves in winter, not evergreen. dioecious: bearing staminate, or male, flowers on separate plants from the pistillate, or fruit-bearing flowers; hence some plants of certain species never bear fruits or seeds. fruit: that part of any plant which contains the seeds. lenticel: air pore in the bark. monoecious: bearing the two kinds of flowers on the same plant. opaque: not admitting or transmitting light. perfect: having both s

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Leaves Compound and Opposite

about ½ natural size about ¼ natural size about ¼ natural size about ¼ natural size about ¼ natural size Capital letters and page numbers following the descriptions of a few of these plants refer to the bibliography at the end of this guide....

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PINE FAMILY

201 . RED CEDAR ( Juniperus virginiana L.) abundant tree of medium height. Habitat : all soils, especially limestone hills in southwestern part of county. Leaves : small, thick, scale-like or like short needles. Bark : thin, reddish brown, shreddy, inner layers yellowish brown. Twigs : of young shoots bear the sharper-pointed leaves. Flowers : dioecious, in February or March; staminate minute, numerous, rusty; pistillate purplish, inconspicuous. Fruit : light blue, spherical, ¼ inch diameter. Wo

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PALM FAMILY

203 . DWARF PALMETTO ( Sabal minor Pers.) low shrub of the river bottom, rare. Leaves : 15 to 20 inches long, spreading, fan-shaped, from an underground stem; browsed by cattle and mostly destroyed when Bois d’Arc Island was cleared for cultivation. Flowers : whitish, small, from a slightly branched central stalk. Fruit : black, spherical, smooth, dry, about ¼ inch across. L (p. 223) ( S. glabra ). M (p. 240.)...

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LILY FAMILY

204 . GREENBRIER ( Smilax bona nox L.) abundant vine; locally called stretchberry, saw-brier, cat-brier. Habitat : woodlands and thickets, becoming especially obnoxious in heavily pastured woodlands. Leaves : 1½ to 4½ inches long, ½ to 3 wide, alternate, oval or somewhat heart-shaped, margins entire; smooth, thick, shining, many remaining green and some mottled with brown in winter; all primary veins running lengthwise of leaf. Stems : long, evergreen, often very prickly, climbing by tendrils. F

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WILLOW FAMILY

206 . WILLOW ( Salix nigra Marsh.) the black willow is probably the only native species growing in the county. The weeping willow ( Salix babylonica ) has not been observed growing in the county except where planted. Willows grow close to water or in low ground, are very common and grow very rapidly where they have an abundant supply of water; very valuable in checking soil erosion as their roots help to hold the soil in place. Leaves : simple, alternate, 3 to 6 inches long, ⅛ to ¾ wide, acumina

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WALNUT FAMILY

208 . BLACK WALNUT ( Juglans nigra L.) tree, common in rich bottomlands. Leaves : alternate, pinnately compound, one to two feet long, 15 to 23 leaflets, each about 3 inches long, tapering and toothed; with a characteristic odor when crushed. Bark : thick, dark, rough. Twigs : have dark, chambered pith shown by splitting lengthwise through center. Flowers : greenish, male in catkins, female inconspicuous, both kinds on the same tree. Fruit : green to black husk does not split, round; shell rough

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BEECH FAMILY

White Oak Group : Fruit requires 1 year to mature; leaves without sharp points to lobes ( except chinquapin oak leaves ). Bark : usually lighter gray than on black or red oaks . 212 . POST OAK ( Quercus stellata Wang) most abundant tree of dry, sandy, upland woods. Leaves : 3 to 5 inches long, with 5 rounded lobes wider toward the outer end; like bur oak but smaller; dead leaves often cling in winter, especially on young trees. Flowers : as in other oaks, male in catkins, female inconspicuous, b

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NETTLE FAMILY

220 . RED OR SLIPPERY ELM ( Ulmus fulva Michx.) Habitat : principally in rich soil on low hillsides or stream banks, a common tree. Leaves : doubly toothed, unequal at the base, 3 to 7 inches long, rough on both sides. Twigs : somewhat mucilaginous or “slippery” when chewed; buds covered with rusty hairs. Inner BARK : very mucilaginous, used in medicine; outer BARK : grayish brown with flat ridges. Flowers : small, inconspicuous, appearing very early in spring, before the leaves; in clusters, ea

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BIRTHWORT FAMILY

228 . WOOLY PIPEVINE ( Aristolochia tomentosa Sims.) or Dutchman’s pipe. Habitat : low, rich woods, not abundant. Leaves : large, round-heart shaped, downy, soft, margins entire. Stems : slender, very high climbing. Flowers : tube u-curved like a Dutchman’s pipe, with lobes turned back; small yellowish, inconspicuous flowers not to be confused with the leather flower (Viorna) which is also sometimes called pipevine; Viorna has four thick, leathery, purplish petals shaped like the bowl of a pipe.

