Characters of the family. [In honor of Dr. E. F. Leitner, a German naturalist, killed in Florida during the Seminole war.]

1. Leitneria Floridana Chapm. Leitneria. Cork-Wood

Fig. 1439

Leitneria floridana Chapm. Fl. S. States, 428. 1860.

A shrub or small tree, attaining a maximum height of about 200 and a trunk diameter of 5', the bark gray and rather smooth, the young twigs, leaves and aments densely pubescent. Leaves oblong or elliptic-lanceolate, acute, obtuse or cuspidate at the apex, narrowed at the base, bright green, firm, 3'-6' long, 1'-3' wide, when mature, glabrous or nearly so above, finely pubescent, at least on the veins, and rugose-reticulated beneath; petioles 9"-15" long; staminate aments many-flowered, ascending, 1'-2' long, their bracts triangular-ovate, acute, tomentose; pistillate aments shorter, few-flowered; drupe slightly compressed, about 10" long, 3"-4" thick, rugose-reticulated.

In swamps, southern Missouri to Texas, and in Florida. Propagates by suckers. Wood lighter than cork and probably the lightest wood known, weighting only about 12 1/2 lbs. per cubic foot. March.