Celtis laevigata
Enum. Pl. suppl: 67. 1814.
Trees, to 30 m; trunks to 1 m diam., crowns broad, spreading. Bark light gray, smooth or covered with corky warts. Branches without thorns, often pendulous, young branches pubescent at first, then glabrous. Leaves: petiole 6-10 mm. Leaf-blade typically elliptic-lanceolate to ovatelanceolate, (4-) 6-8 (-15) × (2-) 3-4 cm, thin and membranaceous to leathery, base broadly cuneate to rounded, margins entire or rarely with a few long teeth, apex sharply acute to acuminate; surfaces glabrous or nearly so, margins ciliate. Inflorescences: flowers solitary or few-flowered clusters at base of leaves. Drupes orange to brown or red when ripe, nearly orbicular, 5-8 mm diam., beakless; pedicel 6-15 mm. Stones 4.5-7 × 5-6 mm. 2n = 20, 30, and 40.
Phenology: Flowering late spring–early fall (May–Oct).
Habitat: In rich bottomlands along streams, in flood plains, and on rocky slopes
Elevation: 0-300 m
Distribution
Ala., Ark., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Kans., Ky., La., Md., Miss., Mo., N.C., Okla., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., W.Va., n Mexico
Discussion
The Houma used preparations from the bark of Celtis laevigata to treat sore throats and venereal disease (D. E. Moerman 1986).
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
No values specified.