AESCUL-CEAE. The Buckeye Family.

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AÉSCULUS. The Buckeyes.

Trees with dark or ashy-gray colored bark; twigs stout; buds large, leaves opposite, palmately divided into 5-9 ovate or oblong divisions, the divisions serrate; flowers in terminal panicles; fruit a 3-lobed capsule. The fruit is poisonous to stock, although it rarely proves fatal.

Anthers protruding from the flower; fruit warty

1 A. glabra.

Anthers included in the flower; fruit smooth

2A.octandra.

1. Æsculus glÀbra Willdenow. Buckeye. Plate 116. Medium to large sized trees[62]; bark of old trees fissured, not tight; branchlets robust; twigs at first more or less pubescent, remaining more or less hairy until maturity; leaves large, 5-foliate, rarely 6 or 7 foliate, petioles more or less pubescent; leaflets sessile or on very short stalks, ovate-oblong, oval-oblong, or obovate, about 1 dm. long, acuminate, narrowed to a wedge-shaped base, more or less pubescent beneath until maturity, especially along the principal veins, margins irregularly serrate except near the base; flowers generally appear in May when the leaves are almost full size, but in the southern part of the State the flowers sometimes appear the last of March, flower clusters 1-1.5 dm. long, the whole inflorescence usually densely covered with white hairs, flowers pale-greenish yellow; fruit a globular spiny capsule, generally 3-6 cm. in diameter, which usually contains 1-3 large glossy chocolate-colored nuts.

The pubescence on the petioles, leaflets and inflorescence is generally white, but often with it are reddish and longer hairs which are scattered among the other hairs, except in the articulations of the flowers, pedicels and leaflets, where they appear in tufts.

Distribution.—Pennsylvania south to Alabama, west to Iowa and south to the Indian Territory. Found in all parts of Indiana. It is usually associated with beech, sugar maple and linn. On account of the poisonous character of its fruit, land owners have almost exterminated it.

From the data at hand it appears that the buckeye was a rare tree in the northern tier of counties. However, as soon as the basin of the Wabash is reached it becomes a frequent to a common tree where beech, sugar maple, and linn are found. In all of our area it prefers a rich moist soil, except in the southern counties it may be found even on the bluffs of streams with the species just named. In the lower Wabash Valley especially in Posey County it was a rare tree, or entirely absent.

Plate 116

ÆSCULUS GLABRA Willdenow. Buckeye.1/2.)

Remarks.—In our area the buckeye is the very first tree to put out its leaves. On this account in early Spring it can be easily distinguished in the forest. This character together with its large clusters of flowers which appear early are features which recommend it for shade tree and ornamental planting. The tree has now become so rare in Indiana as to have no economic importance.2. Æsculus octÁndra Marshall. Buckeye. Sweet Buckeye. Plate 117. Medium to large sized trees with smooth bark which on old trees becomes more or less scaly. This tree closely resembles the preceding from which it can be easily distinguished by the following characters. Its smoother and lighter colored bark; by the entire under surface of the leaves remaining permanently pubescent; the hairs more or less fulvous; by the included anthers; and by its smooth capsule.

Distribution.—Western Pennsylvania, westward along the Ohio to Iowa, south to Georgia and west to Louisiana and Texas. In Indiana it is confined to a few counties along the Ohio River. The records of McCaslin for Jay and Phinney for Delaware counties are doubtless errors in determination. The writer has diligently tried to extend the range of this species in Indiana and has found it only in Dearborn, Jefferson, Clark and Crawford Counties, and in no place more than a mile from the Ohio River. No doubt under favorable situations it found its way to a greater distance from the River. On account of the poisonous character of its fruit, it has been almost exterminated, and only along the precipitous bluffs of the Ohio River are trees yet to be found. Doubtless its exact range in our area can never be determined. Dr. Drake[63] minutely described this species and remarks: "This species delights in rich hills, and is seldom seen far from the Ohio River. It frequently arrives at the height of 100 feet and the diameter of four feet."

Remarks.—The wood is soft, white and resembles the sap wood of the tulip tree for which wood it is commonly sold. Too rare in Indiana to be of economic importance. Young[64] reported a purple flowered form of buckeye from Jefferson County, but since no specimen was preserved and the size of the plant is not given, it will not be considered here. The form was reported as rare under the name of Æsculus flava var. purpurascens.

Plate 117

AESCULUS OCTANDRA Marshall. Sweet Buckeye.1/2.)


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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