Alnus maritima (Marshall) Muhl. ex Nutt.

Ainus maritima Muhl, ex Nutt.
Det. John J. Furlow 1^80
Ainus mekofortn». Fu-rlau/
Det. John J. Furlow
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY HERBARIUM
Alsus MAawntA, Muhl.! in Herb. et Plant. Amer. Sepfc.,MSS.,^*ol. 1.1
p. 183 Nu£t., Sylva, vol.; !. p.. 34. Frequent in Sussex county, Delaware, I
and southward in Maryland. ^Flowering in September 1 Specimens of this |
plant, consisting of amall branches .with leayes only, exist in theherbarium
of Muhlenberg. In the.Aoademy’s herbarium there are specimens, collected«^
by Sr. Pickering, with 'leaves and fruit. By. last season’s collections, the •
anomaly of a fail-flowering alder is brought to light. So singular a departure SI
from the habit of the. genus, may well Acite a doubt as to wHethei> it is not 3
a mere sport, or the preoooious blooming of an ¿ordinarily., spring-flowering
plant'. 'Yet the observations made seem to prqolude, thift. $eav v The plan! <_
waft noticed at several stations over a range of fifty* n^iles, and in the begin--$l
ning of September was everywhere found in blossomy, .In going-^ver muoh * I
the same ground about the middle of the month, the,,.sterile catkins had all'
fallen or withered ; and when again, observed-in thabeginning of OotobirjUi*
preparation for spring flowering oould be seen, although On A. serrulatq’the
young catklni were 'already an inoh long. Next season’s observations .wii
probably deoide the question. This shrub, or small tree,, attains Jheli
of 16 to 18 feet, growing much like A. serrulata, but with a more open]
and with the bark lighter oolored. The leaves are smooth _and. glosi
longiah petioles, not furrowed above, thiok,V.and strongly, veined.betj
Sterile catkins, resembling those of A. incana, but the soales morq, glut
The glossy foliage and. handsome sterile oatklnr»(should they^prpf»«
regularly produced in the fall), wbnld make this a desirable
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