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GUIDE TO

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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOREST SERVICE Agriculture Handbook No. 472 GUIDE TO ALASKA TREES

by

Leslie A. Viereck, Principal Ecologist

Institute of Northern Forest and Range Experiment Station ÜSDA Forest Service, Fairbanks, Alaska

and

Elbert L. Little, Jr., Chief Dendrologist Timber Management Research USD A Forest Service, , D.C.

Agriculture Handbook No. 472

Supersedes Agriculture Handbook No. 5 Pocket Guide to Alaska Trees

United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service

Washington, D.C. December 1974 VIERECK, LESLIE A., and LITTLE, ELBERT L., JR. 1974. Guide to Alaska trees. U.S. Dep. Agrie., Agrie. Handb. 472, 98 p. Alaska's native trees, 32 , are described in nontechnical terms and illustrated by drawings for identification. Six species of rarely reaching size are mentioned briefly. There are notes on occurrence and uses, also small maps showing distribution within the State. Keys are provided for both summer and winter, and the sum- mary of the vegetation has a map. This new Guide supersedes *Tocket Guide to Alaska Trees'' (1950) and is condensed and slightly revised from ''Alaska Trees and Shrubs" (1972) by the same authors.

OXFORD: 174 (798). KEY WORDS: trees (Alaska) ; Alaska (trees).

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number î 74—600104

Cover: Sitka ()., the State tree and largest in Alaska, also one of the most valuable.

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402—Price $1.35 Stock Number 0100-03308

11 CONTENTS Page List of species iii Introduction 1 Studies of Alaska trees 2 Plan 2 Acknowledgments [ 3 Statistical summary . g Geographic distribution 7 Local and rare species 7 Vegetation of Alaska „___ 8 Vegetation map 46 Keys for identification 14 Key to Alaska trees based mainly on 15 Winter key to deciduous trees of Alaska 18 Guide to Alaska trees 20 Key to Alaska tree 53 Vegetative key to Alaska tree willows 54 Selected references 95 Index of common and scientific names 97 LIST OF SPECIES ' Page Yew family (Taxaceae) 1. Pacific yew, Nutt (LS~ST, C) « 20 Pine family () 2. lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta Dougl. (ST-LT, C) 23 3. tamarack, (Du Roi) K. Koch (ST-MT, I) ___ 26 4. black spruce, (Mill.) B.S.P. (ST-MT, I) ___ 28 5. *white spruce. (Moench) Voss (MT-LT, I-c)_ 29 6. ^Sitka spruce, Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. (LT, C) 31 7. * western hemlock, heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg. (LT, C) 34 8. ^mountain hemlock, (Bong.) Carr. (ST-LT, C) 36 9. Pacific silver , (Dougl.) Forbes (MT- LT, C) 38 10. subalpine fir, Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt. (ST-LT, C) _ 39 family () 11. ^western redcedar, plicata Bonn (LT, C) . 41 12. *Alaska-cedar, nootkatensis (D. Don) Spach (MT-LT, C) 44

^ Size is indicated by letters: LT, large tree; MT, medium tree; ST, small tree; LS, large ; MS, medium shrub; SS, small shrub; PS, prostrate shrub. Gen- eral distribution is given as I, interior, and C, coastal, with small letter where restricted, and R, rare. The 10 tree species producing nearly all the commercial timber are indicated by an asterisk (*). Explanation under Statistical Summary, page 6. iii Page Family () 13. *balsam poplar, Populus balsamifera L. (MT-LT, I-c) 45 14. *black cottonwood, Torr. & Gray (LT, C) 48 15. ^quaking aspen, Populus tremu^oides Michx. (ST-MT, I) _ 50 16. Hooker willow, SaHx hookeriana Barratt (LS-ST, C) ___ 56 17. feltleaf willow, Salix alaxensis (Anderss.) Cov. (LS-ST, I-C) 56 18. Bebb willow, Sarg. (LS-ST, I-C) 58 19. Scouler willow, Salix scouhriana Barratt (LS-ST, C) 61 20. Sitka willow, Salix sitchensis Sansón (LS-ST, Ï-C) 62 21. littletree willow, Salix arbusculoides Anderss. (LS-ST, I-c) 64 22. Pacific willow, Salix lasiandra Benth. (LS-ST, I-c) 65 22.1. grayleaf willow, Salix glauca L. (MS-ST, I-C) 66 22.2. tall blueberry willow, Salix novae-angliae Anderss. (LS- ST, I) 66 22.3. Barclay willow, Salix barclayi Anderss. (MS-ST, I-C) _-_, 66 22.4. Richardson willow, Salix lanata L. ssp. richardsonii (Hook.) A. Skwortz. (MS-ST, I-C) 66 22.5. diamondleaf willow, Salix pfanifolia Pursh ssp. pulchra (Cham.) Argus (PS-ST, I-C) 68 Family () 28. '^paper birch, Betula papyri fer a Mar ñK (ST-LT, I-C) 70 24. Sitka aider, Alnus sinuata (Reg.) Rydb. (LS-ST, I-C) _— 80 24.1. American green alder, Alnus crispa (Ait.) Pursh (MS- ST, I) 80 25. red alder, Bong, (ST-MT, C) 82 26. thinleaf alder, Alnus tenuifolia Nutt, (LS-ST, I-C) 83 Rose family () 27. crab , diversifolia (Bong.) Roem. (ST, C) 85 28. Greene mountain-ash, scopulina Greene (MS-ST, I-C) 86 28.1. European mountain-ash, Sorbus aucuparia L. (ST-MT, C, introduced) 88 29. Sitka mountairi-ash, Sorbus sitchensis Roem. (MS-ST, C) .- 88 30. western serviceberry, Amelanchier alnifolia (Nutt.) Nutt. (MS-ST, I-C) 90 Maple family (Aceraceae) 31. Douglas maple, Acer glabrum Torr. var. douglasii (Hook.) Dipp. (MS-ST, C) 92 Honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae) 32. Pacific red elder, Sambucus callicarpa Greene (LS-ST, C) - 93

