Small trees or shrubs, with simple broad leaves, and pink flowers in short lateral fascicles borne on the twigs of preceding seasons. Calyx somewhat oblique, broadly campanulate, 5-toothed. Corolla irregular; petals 5; standard enclosed by the wings in the bud; keel larger than the wings. Stamens 10, distinct, declined; anthers all alike, short, versatile, longitudinally dehiscent. Ovary short-stipitate; ovules ∞. Pod linear-oblong or oblong, flat, margined along the upper suture, 2-valved at maturity, the valves thin, reticulate-veined. [Ancient name of the Old World Judas-tree.]

About 7 species, natives of North America, Europe and temperate Asia. Besides the following, two others occur in the south central and western United States. Type species: Cercis Siliquas-trum L.

1. Cercis Canadensis L. Red-Bud. American Judas-Tree

Fig. 2436

Cercis canadensis L. Sp. Pl. 374. 1753.

A tree, with greatest height of about 50o and trunk diameter of 1°, or often shrubby. Stipules membranous, small, caducous; leaves simple, petioled, cordate-orbicular, blunt-pointed, rather thick, glabrous, or pubescent along the veins beneath, 2'-6' broad; flowers several together in sessile umbellate clusters, appearing before the leaves; pedicels slender, 4"-12" long; corolla pink-purple, about 4" long; pod short-stalked in the calyx, linear-oblong, acute at each end, glabrous, 2'-3' long, 6" wide, several-seeded.

In rich soil, southern Ontario and New York to Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, Florida and Texas. Wood hard, weak, dark reddish-brown; weight per cubic foot 40 lbs. Red Judas-tree. Salad-tree. April.