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MOONSEED FAMILY

229 . CAROLINA MOONSEED ( Cocculus carolinus (L) DC.) also called wild sarsaparilla or coral vine. Habitat : hedgerows and thickets, edges of woods, a common vine. Leaves : variable, oval to slightly heart-shaped, usually blunt or rounded at the tip, usually about 2 or 3 inches long. Stems : slender, green and somewhat fuzzy when young. Flowers : dioecious, small, greenish, 6-parted. Fruits : size of small peas, soft, scarlet, one-seeded, in small, dense clusters; very decorative in winter and e

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PLANE TREE FAMILY

231 . SYCAMORE or buttonwood ( Platanus occidentalis L.) a common tree, along stream banks and in low woods, often the largest tree in its locality as it grows rapidly. Bark : thin, smooth, greenish gray, flaking off in large patches and exposing the under bark which is whitish like that on limbs, especially conspicuous in winter woods. Leaves : 4 to 7 inches long and about as broad, very coarsely toothed, often shallowly 3 or 5-lobed, light green above, paler below. Twigs : slender, rather shin

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ROSE FAMILY

232 . RED HAW or hawthorn ( Crataegus species) probably about four species in the county. Three are easily distinguished by the shapes of the leaves and the size of the fruits: (a) Leaves : very wooly when young, broad near base and nearly as broad as long, doubly toothed and often shallowly lobed; especially susceptible to the cedar rust. Fruit : red, resembling large rose hips, edible, mealy, about ¾ inch across, ripening in September and falling early. Grows in the vicinity of White Rock Cree

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PEA FAMILY

240 . MESQUITE ( Prosopis glandulosa Torr.) an abundant small tree with a short trunk and open, spreading crown. Habitat : hilly pastures west of the Trinity River. Flowers : tiny, yellow, in catkins, blooming about May first and often again after summer rains. Pods : 4 to 9 inches long, somewhat constricted between the seeds, containing a sweet pulp as well as 10 to 20 seeds; valuable as food for livestock. Leaves : Twice-pinnately compound, alternate, 8 to 10 inches long, composed of one or tw

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RUE FAMILY

(Citrus Fruits In This Family) 246 . PRICKLY ASH ( Xanthoxylum clava-herculis L.) also called tear-blanket or toothache tree: a rather small tree common in rich lowlands, “of its largest size on the rich intervale lands of the streams flowing into the Trinity River”. Leaves : pinnately compound of 3 to 9 pairs of leaflets, usually ovate with acute or acuminate tips, 1 to 2½ in. long, shiny above, dull beneath, margins crenate-serrate, aromatic and tingling-spicy as are the fruit and bark. Twigs

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MAHOGANY FAMILY

248 . CHINABERRY ( Melia azederach L.) a familiar cultivated tree occasionally escaped from cultivation; a native of China much planted for shade in the southern states; sometimes found in remote woods where birds must have dropped the seeds. Leaves : alternate, twice-pinnately compound, dark green above, margins of leaflets often shallowly lobed or wavy. Twigs : thick, upright, dark. Bark : dark, somewhat smooth on branches. Flowers : lavender, in large, loose clusters on wood of the previous y

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QUASSIA FAMILY

248A . TREE OF HEAVEN, Chinese sumac, ( Ailanthus glandulosa Desf.) Several sprouts of this tree were observed in Kessler Park woodlands after this booklet had been set in type. The 1 to 3 foot, pinnately compound LEAVES and very stout TWIGS are ready marks of identification. Flowers : greenish, in large panicles, the staminate ill-scented. Fruit : winged seeds rusty colored. Wood : soft and weak. An escape from cultivation, undesirable because of its numerous root-suckers....