IV INTRODUCTION

**Guide to Alaska Trees" de- Many publications on the for- scribes and illustrates the native ests and trees of Alaska have been trees of the 49th State. It super- issued by the Forest Service. sedes *Tocket Guide to Alaska Alaska was included in "Forest Trees" (Taylor 1929; Taylor and Trees of the Pacific Slope" (Sud- Little 1950-), which is out-of- worth 1908). "Alaskans Forest Re- print. It is largely condensed and source" (Hutchinson 1967) is a slightly revised from the hand- report of the State's first forest book ''Alaska Trees and Shrubs" inventory, made as part of the (Viereck and Little 1972), which nationwide Forest Survey. "Char- contains nearly 100 additional acteristics of Alaska " species of native shrubs, or (U.S. Forest Products Laboratory smaller woody . 1963) compiled information re- This guide serves for identifica- lating to the characteristics, dis- tion of the native trees of Alaska tribution, and utilization of 11 and to compile additional infor- commercially important species. mation, including distribution and Forestry research in Alaska is uses. It is a nontechnical refer- conducted by the USDA Forest ence for all who are interested in Service under the Pacific North- trees, including foresters and west Forest and Range Experi- land-use planners, residents and ment Station, with headquarters tourists, students and teachers, at 809 NE. 6th Avenue., P.O. Box scientists and conservationists. As 3141, Portland, Oregon, 97208. many northern species are widely Following early studies in the distributed, this guide should be 1920's, a project location estab- useful also in adjacent parts of lished in 1948 has become the and eastward. Forestry Science Laboratory, P.O. Identification of the trees of Box 909, Juneau, Alaska 99801. Alaska is not difficult, because Another project location at the relatively few kinds grow in far University of Alaska is the Insti- northern lands toward their lim- tute of Northern Forestry, Fair- its. Most States contain within banks, Alaska, 99701. their boundaries at least twice as many native tree species as the 32 The request in previous publi- of Alaska. New residents and visi- cations for additional data about tors will find some familiar trees, Alaska trees and shrubs, particu- as nearly all species grow wild larly their ranges, is repeated somewhere in the lower 48 States. here. This information can be sent ^ Names and dates in parentheses to the Institute of Northern refer to Selected References, p. 95. Forestry. Studies of Alaska Trees contains additional information about the preparation of both Many botanists and foresters handbooks. The descriptive text have studied the trees of Alaska. has the usual botanical arrange- Naturalists with the early explor- ment by plant families. A brief ing expeditions collected botanical description is given for each plant specimens, which w^ere named by family and for each with 2 European specialists. A history of or more species. The species are the botanical exploration has numbered in one series for ready been prepared by Hultén (1940a). reference to drawings and maps. Information about the trees of For each species there are in- the 49th State has appeared in cluded: (1) Common and scientific numerous publications. Selected names, also other names in use; References (p. 95) lists many, (2) nontechnical description with such as floras, monographs, and emphasis on identification, vege- lists, which have been helpful in tative characters including size the preparation of this guide and and habit, leaves, twigs, buds, which may be consulted for fur- , , and reproductive ther details. The most comprehen- characters, such as and sive references for identification ; (3) notes including abund- of the higher plants of Alaska are ance, site, vegetation type, and the technical floras by Hultén uses, such as wood, food, and (1941-50, 1960, 1968) and by wildlife; (4) geographic distribu- Anderson (1959). tion both within and outside Foresters have long been active Alaska; (5) distribution map of in Alaska. Most of the valuable Alaska; and (6) drawing. coastal forest lands were desig- Common and scientific names of nated as forest reserves between trees are those accepted by the the years 1892 and 1902. These Forest Service, U.S. Department areas became the Tongass and of Agriculture (Little 1953). Chugach National Forests in Scientific names of shrubs follow 1907, 2 years after estabhshment conservative usage. Other widely of the Forest Service in the used names including synonyms United States Department of Ag- have been added. riculture. The former has been divided into the North Tongass Descriptions and notes refer to National Forest with headquar- trees and shrubs growing in ters in Juneau and the South Alaska. Measurements are in the Tongass, in Ketchikan. Head- English system, but equivalents quarters of the Chugach is at in the metric system have been Anchorage. Under multiple use added in parenthesis. Basic equiv- planning, these publicly owned alents are: i/s inch (3 milli- timberlands are managed for meters) ; % inch (1 centimeter) ; orderly development of the many 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) ; 1 foot resources so that the land remains (0.3048 meter); 3.28 feet (1 productive. meter). A ruler with both inches and centimeters appears on the Plan last page. Trunk diameters of trees are measured at breast This condensed guide follows height (41/2 ft. or 1.4 m.). Most '^Alaska Trees and Shrubs" tree species attain larger heights (Viereck and Little 1972), which and diameters southward. Geographie distribution within Acknowledgments Alaska, as known, is stated by- place names along the corners and Many persons, notably fellow borders of the range. The larger workers in the Forest Service, areas under management by the have helped in the preparation of Federal Government in 1974 are this guide, **Alaska Trees and listed because of special interest Shrubs'' (Viereck and Little to residents and visitors. Those 1972), and earlier pubhcations. cited are South Tongass, North Arland S, Harris, research for- Tongass, and Chugach National ester, contributed much informa- Forests, under the Forest Service, tion on the trees of southeast U.S. Department of Agriculture. Alaska. Joan M. Foote, botanist, Mt. McKinley National Park and aided in collecting and processing Glacier Bay and Katmai National specimens and checking many de- Monuments are under the Na- tails. Suzanne Foster Manley, tional Park Service, U.S. Depart- former assistant botanist, drafted ment of the Interior. Kodiak and the species distribution maps in Aleutian Islands National Wild- ^'Alaska Trees and Shrubs,'' re- life Refuges, Kenai National peated here with slight revision. Range, and Arctic National The drawings are from **Alaska Wildlife Range are all under the Trees and Shrubs." Most were Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. from "Pocket Guide to Alaska Department of the Interior. Gen- Trees" (Taylor and Little 1950) eral distribution beyond Alaska and many appeared originally in has been added. A map of Alaska "Forest Trees of the Pacific showing these areas, as well as Slope" (Sudworth 1908). Nine most place names mentioned, ap- were made for the 1950 revision pears on pages 4 and 5. Proposals by Leta Hughey. That of tama- for additional Federal areas have rack was by W. F. Wight (1908). been submitted to Congress. Two drawings of willows (Salix), species numbers 16 and 20, were Because of space limitations, from "The Willows of Alaska" the species distribution maps are (Coville 1901). The cover drawing small, thus, distribution is not is by Barbara H. Honkala, re- shown in detail. The range is search botanist, who drafted the mapped as continuous to the outer vegetation map. boundaries. Small gaps within, George W. Argus, National such as high mountains and Museums of Canada, Ottawa, glacier-covered areas, are not , assisted in identification shown. Large tree species maps of willows (Salix), The floras and are being published in '*Atlas of other publications by Professor United States Trees, Volume 2, Eric Hulten, Naturhistoriska Alaska Trees and Common Riksmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden, Shrubs" (Viereck and Little have been indispensable referen- 1974). ces. Lloyd A. Spetzman, botanist. Each species is illustrated by Agricultural Research Service, one or more line drawings. Most U.S. Department of Agriculture, show a leafy twig (or stem) with made many valuable suggestions both flowers and fruits, some also and prepared a detailed vegeta- winter twigs. The scales are indi- tion map of Alaska that has been cated, mostly natural size or one- followed largely in the smaller half natural size. map published here. 4 TERIOR —GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, WASHINGTON. D. C. 1954

National Forests, Parks, and Wildlife Refuges in Alaska in 1974. Proposals for additional Federal areas have been submitted to Congress. STATISTICAL SUMMARY

The native trees of Alaska total MS, medium shrub, 2-6 ft. (0.3-2 32 species, as arranged by plant m.) high; SS, small or low shub, families in the List of Species 0-2 ft. (0-0.6 m.) high; and PS, under Contents (page iii) and as prostrate or creeping shrub. Gen- described and illustrated in this eral distribution is given as I, Guide. One introduced species is interior, and C, coastal, with small included as naturalized also. letter where restricted. Six other species of shrubs (5 Only 12 tree species in Alaska of willow, SaliXy and 1 of alder, are classed as becoming large Almis) rarely reach tree size in (LT), that is, more than 70 ft. Alaska and are described briefly (21 m.) high. Nine of these are (also illustrated in '*Alaska Trees confined to the southeastern and and Shrubs"). Five of these are southern coastal forests, where 2 additions to the State tree list. become very large. Sitka spruce However, the number of native {Picea sitchensis) reaches a tree species would be only about height of 225 ft. (69 m.) and a 20, if willows and others com- trunk diameter of 8 ft. (2.4 m.) monly shrubby w^ere omitted. or more. Western hemlock (Tsiiga Trees are defined as woody heterophylla) attains 190 ft (58 plants having one erect perennial m.) in height and 5 ft (1.5 m.) stem or trunk at least 3 in. (7.5 or more in trunk diameter. A cm.) in diameter at breast height giant black cottonwood (Popidus (41/2 ft., 1.4 m.), a more or less trichocarpa) near Haines has a definitely formed crown of foli- massive trunk 32 ft. 6 in. (9.9 m.) age, and a height of at least 12 ft. in circumference and a broken top (4 m.) (Little 1953). However, 101 ft (30.8 m.) tall. large willows of tree size but with Five other species become several trunks from the same root medium-sized trees (MT). The re- and shrubby species rarely attain- maining 15 illustrated and the 6 ing these dimensions are accepted shrubby species are small trees here as trees. (ST). Many are often seen as The native trees of Alaska be- shrubs, especially in unfavorable long to 17 genera in 8 plant fami- sites. lies. Largest families are the Nearly all the commercial tim- willow family (Salicaceae) with ber of Alaska is produced by 10 15 species and the pine family tree species, indicated by an (Pinaceae) with 9. Largest genera asterisk (*) in the List of Species. are willow (Salix), 12 species; Six are and 4 are hard- alder (Alnus), 4; and spruce woods. In the coastal spruce- (Picea) and cottonwood-poplar- hemlock forests of southeastern aspen {Popuhis)y 3 each. Alaska the 5 important conifers In the List of Species, size and are as follows: Sitka spruce general distribution are sum- (Picea sitchensis), western hem- marized by letters for reference, lock (), moun- as in "Alaska Trees and Shrubs." tain hemlock (Tsuga mertensi' Trees and shrubs are distin- ana), western redcedar (Thuja guished as follows : LT, large tree, plicoM), and Alaska-cedar (Cha- more than 70 ft, (21 m.) high; maecyparis nootkatensis). The MT, medium tree, 30-70 ft, (9- lone commercial hardwood in 21 m.) high; ST, small tree, 12- the southeast is black cottonwood 30 ft. (4-9 m.) high; LS, large (Popidus trichocarpa). In the in- shrub, 6-20 ft (2-6 m.) high; terior spruce-hardw^ood forests, the commercially important spe- quaking aspen (P. tremuloides), cies are white spruce {Picea and paper birch (Betula papyri- glauca) and 3 hardwoods, balsam fera), also a few species of willow poplar (Populus balsamifera), (Salix) and alder (Alnus) some- quaking aspen (Populus tremul- times reaching tree size. oides), and paper birch (Betula The 6 tree species of the in- papyrifera), . terior forest just mentioned are The number of tree species na- trans-continental in range, being tive in any area of Alaska is rela- widely distributed in the north- tively small. Many localities have ern coniferous forest ("north fewer than 10 tree species, while woods/' boreal forest, or taiga) great expanses of beyond from Alaska across Canada east the and above the timber- to Labrador and Newfoundland line of mountains have none. and south into the Northeastern States. Bebb willow (Salix beb- Geographical Distribution biana) is a small tree with similar range. All Alaska tree species range Three tree species have a long southward across Canada to the north-south distribution. Lodge- contiguous United States, except pole pine (Pinus contorta) and 4 usually shrubby species of wil- black cottonwood (Populus tricho- low (also 2 varieties of paper carpa) range south in the coastal birch). More than half grow wild forests from Alaska to somewhere in California. and beyond in mountains of north- The tree species of Alaska gen- ern Baja California, more than erally can be separated into two 30° of latitude. Quaking aspen groups according to distribution (Populus tre^nuloides), the tree within the State corresponding to species with the greatest geo- the forest regions, as indicated in graphic extent in , the List of Species under Con- has a north-south range of about tents (page iii). Twenty are con- 48° from Alaska and northwest- fined to the coastal spruce-hemlock ern Canada south to mountains of forests (C) of , Mexico. several to the southern end. The others are characteristic of the Local and Rare Species spruce-hardwood forests of the in- terior (I), but most of these ex- Several tree species are local or tend at least a short distance rare in Alaska, where all reach southward to the Pacific coast the northern limit of their ranges. also. These two forest regions are However, nearly all have a broad shown on the vegetation map distribution southward to other (between p. 47-48) and by maps States and would not be classed of the characteristic tree species, as rare and endangered, that is, white spruce {Picea glauca) of threatened with extinction. the interior (I) and Sitka spruce No tree species is confined to {Picea sitchensis) of the coast of Alaska, or endemic. One tree southeast Alaska (C). variety, by some authors accepted The extensive spruce-hardwood as a species, is restricted to forests of interior Alaska are com- Alaska though not rare, Kenai posed of only 3 coniferous tree birch ( var. species, white spruce {Picea kenaica), Yakutat willow (Salix glauca), black spruce (P. man- amplifolia Cov.), for many years ana) , and tamarack {Larix laric- regarded as a local species in the ina), and 3 hardwoods, balsam Yakutat Bay region, has been poplar {Populus balsamifera), united as a synonym of Hooker willow (Salix hookeriana), of the Tongass or North Tongass Na- Pacific coast from British Colum- tional Forest, where small natural bia to California. areas could be established for spe- Four tree species of southeast cial preservation. Alaska are so rare and local that Two tree varieties cross the they would not likely be seen with- westward into out a special trip to the places the coastal forests at the head of cited. One is Hooker willow (Salix Lynn Canal near Skagway and hookeriana)y already mentioned. Haines: lodgepole pine (Pinns The others are conifers, Pacific contora var. latifoUa) and west- yew (Taxus bi^evifolia), Pacific ern paper birch (Betula papyri' silver fir (Abies amabiUs), and fera var. co^rwiiitata), The latter subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa). enters Alaska also at Hyder near Being scarce near their northern the southern end of the State. limits, these species merit protec- Subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) tion. All are found within South appears at both areas also.

