Forest trees of the Pacific slope . Fig. 16S.—PrunuJi ilicifolia. Mo?t often a dense, prickly ghmb from 2 to 4 feet high on dry. rocky slopes,bnt in sheltered canvons sometimes from 20 to 25 feet high and from 10 to 12inches through: as a tree, more often about 10 feet high, with a very thickly 360 FOKEST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. hranchod crown and only a short trunk. The deop refldish-brown bark oflarge trunks is deeply furrowed and cut into litth» siiuarisli divisions. Thesmall twigs are smooth, reddish yellow to red brown. Matui-e leaves (fig. 168),thick, leathery, glossy deep green on t
Forest trees of the Pacific slope . Fig. 16S.—PrunuJi ilicifolia. Mo?t often a dense, prickly ghmb from 2 to 4 feet high on dry. rocky slopes,bnt in sheltered canvons sometimes from 20 to 25 feet high and from 10 to 12inches through: as a tree, more often about 10 feet high, with a very thickly 360 FOKEST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. hranchod crown and only a short trunk. The deop refldish-brown bark oflarge trunks is deeply furrowed and cut into litth» siiuarisli divisions. Thesmall twigs are smooth, reddish yellow to red brown. Matui-e leaves (fig. 168),thick, leathery, glossy deep green on their top sides, and much lighter greenbeneath; marginal teeth prickly. Leaves of a seasons growth remain on the. Fio. IfiO.—Pruntis ilicifolia integrifolia. trees abotlt two summers. The fruit (fig. 1G8), ripe from October to Novem-ber, is a clear deep red, becoming red-purple and very dark with age; pulpexceedingly thin, tart, and palatable. The large, thin-shelled, pale yellowishstone prominently veiny. Ripe fruit is carried away by birds, which thusassist in disseminating the seed, and extensively eaten by mountain rodents, FOEEST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 361 which cut the cherries from the branches and store them, thus also effectingconsiderable distribution and unintentional planting. Wood, exceedingly heavy,dense, fine-grained, tough, pale brown tinged with red, has only a very thinlayer of sapwood. The heartwood is handsome and suitable for small orna-mental woodwork, but not known to be used. A useful chaparral on steep, dryslopes. Longevity.—Not fully determined. From records, however, of trees plantedin southern California nearly a century ago, and now 10 to 12 inches indiameter
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectforestsandforestry