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CASHEW FAMILY

249 . SMOOTH SUMAC ( Rhus glabra L.) abundant tall shrub, in woods or fields, prefers lowlands but also common in shallow depressions of uplands. Leaves : pinnately compound, 6 to 12 inches long, leaflets toothed, dark and smooth above; turning bright scarlet in early autumn. Twigs : smooth, reddish brown or with a whitish bloom; stout; buds entirely encircled by leaf stem or scar, juice milky. Flowers : dioecious, staminate in large, loose clusters of small, creamy flowers; pistillate clusters

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HOLLY FAMILY

253 . SWAMP HOLLY ( Ilex decidua Walt.) or possum haw, a common small tree or shrub thriving best in lowlands, but also grows on dry limestone bluffs. Leaves : 1 to 2 inches long, usually blunt at the tip, margins with small, rounded teeth. Twigs : light gray, the short stems often densely covered with fruit scars, resembling tiny cones; alternate on the branches. Bark : pale gray often mottled, smooth. Flowers : dioecious, white, very inconspicuous. Fruit : round, scarlet or orange, close to th

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STAFF-TREE FAMILY

254 . WAAHOO or burning bush ( Evonymus atropurpureus Jacq.) a medium to tall shrub or small tree of low woodlands, not very common. Leaves : opposite, simple, 2 to 5 inches long, tapering at both ends, finely serrate, light green and often turning pinkish in autumn. Twigs : green with gray stripes, often more or less 4-angled. Bark : smoothish, mottled gray. Flowers : small, very dark red, 4-lobed, in May. Fruit : crimson, not more than one in each lobe of 4-lobed rosy pod hanging from red, thr

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MAPLE FAMILY

255 . BOX ELDER ( Acer negundo L.) a medium-sized tree fairly common in low woods and along stream banks. This is the only member of the family native to Dallas County. Leaves : pinnately compound, opposite, usually 5 leaflets, sometimes 3 or 7, 2½ to 5 in. long, light green, coarsely toothed. Twigs : usually green, smooth. Bark : gray, with regular, shallow furrows. Flowers : dioecious, very small, staminate forming green, silky tassels. Fruit : seeds with elongated wings, in pairs forming v’s,

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SOAPBERRY FAMILY

256 . SPANISH or TEXAS BUCKEYE ( Ungnadia speciosa Endl.) a tall shrub or small tree, not very common, in upland woods; native only to Texas, New Mexico and northern Mexico; Dallas County about its northeastern limit. Leaves : pinnately compound, ash-like but alternate, leaflets 1 to 3 inches long, wrinkled undersurface. Twigs : light brown. Bark : light gray, thin, with numerous shallow fissures. Flowers : color of redbud, slightly larger and averaging two weeks later, 4 or 5 slender petals and

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BUCKTHORN FAMILY

259 . INDIAN CHERRY ( Rhamnus caroliniana Walt.) or yellow buckthorn, a shrub or small tree, fairly common in rich, low woods and limestone slopes. Leaves : glossy, dark green, 2 to 5 in. long and 1 to 2 in. wide, rounded at base and acute or acuminate at tip, margins obscurely serrate, veins yellow, evenly spaced and prominent on the under side; turning dark purple or yellow in autumn, tardily deciduous on young trees. Twigs : with naked winter buds small and pointed. Flowers : in May, inconspi

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VINE (GRAPE) FAMILY

262 . VIRGINIA CREEPER ( Psedera quinquefolia Greene) ( Parthenocissus q. Planch.) or woodbine: common woodland vine preferring lowlands, climbing tall trees or covering stumps. Leaves : alternate, palmately compound, of 5 to 7 leaflets, irregularly toothed, tapering at each end, 2 to 4 in. long; turning bright scarlet in early fall. Flowers : clustered, inconspicuous. Fruit : bluish, round, like tiny grapes, popular with birds. More than one species but not readily distinguished. Some have adhe

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ST. JOHN’SWORT FAMILY

268 . ST. ANDREW’S CROSS ( Ascyrum hypericoides L.) low shrub of low, sandy woods, rather rare. Leaves : ½ to 1½ inches long, opposite, many remaining green through mild winters. Flowers : yellow, about ½ inch across, of four petals, falling early; two of four sepals larger, leaflike, clasping bud or seed-pod between them. Fruit : several small seeds in each disk-like pod, tardily deciduous. B (Vol. II, p. 528). 268 St. Andrew’s cross...

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CACTUS FAMILY

269 . PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS ( Opuntia Sp.) a shrub, common in meadows and dry woods. Branches (joints): broad, flat, green, spiny and somewhat leaflike. True LEAVES : small, fleshy, thick scales, early deciduous. Flowers : 2 to 5 inches across, having many glossy, yellow petals and numerous stamens. Fruit : reddish, prickly, about an inch across and slightly longer. This shrub is a valued forage crop in many parts of western Texas, after the spines have been burned off with a blow torch....