VEGETATION OF ALASKA

Alaska is a land of contrasts— guished, as numbered below. Tree- contrasts in climate, physical less bogs and shrub thickets have geography, and vegetation. Con- been combined under other types taining 365.5 million acres (146 and are not mapped separately. million hectares), Alaska has the Of Alaska's great land surface, highest mountain in North Amer- approximately 119 million acres ica, as well as hundreds of square (48 million hectares) are forested. miles of boggy lowlands. The cli- Of these, 28 million acres (11.2 mate varies from mild and wet to million hectares) are classified as cold and dry. Spanning nearly "commercial forests." These great 1,300 miles (2,100 km.) of latitude timber reserves provide the basis and 2,200 miles (3,500 km.) of for one of the State's largest in- longitude, Alaska's vegetation dustries, and one that will con- varies from the towering fast- tinue to expand in size and im- growing forests of the south- portance as the timber demands of eastern coast, through the low, the heavily populated areas of the slow-growing boreal forests of the world increase. At present, most interior, to the treeless tundra of of the State's timber production the north and west. is from the South Tongass, North The summary of the vegetation Tongass, and Chugach National of Alaska which follows has been Forests, which contain 92 percent condensed from ''Alaska Trees of commercial forests of coastal and Shrubs'' (Viereck and Little Alaska. Nearly all of the rest is 1972). Likewise, the map, vege- from other areas within the tation of Alaska, in the center coastal forests. But as timber de- pages (between 47-48, legend on mands increase, more and more 46) has been adapted from the use will be made of the great tim- colored map modified by the sen- ber reserves of the interior or ior author for that publication. boreal forests. This reduced and slightly simpli- In addition to the timber val- fied black-and-white map is re- ues, there are many other impor- produced also in the Atlas (Vie- tant uses of Alaska's forest and reck and Little 1974). Six main tundra areas. Much of Alaska is vegetation types are distin- still wilderness, and the value of

8 undisturbed wild areas may some- the summer the feeds mainly day far outweigh the potential on the herbaceous plants that value for producing and grow in the openings in the pulp. An increasing number of coastal forests. Even the caribou, people look to Alaska for wilder- often considered a tundra animal, ness that is no longer present in spends the winters in the open the more developed areas of the forested area adjacent to tree world. Thus, it is important that line, especially where lichen some areas of Alaska forests be growth is abundant. retained in their natural state. The forests of Alaska provide Tourism in Alaska is an impor- more than timber to the people tant and growing industry, based of Alaska and the rest of the primarily on scenic, wilderness, United States. They offer wilder- and wildlife values. ness, a place to hike, hunt, fish, The Alaska forests provide and areas to see and photograph many recreational opportunities, wildlife. They are important in including hiking, camping, fish- protecting our water resource, ing, and canoeing. In the National and they furnish a habitat for a Forests are extensive trails and large number of wildlife species. shelter systems that can be used by the hiker, hunter, or canoeist. Coastal Forests The National Parks and Monu- The dense forests of western ments provide the visitor with an hemlock and Sitka spruce, a con- opportunity to see some of the tinuation of similar forests along most spectacular forest and moun- the coast of , tain scenery, while the Wildlife Washington, and Oregon, extend Refuges and Ranges, although about 900 miles (1,440 km.) along primarily set aside for the protec- the Alaska coast from the south- tion and management of wildlife eastern tip to Cook Inlet and species, also have campgrounds, Kodiak Island. Commercial stands trails, and other recreational fa- occur from sea level to about cilities. In the interior boreal for- 1,500 feet (460 m.) elevation, but ests, the Bureau of Land Manage- scattered trees rise to a timberline ment and the State of Alaska have at 2,000 to 3,000 feet (460 to 915 developed campgrounds, m.). trails, and occasional hiking trails The coastal forests are charac- through the forested and tundra terized by steep rough topogra- areas. phy. In many areas only a nar- Of the forest species, the moose row band of trees exists between is probably the most abundant and the ocean and the tundra on snow- widespread large mammal of the clad mountains above. The scenic interior forests; occasionally its grandeur of the region is unsur- range extends into the coastal passed. The narrow waterways areas. The moose survives the with steep forested slopes, the winter primarily by browsing on rugged high mountains, and the willows and other shrubs, espe- many glaciers reaching to the cially in areas where the shrubs coast through forested valleys are growing thickly following along with an abundance of forest fires, and in willow thickets streams and lakes offer a wealth along the rivers. In coastal areas, of recreation values. the blacktail deer feeds primarily The climate is cool and cloudy on blueberry and other shrubs in summer, and the winters are during the periods when the snow mild. Snowfall may be heavy in covers the lower vegetation. In some forested areas in the north- ern part, but much of the high In the northern and western precipitation falls as rain. An- sections of the coastal forest, the nual precipitation varies from as makeup of the tree species much as 222 inches (5,640 mm.) changes. Western redcedar is not on the outside coast of the south- found north of Frederick Sound, easternmost islands to 25 inches and Alaska-cedar drops out at (630 mm) at Homer on the bound- Prince William Sound. Cotton- ary between coastal and interior wood is extensive along some of forests The mean annual tempera- the glacial outwash rivers and be- ture in the coastal forests ranges comes commercially important in from 46° F. (8° C.) at Ketchikan the Haines area and on the allu- to 37° F. (3° C.) at Cordova. vial terraces to the west. Western Summer temperatures range in hemlock becomes of less impor- the upper 50's (13-16° C.) and tance westward but is found as winter temperatures for the cold- far as Cook Inlet. Only Sitka est month range from the low 20's spruce remains as the important (-6° C.) tomidSO's (+2° C). tree in the coastal forests west of Cook Inlet and the lone on 1. Sitka Spruce-Hemlock Afognak and Kodiak Islands. Forests Douglas-fir, which is characteris- In the southern part the coastal tic of the coastal forests of Ore- forests are composed primarily of gon, Washington, and southern western hemlock and Sitka spruce British Columbia, does not reach with a scattering of mountain Alaska. hemlock, western redcedar, and Interior Forests or Taiga Alaska-cedar. Red alder is com- The white spruce-paper birch mon along streams, beach fringes, forest, extending from the Kenai and on soils recently disturbed by Peninsula to the south slopes of logging and landslides. Black cot- the Brooks Range and westward tonwood grows on the flood plains nearly to the Bering Sea, is called of major rivers and recently de- the boreal forest or taiga—the glaciated areas on the mainland. Russian equivalent. These forests Subalpine fir and Pacific silver fir cover about 32 percent of the area occur occasionally at tree line and or about 106 million acres (42.4 near sea level but are not abund- million hectares). However, only ant enough to be of commercial about one-fifth or 22.5 million value. Blueberries, huckleberry, acres (9 million hectares) are copperbush, devilsclub, and salal classed as commercial forest land. are the most important shrubs. Characteristic forest stands are Because of the heavy rainfall and found in the Tanana and resulting high humidity, mosses Valleys. Here, in contrast to the grow in great profusion on the coast, climatic conditions are ex- ground, on fallen logs, and on the treme. The mean annual tempera- lower branches of trees, as well as ture is 20 to 30° F. (—T'^ C. to in forest openings. —1° C.) but winter temperatures In poorly drained areas at low below —40° F. (-40° C.) are elevations, open muskegs of low common and the coldest month shrubs, sedges, grasses, and averages —10 to -20° F. (—23° mosses are common. These areas to —29° C). In contrast, summer are treeless or may have a few temperatures may reach into the scattered shrubby trees of shore 90's (above 30° C), and the pine (lodgepole pine), western warmest month of the year has an hemlock, mountain hemlock, average of 60° F. (16° C). Per- Alaska-cedar, and Sitka spruce. manently frozen ground is of scat- 10 tered occurrence in the southern Stands in which commercial white part of the interior forests and spruce are dominant occupy 12.8 nearly continuous in the northern million acres (5.1 million hec- sections. Although precipitation tares) in interior Alaska. is light, 6 to 12 inches (150 to 300 Quaking aspen type,—Follow- mm.) per year, evaporation is low ing fire and a willow stage, fast and permafrost forms an impervi» growing aspen stands develop in ous layer so that bogs and wet upland areas on south facing areas are common. Snowfall aver- slopes. The aspen mature in 60 ages 55 inches (140 cm.) per year to 80 years and are eventually re- at Fairbanks, and snow cover usu- placed by white spruce, except in ally persists from mid-October excessively dry sites where they until mid- to late-April. Day may persist. Occasionally aspen length is also extreme in the stands also follow fire on well boreal forest regions with nearly drained lowland river terraces 24 hours of daylight available for and, in these situations, are usu- plant growth in June, but with ally replaced by black spruce in only a few hours of sunlight dur- the successional sequence. Stands ing the winter months. Forest with aspen dominant occupy fires have always been an impor- about 2.4 million acres (960,000 tant aspect of the environment of hectares) in central Alaska. the Alaska interior forests. Even now with modern fire detecting Paper birch type,—Paper birch and fighting techniques, more is the common invading tree after than 4 million acres may burn in fire on east- and west-facing a single dry summer. slopes and occasionally on north The vegetation types in interior slopes and flat areas. This species Alaska form a mosiac of patterns occurs either in pure stands or that is related in part to past fire more often mixed with white history, to slope and aspect, and spruce, aspen, or black spruce. to the presence or absence of Shrubs may be similar to those permafrost. Most forest stands under aspen but usually Labrador- tea and mountain-cranberry are are mixtures of two or more tree more common. Paper birch may species but are usually classified be 60-80 feet (18-24 m.) tall and by the dominant species. have diameters up to 18 inches 2. Closed Spruce-Hardwood (46 cm.), but an average diameter of 8-9 inches (20-22 cm.) is more Forests common in the interior birch White spruce type,—In gen- stands. Stands dominated by eral, the best commercial stands paper birch occupy about 5 mil- of white spruce are found on the lion acres (2 million hectares) of warm, dry, south-facing hillsides interior forests and are especially and adjacent to rivers where widespread in Susitna Valley. drainage is good and permafrost The balsam poplar type. An- lacking. These stands are rather other tree species of importance open under the canopy but may within the closed spruce-hard- contain shrubs of rose, alder, and wood forest in interior Alaska is willow. The forest floor is usually balsam poplar, which reaches its carpeted with a thick moss mat. greatest size and abundance on On the better sites 100 to 200 the floodplain of the meandering year-old spruce with diameters of glacial rivers. It invades sandbars 10 to 24 inches (25 to 60 cm.) may and grows rapidly to heights of average 10,000 board feet per acre 80-100 feet (24 to 30 m.) and (58 cubic meters per hectare). diameters of 24 inches (60 cm.) 11 before being replaced by white variable but most commonly con- spruce. Balsam poplar also occurs sists of a thick sphagnum moss in small clumps near the altitud- mat, sedges, rushes, low shrubs, inal and latitudinal limit of trees and fruticose lichens. This type in the Alaska Range and north of is locally called ''muskeg.'' Often the Brooks Range. Commercial a few slow growing, poorly stands occupy 2.1 million acres formed, shore pine, western hem- (840,000 hectares), primarily lock, or Alaska-cedar are scat- along the Yukon, Tanana, Susitna, tered on the drier sites. and Kuskokwim Rivers. In the Interior areas, — Within the Susitna Valley balsam popular is boreal forest are extensive bogs often replaced in this type by where conditions are too wet for black cottonwood or by hybrids. tree growth. North of the Alaska Range in the unglaciated areas, 3. Open^ Low Growing they occur on old river terraces Spruce Forests and outwash, in filling ponds and On north-facing slopes and old sloughs and occasionally on poorly drained lowlands, forest gentle north, facing slopes. They succession leads to open black are common south of the Alaska spruce and bogs, usually underlain Range, on the fine clay soils by permafrost. The black spruce formed in former glacial lake are slow growing and seldom ex- basins and on morainal soils with- ceed 8 inches (20 cm.) in diameter in the glaciated area. They are and are usually much smaller; a also common on the extensive flat tree 2 inches (5 cm.) in diameter areas of the lower Yukon and is often 100 years in age. The Kuskokwim Rivers. black spruce comes in abundantly The vegetation of these bogs after fire because its persistent consists of varying amounts of cones open after a fire and spread grasses, sedges, and mosses, espe- abundant over the burned cially sphagnum. Often the sur- areas. A thick moss mat, often face has stringlike ridges. of sphagnum mosses, sedges, grasses, and heath or ericaceous Shrub Thickets shrubs usually make up the sub- Coastal alder thickets,—Dense ordinate vegetation of the open thickets of shrubs occur in a num- black spruce stands. Associated ber of sites in all the major vege- with black spruce in the wet bot- tation zones in Alaska. In coastal tom lands is the slow-growing Alaska there are extensive alder tamarack. As with the black thickets between the beach and spruce, it is of little commercial the forest, between the treeline value, seldom reaching a diameter and the alpine tundra meadows, of more than 6 inches (15 cm.). and extending from treeline Near treeline the open spruce downward through the forest in forests consist of both black and avalanche tracks and along white spruce and frequently have streams. The shrub thicket is also an understory of resin birch, common in southeastern Alaska alder, and willow. in the many clearcut areas. The alder thicket is almost impene- Treeless Bogs trable as the boles of the shrubs Coastal areas, — Within the tend to grow horizontally as well coastal forests in depressions, ñat as vertically. To travel through areas, and on some gentle slopes the thicket is even worse; the where drainage is poor, treeless spiny devilsclub and salmonberry areas occur. The vegetation is are frequently present. Beneath 12 the alders there is often a well peninsulas, the Aleutian Islands, developed grass and fern layer, and the islands of the Bering Sea. as well as a number of herbs and The type varies from almost con- shrubs. tinuous and uniformly developed Floodplain thickets,—Another cottongrass (Eriophorum) tus- major shrub type, floodplain socks with sparse growth of other thickets, is found on the flood- sedges and dwarf shrubs to stands plains of the rivers. Although where tussocks are scarce or lack- somewhat different in species ing and shrubs are dominant. composition, the type is rather similar from the rivers of the 5. Wet Tundra southern coastal areas to the The wet tundra type as shown broad braided rivers north of the on the vegetation map includes Brooks Range. This type forms also the low coastal marshes of on newly exposed alluvial deposits southern Alaska. The type is most that are periodically flooded. It extensive along the coastal plain develops quickly and may reach north of the Brooks Range, the heights of 15 to 20 feet (4.5-6 m.) northern part of the Seward in the south and central Alaska Peninsula, and on the broad and 5 to 10 feet (1.5-3 m.) along Yukon delta. It is usually found in the rivers north of the Brooks areas with many shallow lakes Range. The main dominant shrubs and little topographic relief. of this type are willows and occa- Standing water is almost always sionally alders. present in the summer and in the Birch-aid er-willow thickets,— northern parts permafrost is close A third type of shrub thicket oc- to the surface. The vegetation is curs near tree line in interior primarily a sedge and cottongrass Alaska and beyond tree line in mat, usually not in tussocks. extensive areas of the Alaska and Seward Peninsulas. It consists of 6. Alpine Tundra resin birch, alder, and several In all the mountain ranges of willow species, usually forming Alaska and on exposed ridges in thickets 3 to 10 feet (1-3 m.) tall. the airctic and southwestern The thickets may be extremely coastal areas, there is a zone of dense, or they may be open and alpine tundra. Much of this type interspersed with li- consists of barren rocks but inter- chens, low heath type shrubs, or spersed between the bare rocks patches of alpine tundra. and rubble are low mat plants, Tundra both herbaceous and shrubby. Dominant in this type in northern The low tundra vegetation can areas and in the Alaska Range are be divided into three main types : low mats of white mountain-avens moist tundra, wet tundra, and al- which may cover entire ridges and pine tundra. Within each of these slopes along with many mat form- major types are mosaics of sub- ing herbs. In the southeastern types related to differences in coastal mountains and the Aleu- topography, slope, aspect, and tians, the most important plants substrate. are the low heath shrubs, espe- cially cassiopes and mountain- 4. Moist Tundra heaths. On the Aleutian Islands Moist tundra occupies the foot- this type consists primarily of hills and lower elevations of the crowberry, bog blueberry, moun- Alaska Range as well as extensive tain-cranberry, alpine-azalea, and areas on the Seward and Alaska several dwarf willows. 13 KEYS FOR IDENTIFICATION