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DOGWOOD FAMILY

270 . FLOWERING DOGWOOD ( Cornus florida L.) shrub or small tree, very rare; usually in rocky or sandy woods, often with cedar. Leaves : simple, 2 to 5 inches long, 1¼ to 2 wide, opposite, mostly in clusters at the ends of branches; entire or nearly so, veins prominent beneath. Twigs : distinguished in winter by the pale “flat turnip-shaped” flower buds; bright red or yellowish green, slender. Bark : furrowed and breaking into somewhat rectangular plates; astringent and aromatic, used in medicin

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SAPODILLA FAMILY

272 . WOOLY BUMELIA, CHITTAM WOOD , or GUM ELASTIC ( Bumelia lanuginosa Pers.) a common tree of widespread and varied habitat. Leaves : mostly blunt at apex, entire, 1 to 2½ inches long, dark and smooth above, whitish or sometimes rusty, wooly beneath, especially when young; tardily deciduous. Twigs : with small, scattered spines usually tipping the smallest twigs. Flowers : in July, whitish, inconspicuous. Fruit : ripe Sept. and Oct., oval, black, few or solitary; sweetish, with a single, dark

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EBONY FAMILY

273 . PERSIMMON ( Diospyros virginiana L.) a common small or rarely large tree, on dry, open ground, old fields or sometimes rich bottom lands. Leaves : ovate, entire, 4 to 6 inches long, dark and shining above, paler beneath. Twigs : slender, light brown or ashy gray, with a thick pith cavity. Bark : dark, divided into nearly square blocks. Flowers : dioecious, pistillate solitary bell-shaped about ¾ inch deep and ½ inch wide; staminate shorter and tubular clustered in 2’s or 3’s; both creamy c

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OLIVE FAMILY

274 . WHITE ASH ( Fraxinus americana L.) a common, rather large tree of widespread and various habitat. Leaves : opposite, pinnately compound, 5 to 9 but usually 7 leaflets, entire or with obscure or rounded teeth, 3 to 5 inches long and 1½ to 3 wide, dark green above and paler beneath. Twigs : stout, gray or light brown in winter, with large, roundish leaf-scars concave or notched on upper side. Bark : dark brown or gray, broken by many narrow fissures. Flowers : dioecious, the staminate cluste

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VERVAIN FAMILY

278 . FRENCH MULBERRY ( Callicarpa americana L.) or beautyberry: a medium shrub fairly common in low woods especially where sandy. Leaves : simple, opposite, coarsely toothed, 3 to 5 inches long, 1½ to 3 wide, light green, tapering at both ends, softly fuzzy on both sides and with tiny shining glands beneath. Twigs : with pale, rusty fuzz. Flowers : pale pink, in dense clusters close to the branches at each pair of leaves. Fruit : bright reddish purple, about ¼ inch across, in dense clusters 1 t

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BIGNONIA FAMILY

279 . CIGAR TREE ( Catalpa speciosa Warder.) a tree well known in cultivation and rarely as an escape, in woods. This tree with its large, opposite, heart-shaped LEAVES , showy white or lavender, flaring bell-shaped FLOWERS and pencil-like PODS is too conspicuous to require a detailed description. Wood : soft, light, coarse-grained; sometimes planted in groves in rich soil for use as fence posts or sometimes for railroad ties. 280 . TRUMPET CREEPER ( Tecoma radicans L.) a rare vine growing along

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HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY

282 . CORAL HONEYSUCKLE or TRUMPET HONEYSUCKLE ( Lonicera sempervirens L.) an evergreen vine, rare except in cultivation; common in East Texas; low woods and thickets. Leaves : oblong, smooth, upper pairs united or encircling stem. Flowers : Trumpet-shaped, light red, yellowish inside, 1 to 1½ inches long, in clusters. Fruit : scarlet, fleshy. 282 coral honeysuckle 283 . BUSH HONEYSUCKLE ( Lonicera albiflora T. &amp; G.) not very common; on limestone bluffs, upland meadows and thickets. Leav

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

A . Blakeslee &amp; Jarvis , “Trees in Winter,” Macmillan, 1926. Includes only the trees found in New England, about 25 of them also here; illustrated. Contains a good section on the care and planting of trees. B . Britton &amp; Brown , “Illustrated Flora of the Northern States and Canada,” 3 vol., Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1913 edition. These volumes, though technical, are helpful in the identification of many plants because of the detailed line drawings which illustrate every species. C

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