Most native trees of Alaska species are divided into two can be identified easily by refer- groups according to certain dis- ence to the drawings, descrip- tinguishing characters, and each tions, and maps. If you know a group is divided successfully into common name, consult the Index two smaller groups down to a sin- of Common and Scientific Names gle species at the end. The name for page numbers, then match of a particular specimen is found your specimen with the drawings through selection, one by one, of and text. The List of Species the group in which it belongs. under Contents may be consulted, Like an outline, the keys are if the family is recognized or if indented. The two groups form- the specimen resembles one previ- ing a pair of contrasting charac- ously named. ters are designated by the same It is desirable to have flowers letter, single and double, and and fruits or cones, as well as a spaced one directly below the twig or stem with leaves. How- other, usually not together. Step ever, most trees can be identified by step, elimination proceeds from from foliage alone. left to right by selection of the Many trees are and group to which the specimen be- can be identified readily at any longs until the name is reached. time of the year. For those plants Species numbers are cited beside shedding their leaves, frequently each name for reference. Then a few old leaves and fruits can be verification is made by compari- found in winter either still at- son with description, illustration, tached or on the ground beneath. and map. If agreement is lacking In winter, twig and bud charac- or doubtful, the steps followed in ters are useful. Maps may be used the key may be retraced and dif- to eliminate species not known to ferent steps tried. With incom- grow wild where the specimen plete specimens, it may be de- was found. sirable to check both groups of a Keys are provided to aid iden- pair where the contrasting char- tification, both in summer, when acters are absent or uncertain. leaves, flowers, and fruits are Emphasis is given to nontech- present, and in winter, when nical and vegetative characters, twigs, winter buds, and bark are which are present over longer used. Two here are: Key to periods than flowers or fruits, Alaska Trees Based Mainly on also, to the larger parts. However, Leaves and Winter Key to Decidu- a hand lens will be helpful. ous Trees of Alaska. Also, each The first step is to select the genus with two or more tree proper key for the specimen. species has a key to its Alaska Usually, the keys based mainly on species. For the willows (Salix), leaves and other vegetative char- the largest genus, there are two : acters are simpler and easier to Key to Alaska Tree Willows and use than the winter keys. The Vegetative Key to Alaska Tree latter must depend largely upon Willows. differences in twigs and buds. A key is an outline for identify- Even in winter, enough old leaves, ing specimens or plants through flowers, and fruits may be found the process of elimination. This for use of the main keys. Of device is a short cut to save time course, keys based largely on in reading every description until leaves can be used throughout the the one that agrees is found. The year for the . 14 For example, a tree specimen eliminated. Next, the lines "N" with broad leaves would be iden- and "NN" are read. If the leaves tified with the Key to Alaska and twigs are in pairs (opposite), Trees Based Mainly on Leaves. the specimen belongs under First, both contrasting parts or "NN.'' Then, if the leaves have a groups of the key, beginning with 3 long-pointed lobes, the specimen the pair "A" and ^*AA,^' should be agrees with "j" instead of "jj" read. The specimen with broad and is a Douglas maple. Confirma- leaves belongs under **AA," and tion is made by comparison with all the trees under '*A," having the description, illustration, and needlelike or scalelike leaves, are map. Keys to Alaska Trees Based Mainly on Leaves A. Leaves needlelike or scalelike, evergreen (except in tamarack), trees resinous (except in yew) ; more or less exposed and not enclosed in a —conifers or (gymno- sperms). B. Leaves needlelike, flattened, abruptly pointed but not prickly, in 2 rows comblike with leafstalks extending down twig; seeds single in scarlet juicy cuplike disk; rare in extreme southeast Alaska 1. Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia) BB. Leaves needlelike or scalelike, not as above; seeds borne on scales of a cone. C. Leaves needlelike, more than 14 in. (6 mm.) long, single, or clustered. D. Needles shedding in fall, 12-20 in cluster on short spur twigs (also single on leading twigs) 3. tamarack (Larix laricina) DD, Needles evergreen, single or 2 (sometimes 3) in a bundle. E. Needles 2 (sometimes 3) in a bundle with sheath at base —2. lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) F. Cones pointing backward, opening at maturity; gen- erally low spreading tree of muskegs in coastal forests 2a. shore pine (Pinus contorta var. contorta) FF. Cones pointing outward, mostly remaining closed many years ; tree often tall and narrow of inner fiord forests at head of Lynn Canal (Skagway to Haines) 2b. lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) EE. Needles single, without sheath at base. G. Older twigs roughened by projections where needles were shed. H. Needles sharp-pointed, stifiF, without leafstalks- spruce (Picea), I. Needles 4-angled. J, Twigs hairy; needles mostly less than 1/2 in. (12 mm.) long, resinous; cones egg-shaped or nearly round, mostly less than 1 in. (2.5 cm.) long, curved down on short stalks, re- maining on tree . 4. black spruce (Picea mariana) JJ. Twigs hairless; needles more than V2 in. (12 mm.) long, with skunklike odor when

15 crushed; cones cylindric, 1^^-21/2 in. (3-6 cm.) long, falling at maturity 5. white spruce (Picea glauca) IL Needles flattened but slightly keeled — 6. Sitka spruce {Picea sitchensis) HH. Needles blunt, soft and not stiff, with short - stalks—hemlock (Tsuga). K. Needles flat, appearing in 2 rows, shiny dark green above, with 2 whitish bands (stomata) on lower surface 7. western hemlock {Tsiiga heterophylla) KK. Needles half-round and keeled or angled beneath, crowded on all sides of short side twigs, blue green, with whitish lines (stomata) on both surfaces _ 8. mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) GG. Older twigs smooth—^fir (Abies), L. Needles shiny dark green on upper surface and sil- very white with many lines (stomata) on lower surface ___ 9. Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis) LL. Needles dull dark green with whitish lines (sto- mata) on both surfaces 10. subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) CC. Leaves scalelike, usually less than i/g in. (3 mm.) long, crowded, forming fanlike or flattened sprays. M. Leafy twigs flattened; leaves flattened and curved, not spreading 11. western redcedar () MM. Leafy twigs 4-angled or slightly flattened ; leaves pointed, spreading 12. Alaska-cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) A A. Leaves broad and flat, shedding in fall (deciduous) ; trees non- resinous; seeds developed from a and enclosed in a fruit—flowering plants (angiosperms). N. Leaves and twigs arranged singly (alternate). 0. Leaves not divided into leaflets (simple). P. Leafstalks (petioles) mostly less than i/^ in. (12 mm.) long; leaves mostly more than twice as long as broad, with edges finely toothed or without teeth ; winter buds cov- ered by a single scale—willow (Salix), Q. Leaf edges without teeth or only sparsely and indistinctly toothed. R. Leaves rounded at base, broadly elliptic, becoming hair- less on both sides 16. Hooker willow (Salix hookeriana) RR. Leaves tapering or short-pointed at base, narrower, with hairs on lower surface, S. Lower surface of leaves covered by dense hairs, ap- pearing silvery, white, or gray. T. Leaves thick, lower surface with dense white woolly hairs 17. feltleaf willow (Salix alaxensis) TT. Leaves thin, lower surface with dense straight hairs, silvery silky hairy 20. Sitka willow (Salix sitchensis) 16 SS. Lower surface of leaves visible through less dense hairs. U. Leaves thick, nearly hairless above ; hairs on lower surface short and stiff, at least some red, giving reddish hue 19. Scouler willow {) UU. Leaves thin, hairy on both sides; hairs longer, not reddish 18. Bebb willow {Salix bebbiana) QQ. Leaf edges finely and distinctly toothed from base to apex. V. Leaves 1-3 in. (2.5-7.5 cm.) long, mostly short-pointed at both ends 21. littletree willow {Salix arbusculoides) VV. Leaves 2-5 in. (5-12.5 cm.) long, long-pointed, mostly rounded at base - 22. Pacific willow {Salix lasiandra) PP. Leafstalks (petioles) mostly more than 14 in. (12 mm.) long (often shorter in alder) ; leaves less than twice as long as broad, with edges finely or coarsely toothed ; winter buds with 2 or more scales exposed. W. Leaf edges finely toothed with curved and rounded teeth —cottonwood, poplar, aspen {Populus). X. Leaf blades nearly round, less than 2 in. (5 cm.) long; leafstalks fattened 15. quaking aspen {Populus tremuloides) XX, Leaf blades longer than broad, 2i/^-5 in. (6-12.5 cm.) long ; leafstalks round. Y. Seed capsules pointed, hairless, 2-parted*; leaves pale green and brownish beneath; tree of interior forests 17. balsam poplar {Populus balsamifera) YY. Seed capsules rounded, hairy, 3-parted; leaves whitish beneath; tree of coastal forests — 14. black cottonwood {Populus triehoearpa) WW. Leaf edges coarsely toothed with sharp-pointed teeth, Z. Leaf edges doubly toothed with teeth of 2 sizes. a. Leaf edges not lobed; bark papery and peeling off, white, brown, or pinkish—23. paper birch {Betula papyrifera). b. Leaves long-pointed, usually wedge-shaped at base ; bark usually white in age; interior Alaska - 23b. Alaska paper birch {Betula papyrifera YSíY. humilis) bb. Leaves mostly short-pointed. c. Leaves thin, mostly rounded at base; bark usu- ally reddish brown; northern part of southeast Alaska 23a, western paper birch {Betula papyrifera var. commutata) cc. Leaves thick, wedge-shaped or rounded at base, with white hairs on toothed edges; bark usually dark brown or gray ; southern and southern interior Alaska 23c. Kenai birch {Betula papyrifera var. kenaica)

17 aa. Leaf edges wavy or shallowly lobed; bark usually gray and smooth, not papery nor peeling off— alder (Alnus). d. Leaves yellow green above, shiny on both sides and especially beneath, sticky when young, edges with relatively long-pointed teeth 24. Sitka alder (Alnus sinuata) dd. Leaves dark green above, dull, not sticky when young, edges with short-pointed teeth. e. Leaves thick with edges curled under slightly, with rusty hairs along veins beneath . 25. red alder (Alnus rubra) ee. Leaves thin with edges flat, finely hairy or nearly hairless beneath 26. thinleaf alder (Alnus tenuifoUa) ZZ. Leaf edges with uniform teeth. f. Leaves short-pointed, sometimes 3-lobed 27. Oregon crab apple (Malus diversifolia) ff. Leaves rounded at apex 30. western serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifoUa) 00. Leaves divided into 7-17 leaflets (compound), the leaflets at- tached along extended leafstalk and shedding with it— mountain-ash (Sorbus). g. Leaflets mostly 11-15, short-pointed, edges toothed nearly to base. h. Leaflets becoming hairless ^_ 28. Greene Mountain-ash (Sorbus scopuUna) hh. Leaflets white-hairy beneath; naturalized tree _ 28.1. European mountain-ash (Sorbus aucuparia) gg. Leaflets mostly 9 or 11, rounded or short-pointed at apex, edges not toothed in lowest third 29. Sitka mountain-ash (So7^bus sitchensis) NN. Leaves and usually twigs in pairs (opposite). i. Leaves with 3 long-pointed lobes, irregularly or doubly toothed 31. Douglas maple (Acer glabrum var. douglasii) ii. Leaves divided into 5 or 7 leaflets (compound), finely toothed 32, Pacific red elder (Sambucus callicarpa) Winter Key to Deciduous Trees of Alaska A. Twigs with many wartlike, blackish spur twigs about Vs in. (3 mm. ) long ; upright brown cones usually present ; trees with pointed crown 3. tamarack (Larix laricina) AA. Twigs, without spur twigs or with longer spurs ; trees with spreading, usually rounded crown. B. Winter buds, leaf-scars, and twigs arranged singly (alternate). C. Winter buds covered by a single scale willow (Salix ; the species not readily distinguished in winter) CC. Winter buds with 2 or more scales exposed, D. Winter buds usually resinous or sticky, shiny, brown, long- pointed; lowest bud-scale centered over leaf-scar— cottonwood, poplar, aspen (Populus). E. Winter buds 14 in. (6 mm.) or less in length, slightly or not resinous . 15. quaking aspen (Populas tremuloides) 18 EE. Winter buds %-l in. (10-25 mm.) long, very resinous. F. Tree of interior forests 13. balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) FF. Tree of coastal forests - 14. black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) DD. Winter buds not resinous or sticky (slightly so in Sitk^ alder) ; lowest bud-scale at side of bud. G. Winter buds mostly stalked (slightly in No. 52), with the 3 exposed scales meeting at edges (overlapping in No. 52) ; old, hard, blackish cones or conelike fruits usually present—alder (Alnus), H. Cones with long stalks more than Y^ in. (12 mm.) long, mostly longer than cones 24. Sitka alder (Alnus sinuata) HH. Cones with short stalks less than l^ in. (12 mm.) long. L Cones i/^-l in. (12-25 mm.) long 25. red alder (Alnus rubra) II. Cones less than 14 in. (12 mm.) long 26. thinleaf alder (Alnus tenuifolia) GG. Winter buds not stalked, composed of overlapping scales ; fruits not conelike. J. Winter buds 14 in. (6 mm.) or less in length; bud-scales with few or no hairs. K. Twigs with many small whitish dots (lenticels and resin) ; bark papery, peeling off 23. paper birch (Betula papyrifera) KK. Twigs with few inconspicuous dots (lenticels) ; bark not papery. L. Winter buds blunt-pointed, dark brown; twigs coarse, gray or brown, often with dense gray hairs near tip, with short side twigs or spurs _27. Oregon crab apple (Malus diversifoUa) LL. Winter buds sharp-pointed, purple ; twigs slender, reddish purple, shiny, hairless, without short side twigs or spurs 30. west- ern serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) JJ. Winter buds large, usually more than % in. (10 mm.) long; inner exposed bud-scales densely hairy— mountain ash (Sorbus), M. Winter buds with whitish hairs. N. Winter buds reddish brown, inner scales with whitish hairs at tip 28. Greene mountain-ash () NN. Winter buds densely covered with whitish hairs ; naturalized tree 28.1. Euro- pean mountain-ash (Sorbus aucuparia) MM. Winter buds with rusty brown hairs 29. Sitka mountain-ash (Sorbus sitchensis) BB. Winter buds, leaf-scars, and usually twigs in pairs (opposite). 0. Twigs slender, reddish, with small dark red buds 31. Douglas maple (Acer glabrumvar, douglasii) 00. Twigs stout, gray, with large gray buds 32. Pacific red elder (Sambucus callicarpa)

19 GUIDE TO ALASKA TREES

YEW FAMILY and seeds on different trees (dioecious). Seeds single, % (Taxaceae) in. (1 cm.) long, brown, exposed The seed plants with seeds at apex but partly surrounded by partly exposed ( gymnosperms ), a thick scarlet, juicy, cuplike disk not enclosed in fruits, are repre- or "." sented in Alaska by 3 families of Southward, the strong, durable conifers or softwoods, the yew wood is used for poles, bows, family (Taxaceae), the pine fam- canoe paddles, and cabinet work. ily (Pinaceae), and the cypress However, in Alaska the trees are family (Cupressaceae). The Alas- too scarce to be commercially im- ka examples are evergreen (with portant. The plants could serve as 1 exception) trees and shrubs ornamentals. with narrow or small leaves re- The seeds are poisonous when sembling needles or scales. Pacific eaten, causing vomiting, diarrhea, yew {Taxus brevifolia Nutt.), the and inflammation of urinary ducts Alaska member of the yew fam- and the uterus. Also, yew foliage ily, is distinguished by the brown is poisonous when browsed by seeds borne singly in a scarlet, livestock. However, the juicy scar- juicy, cuplike or berrylike disk, let ^'" around the seeds are by the flat, pointed, nonresinous not toxic. needles in 2 rows, and by the twisted leafstalks extending down Pacific yew is rare and local in the twig. the extreme south end of south- east Alaska, near sea level on poor sites and in canyons. It is scat- 1. PACIFIC YEW tered in understory of the coast {Taxus brevifolia Nutt.) forest of western redcedar, west- Other name: western yew. ern and mountain hemlocks, and Small tree or large shrub of ex- Sitka spruce. The irregular distri- treme south end of southeast bution may be related to dispersal Alaska, to 20-40 ft. (6-12 m.) of the seeds by birds. Growth is tall, with straight conical trunk slow. Another species of yew has 2-6 in. (5-15 cm.) or rarely 18 been introduced in southeast in. (45 cm.) in diameter at breast Alaska as an ornamental shrub height, with open crown or hori- and plant zontal or drooping branches. Pacific yew has been found in Leaves (needles) in 2 rows, i/4- Alaska only on a few islands near 34 in. (12-20 mm.) long, flat, Ketchikan These include Annette, slightly curved, stiff or soft, Dog, Cat, Mary, Bold, and abruptly pointed but not prickly, Gravina Islands. Also southern shiny yellow green above, pale end of Prince of Wales Island green beneath, not resinous. Peti- north to Kasaan Island in Kasaan oles yellow, extending down the Bay. Probably rare in nearby slender twigs, twisting to produce areas. South Tongass National an even, comblike arrangement of Forest. Pacific coast region from needles. Bark purplish brown, Alaska and British Columbia thin, scaly, ridged, and fluted. south through western Washing- Wood bright red with thin light ton to central California and in yellow sapwood, fine-textured, mountains to and north- heavy, hard, elastic. western .

20 Figure 1.—Pacific yew (Taxus hrevifo- lia)j natural size.

forests. They furnish nearly all the State's lumber, pulp wood, building logs, and other wood products. These cone-bearing trees are resinous softwoods with needle- PINE FAMILY like or scalelike evergreen leaves {Pinaceae) with seeds exposed in cones, usu- ally hard and woody. Pollen is Conifers, or softwoods, are eco- borne in small male cones usually nomically the most important on the same plant, and true group of trees in Alaska. Many flowers and fruits are lacking. have tall straight trunks and nar- Alaska's conifers are classified in row crowns, except where dwarfed 3 plant families, yew family near the limits of tree growth. (Taxaceae), pine family (Pin- However, the 2 native species of aceae) with needlelike leaves, and are low shrubs. These scalelike leaves. Members of the narrowleaf evergreens make up yew family have seeds borne nearly all the trees of the coastal singly in a scarlet juicy cuplike forests of southeast Alaska and disk, rather than in a cone, and most of the timber of the interior may not be true conifers.

21 Figure 2a.—Shore pine (PíWMS contorta var. contorta), natural size. The pine family (Pinaceae) is well represented in Alaska by 5 genera and 9 species of trees with narrow, mostly long needles The cones have many cone-scales, each bearing 2 long-winged seeds at its base. Characters of the 5 genera Pine (Pinus), 1 species, lodge- and names of their Alaska species pole pine (P. contorta DougL), are summarized here for ready with 2 varieties. Needles 2 in a identification. bundle or cluster with sheath at Larch {Larix), the only Alaska base, relatively long and stiff. conifer shedding its leaves in fall Cones one-sided, with many prick- and leafless in winter. One species, ly cone scales. tamarack (L. laricina (Du Roi) Spruce {Picea), 3 species, K. Koch), with slender flexible black, white, and Sitka spruce. needles borne 12-20 in a cluster Needles sharp-pointed and stiff, on short stout spur twigs (or sin- either 4-angled or flattened and gle on leading twigs). slightly keeled, extending out on

22 Figure 2b.—Lodgepole pine (^Pinus con- torta var. latifolid)^ natural size.

rows or curved upward. As in spruce, the older twigs are slightly rough from the peglike projec- tions. The cones hang down. Fir (A&ies), 2 species, Pacific all sides of twig. There is no leaf- silver fir and subalpine fir. stalk, but each leaf is attached on Needles fiat and without leaf- a small stalklike or peglike projec- stalks, often spreading in 2 rows tion of the twig. Older twigs with- or curving upward. Older twigs out needles are rough because of smooth with round leaf-scars. these projections. Cut branches of Cones upright in highest branches spruce and hemlock shed their of the narrow pointed crowns. As needles promptly upon drying. the cone-scales fall from the axis The cones hang down. (In the at maturity, old cones are not preparation of botanical speci- found on or under the trees. mens, immersion of freshly cut twigs in boiling water for a few minutes before pressing reduces 2. LODGEPOLE PINE shedding of needles.) (Pinus contorta DougL) Hemlock (Tsuga), 2 species, western and mountain hemlock. Other names : scrub pine, tama- Needles short, blunt, soft and not rack pine. stiff, flat or slightly keeled, with The general description and short leafstalks, spreading in 2 range of this species are followed 23 by similar notes for the 2 varie- closed many years. Seeds brown, ties in Alaska. Small to large ever- about % in. (15 mm.) long, in- green, resinous tree of southeast cluding the long broad wing. Alaska, 20-75 ft. (6-23 m.) tall Alaskans only native species of and 8-32 in. (20-81 cm.) in trunk pine is not important for lumber diameter, with crown rounded because of its mostly small size spreading or narrow pointed. and limited occurrence. The wood Leaves (needles) 2 in a bundle is used for poles and fuel. The with sheath at base, 1-21^ in. sweet orange-flavored sap served (2.5-6 cm.) long, relatively long the Indians as a delicacy, fresh and stiff, often twisted, yellow or dried. In the vicinity of Fair- green to dark green with whitish banks, the inland variety has been lines (stomata). Twigs stout, introduced as a fast growing orange when young, becoming hardy shade tree. gray brown and rough. Winter Wood of lodgepole pine of the buds short-pointed, of many nar- Rocky Mountain region is suitable row red brown scales. Bark gray for pulping for papers and fiber- to dark brown, scaly, thin or be- board. Other uses are lumber, coming thick. Wood resinous or railroad ties, mine timbers, and pitchy, coarse-textured, straight- poles, posts, and fuelwood. The gained (scrubby trees with spiral lumber is mostly for rough con- grain), moderately lightweight, struction, occasionally for boxes, moderately soft. Heartwood light siding, finish, and flooring. yellow to yellow brown, sapwood This species including 3 geo- narrow and whitish. graphic varieties has a broad Cones 1 to few, almost stalk- range from southeast Alaska, cen- less, egg-shaped, one-sided, 11/4-2 tral Yukon, and southwestern in. (3-5 cm.) long, light yellow Mackenzie, south in mountains brown, with many prickly cone and along coast to , , scales, maturing in 2 years, per- and California; also local in sistent, opening or remaining northern Baja California.

Key to the 2 Alaska Varieties

Cones pointing backward, opening at maturity ; generally low spread- ing tree of muskegs in coastal forests 2a. shore pine {Pinus contorta var. contorta) Cones pointing outward, mostly remaining closed many years: tree often tall and narrow of inner fiord forests at head of Lynn Canal Skagway to Haines) 2b. lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia)

2a. SHORE PINE 20-40 ft. (6-12 m.) high and 8-12 in. (20-30 cm.) in trunk (Pinus contorta Dougl. var. diameter. However, it sometimes contorta) becomes 75 ft. (23 m.) tall and Other names: lodgepole pine, 18-32 in. (45-81 cm.) in diame- scrub pine, tamarack pine. ter. Cones pointing backward on Shore pine, the common pine twig, opening at maturity in through southeast Alaska, is often October-November but remaining a low spreading or scrubby tree attached. 24 Figure 3.—Tamarack (Larix laricina)^ natural size. Winter twigs at bottom.

The dwarf coastal form is com- mon in open muskegs of peat moss and on benches near lakes. Intol- erant of shade, it grows in open stands as a scrub pine, straight when young but gnarled in age, with large branches extending al- most to the ground. On the poor- est sites, it is often like a prostrate shrub. It is best developed and This coastal variety ranges largest in the better-drained throughout southeast Alaska borders between muskeg and hem- north to the head of Lynn Canal lock or hemlock-redcedar stands. at Haines and to Glacier Bay and Occasionally the trees are pio- Dixon Harbor. The northwestern neers of rapid growth after infre- grove is an area of several square quent fires or logging or on out- miles on rolling muskegs about 15 wash sand and gravel. miles (24 km.) east of Yakutat,

25 where the trees of poor form birch, and subalpine fir (also from reach 40 ft. (12 m.) in height and the Rocky Mountains) and in the 1 ft. (30 cm.) in trunk diameter. inner fiords down to sea level. South Tongass and North Tongass North . National Forests, Glacier Bay Also northward in Yukon Terri- National Monument. Pacific coast tory along and tribu- from British Columbia to north- taries near Dawson to within western California. 50 miles (80 km.) of the Alaska border. East to southwestern Mac- kenzie and south through western and British Columbia and 2b. LODGEPOLE PINE in Rocky Mountains to Colorado (Pinus contorta var. latifolia and Utah. Engelm.)

Other names: Rocky Mountain 3. TAMARACK lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta ssp. latifolia (Engelm.) Critch- {Larix laricina (Du Roi) field. K, Koch) The Rocky Mountain or inland variety of lodgepole pine reaches Other names: Alaska larch, the State only in the vicinity of eastern larch, hackmatack; Larix Skagway and Haines. This mostly alaskensis W. F. Wight, L, tall form with narrow crown be- laricina var. alaskensis (W. F. comes 50-75 ft. (15-23 m.) high Wight) Raup. and 8-12 in. (20-30 cm.) in trunk Small to medium-sized decidu- diameter here and somewhat ous tree 30-60 ft. (9-18 m.) high, larger southward. Cones hard, with straight tapering trunk 4- heavy, pointing outward, mostly 10 in. (10-25 cm.) in diameter, remaining closed many years, occasionally to 75 ft. (24 m.) tall opening after a forest fire to re- and 13 in. (33 cm.) in diameter, lease seeds. However, in Alaska horizontal branches extending some cones open at maturity. nearly to ground, and thin pointed The Rocky Mountain variety of crown of blue green foliage. lodgepole pine can be added to the Leaves (needles) shedding in fall list of Alaska trees, though not (deciduous), in crowded clusters mentioned in botanical references. of 12-20 on short stout spur twigs This inland variety differs from or branches or single on leading shore pine in being generally a twigs, %-l in. (1-2.5 cm.), very taller tree with narrow crown and narrow, slender and flexible, 3- thinner scaly bark, in having angled, blue green, turning yellow slightly longer needles, and in the before falling in early autumn. slightly larger, heavier, closed Twigs long, stout, dull tan, hair- cones which point outward on the less, with many short stout spur twig rather than backward. twigs to 14 ill- (6 mm.) long, bear- This variety of lodgepole pine ing crowded raised leafscars, be- crosses the Coast Range from coming blackish and rough. Win- Canada into Alaska only in the ter buds small, round, about YIQ vicinity of Skagway and Haines in. (2 mm.) long, covered by many and Chilkat River at the head of short-pointed overlapping scales. Lynn Canal near the northern- Bark dark gray, smoothish, thin, most end of southeast Alaska. It becoming scaly and exposing forms stands in the mixed forest brown beneath. Wood light brown, with Sitka spruce, western paper hard, heavy, elastic. 26 Cones curved upright on short drains into , and to stalks along horizontal twigs, Napaimiut on the lower Kusko- rounded, %-% in. (1-1.5 cm.) kwim River. Mt. McKinley Na- long, dark brown, composed of tional Park. There are broad gaps about 20 rounded, finely toothed separating the Alaska trees from cone-scales, opening in early the main range from Yukon Ter- autumn and remaining attached ritory eastward, except for 2 rec- in winter. Seeds light brown, i/^ ords from near the Alaska-Yukon in. (12 mm.) long, including long Border. From Alaska, Yukon Ter- broad wing. ritory, and District of Mackenzie Tamarack is the only Alaska east across Canada along north- conifer shedding its leaves in win- ern limit of trees to Hudson Bay, ter. It is scattered in muskegs and Labrador, and Newfoundland, various moist soils of the interior south in Northeastern United in open stands with paper birch, States to New Jersey, Illinois, black spruce, alders, and willows. and Minnesota (local in Maryland Occasionally it forms dense stands and West Virginia), and north- on ñood plains with black spruce west to northeastern British Co- and white spruce. Where it does lumbia. occur naturally on upland well The Alaska trees were named drained sites, its growth rate may as a separate species, afterwards be equal to that of white spruce ; reduced to a variety and to syno- one stand in the Tanana Valley nymy. The slight differences in has produced trees 13 in. (33 cm.) cone-scales and their bracts seem in diameter in 100 years. insufficient for retention of a sep- The durable, strong wood is arate name. used to some extent for poles, rail- road ties, and fenceposts. Interior Alaska tamarack is re- SPRUCE (Picea) stricted to drainages between Brooks Range on the north and Spruce trees have short leaves Alaska Range on the south. Lo- (needles) spreading on all sides of cally abundant along Tanana twig, mostly 4-sided or slightly River but scattered along Yukon flattened, sharp-pointed and stiff, and Kuskokwim Rivers and up shedding promptly on drying. Koyukuk River to Allakaket but Twigs become rough from peg- not north to the limit of trees. hke bases of leaves. The cones West to Unalakleet River, which hang down.

Key to the 3 Alaska Species

Leaves (needles) 4-angled, with whitish lines (stomata) on all sides. Twigs hairy; needles mostly less than 1/2 in. (12 mm.) long, resin- ous; cones egg-shapped or nearly round, mostly less than 1 in. (2.5 cm.) long, curved down on short stalks, remaining on tree 4. black spruce (Picea mariana) Twigs hairless ; needles more than 1/2 iïi- (12 mm.) long, with skunk- like odor when crushed; comes cylindric, 1^/4-21/^ in (3-6 cm.) long, falling at maturity 5. white spruce (Picea glauca) Leaves (needles) flattened but slightly keeled, with 2 whitish bands (stomata) on lower surface; twigs hairless; cones cylindric, 2-33^ in. (5-9 cm.) long, falling at maturity 6. Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis)

27 4. BLACK SPRUCE such as northern side of Alaska Range. Dense pure stands are fre- (Picea mariana (Mili.) quently on wet area bums. Clus- B.S.P.) ters of black spruce are common, because the lower branches take Other names: bog spruce, root to form a ring of small trees swamp spruce. around the central parent tree. Evergreen resinous tree of in- Besides its usually different terior forests, usually small and habitat and smaller size with 15-30 ft. (4.5-9 m.) high, and more compact branching, black 3-6 in. (7.5-15 cm.) in trunk di- spruce is distinguished from ameter, with narrow pointed white spruce by the shorter and crown. Often a shrub 10 ft. (3 m.) blunter needles, hairy twigs, and or less in height. Sometimes a smaller cones with brittle, slightly medium-sized tree to 50-60 ft. toothed cone-scales curved down (15-18 m.)^ tall and 9 in. (23 cm.) on short stalks and remaining at- in trunk diameter, the maximum tached several years. The twigs of height measured 72 ft. (22 m.). black spruce are reported to be The branches are short, sparse, tougher and gummier also. These and often slightly drooping at 2 species of the interior forests ends. Leaves (needles) short- can be distinguished also in the stalked, spreading on all sides of seedling stage by the finely twig, 1/4-% i^- (6-15 mm.) long, toothed leaf margins in white 4-angled, pointed, stiff, ashy blue spruce and absence of teeth in green, with w^hitish lines (sto- black spruce. Logs and tree mata) on all sides. Twigs slender, trunks can be identified by inner hairy, covered with very short bark color, yellowish in black reddish hairs, becoming brown spruce and whitish in white and rough from peglike bases of spruce. Annual growth rings of leaves. Bark thin, composed of black spruce wood are narrower gray or blackish scales, brown be- also. neath, the cut surface of inner bark yellowish. Wood yellowish The wood is of slight impor- white, light-weight, soft, fine-tex- tance for lumber because of the tured, with growth rings very small size of the trees. Occasion- narrow to almost microscopic. ally the logs are cut along with Cones curved downward on white spruce for cabins. The trees short stalks, small and short, egg- are important as fuel, especially shaped or nearly round, %-li4 in stands killed by fire, remaining in, (1.5-3 cm.) long, dull gray or standing and well preserved for blackish, remaining on tree sev- several decades. Southward black eral years and often conspicuously spruce is a popular Christmas clustered in tree tops ; cone-scales tree. rigid and brittle, rounded, and Interior Alaska north to south- slightly toothed. Seeds brown, ern slopes of Brooks Range but about 1/^ in. (12 mm.) long includ- at lower elevations and not as far ing large wing. north as white spruce. West to Black spruce is characteristic of upper and to Elim at cold wet flats, muskegs, north- base of ; re- facing slopes, silty valley terraces, ported only to Kaltag on Yukon and lake margins in the spruce- River and the Stoney River on birch interior forests up to an alti- Kuskokwim River. Southwest at tude of 2,000 ft. (610 m.), locally base of Alaska Peninsula to Bris- to 2,700 ft. (823 m.). Extending tol Bay at Naknek. South of to tree line on gentle damp slopes, Alaska Range in Susitna Valley,

28 Figure 4.—^Black spruce (Picea mari" ana)^ natural size. Cook Inlet and Kenai Peninsula south to Homer, and Copper River basin south to Tonsina. Not in southeast Alaska. Chugach Na- tional Park, Kenai National Moose Range. East across Canada near northern limit of trees to Hudson Bay, Labrador, and New- foundland, south to New Jersey, Minnesota, , and British Columbia. composed of slightly drooping 5. WHITE SPRUCE branches with upturned ends and many small drooping side twigs. (Picea glauca (Moench) Leaves (needles) short-stalked, Voss) spreading on all sides of twig but massing on top near ends, V2-% Other names: western white in. (12-20 mm.) long, 4-angled, spruce, Canadian spruce, Alberta sharp-pointed, stiff, blue green, spruce, Picea glauca var. alber- with whitish lines on all sides; Uaná (S. Brown) Sarg.; Porsild leaves and twigs with skunklike spruce, P. glauca vat, porsildii odor when crushed. Twigs slender, Raup. hairless, orange brown, becoming White spruce, the most impor- rough from peglike bases of tant tree of the spruce-birch in- leaves. Bark thin, gray, smoothish terior forest, is a medium-sized to or in scaly plates, the cut surface large tree 40-70 ft. (12-21 m.) of inner bark whitish. Wood al- high and 6-18 in. (15-46 cm.) in most white, the sapwood not trunk diameter. On the best sites easily distinguished, moderately it reaches 80-115 ft. (24-35 m.) lightweight, moderately soft, of and 30 in. (76 cm.), but at timber- fine and moderately uneven tex- line it becomes a prostrate shrub ture, with growth rings easily with a broad base below the snow- seen in cross-sections. cover line. Crown pointed and Cones nearly stalkless, hanging usually very narrow and spire- down, cylindric, ll^-2l/2 in. (3-6 like, sometimes broad and conical. I cm.) long, shiny light brown,

29 falling at maturity; cone-scales as noted under that species. Nat- thin and flexible, margins nearly ural hybrids between white spruce straight and without teeth. Seeds and black spruce apparently are brown, about % in. (10 mm.) very rare in interior Alaska. One long, including large wing. intermediate tree identified as a White spruce is the commonest hybrid was discovered among tree of interior Alaska, occuring trees of these two species on the from near sea level to tree line at north edge of Tanana Valley about 1,000-3,500 ft. (305-1,607 about 250 miles (400 km.) east- m. ). The tree line is lowest in the southeast of Fairbanks, at about north and west and on north-fac- 1,800 feet (550 m.) elevation. ing slopes and highest in the White spruce is used exten- southeast interior and on south- sively in interior Alaska for cabin facing slopes. This species is logs, peeled and in natural form, found in mostly open forests, usu- sawed flat on 3 sides, or milled on ally with paper birch or in pure lathes into uniformly round logs stands. In a few places, such as having diameters of 6, 8, or 10 the , it inches (15, 20, or 25 cm.). Large extends to tidewater. Although numbers of pilings and rough tim- not exacting as to site, this species bers from interior Alaska have grows best on well drained soils been transported to the North on south-facing gentle slopes and Slope for construction of oil sandy soils along the edges of drilling platforms. Timbers for lakes and rivers. It forms the bridges and corduroy roads are tallest forests along the large other uses. A small quantity is cut rivers, where running water for fuel also. This species supplies thaws the soil. It is seldom found much of the lumber sawed in in- where permafrost is close to the terior Alaska, also dimension ma- surface. White spruce often re- terial for buildings in light and places balsam poplar along the medium construction. Early uses river floodplains and also invades included flumes, sluice boxes, and the open forests of birch and boats. aspen that follow fire. The trees In Canada, white spruce is the have average growth rate, attain- most important commercial tree ing an age of 100-200 years at species and the foremost pulp- maturity. wood. Uses include scaffolding Alaska trees commonly have planks, paddles and oars, sound- very narrow crowns and short ing boards in musical instru- broad cones and have been re- ments, shop fittings, agricultural ferred to a western variety (west- implements, kitchen cabinets, ern white spruce, var. albertiana boxes, cooperage, shelving, ve- (S. Brown) Sarg.). In contrast neer, and plywood. The seasoned the trees of the typical variety, wood is almost tasteless and odor- for example, in the Lakes States less and well suited for food con- and Northeast, have broader tainers. conical crowns. Another western The range of white spruce variation scattered in Alaska has through interior Alaska corre- smooth bark with resin blisters sponds to that mapped for the (as in ñr) and relatively broad spruce-birch interior forests, crown (Por slid spruce, var. north and west to the limit of tree porsildii Raup). growth but not in the southeast. On Kenai Peninsula, where this In the northeast to Firth River species meets Sitka spruce, hy- and its tributary Joe Creek on the brids or intermediate trees occur, Arctic slope and north to south

30 Figure 5.—^White spruce iPicea glauca), natural size. slopes of Brooks Range and north- west to near Chuk- chi Sea. West to upper Fish River on Seward Peninsula, Unalakleet, Mountain Village on Yukon River, Holitna River on Kusko- kwim River, and reaching Bristol Bay coast at Dillingham on 6. SITKA SPRUCE Nushagak Bay. Also south of Alaska Range from Susitna Val- (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) ley to Cook Inlet and northern Carr.) Kenai Peninsula and east to Copper River Basin. Chugach Na- Other names: tideland spruce, tional Forest, Mt. McKinley Na- yellow spruce, western spruce, sil- tional Park, Katmai National ver spruce, coast spruce. Monument, Kenai National Moose Sitka spruce is the largest and Range, Arctic National Wildlife one of the most valuable trees in Range. East across Canada near Alaska, also the State tree. Large northern limit of trees to Hudson to very large evergreen tree to Bay, Labrador, and Newfound- 160 ft. (49 m.) in height and 3-5 land, south to New York, Minne- ft. (0.9-1.5 m.) in trunk diameter, sota, Montana, and British Co- infrequently to 200-225 ft. (61- lumbia, also local in Black Hills. 69 m.) and 7-8 ft. (2.1-2.4 m.) or

31 more. From the much enlarged or ft. (5.4 m.) in trunk diameter and butressed base, the tall straight 248 ft. (75,6 m,) in height,) West- evenly tapering trunk rises to an ward on the Chugach National open pointed broad conical crown Forest, the trees are smaller, av- with horizontal branches. Leaves eraging 80 ft. (24 m.) in height, (needles) standing out on all sides 11/1 ft. (45 cm.) in diameter, and of twig, flattened and slightly about 200 years in age. At Afog- keeled, %-l in. (15-25 mm.) nak and Kodiak Islands there are long, sharp-pointed, dark green, pure stands of Sitka spruce, the the upper surface slightly keeled only conifer. On Kodiak Island or angled and with 2 whitish near the southwestern limit, this bands (stomata), lower surface tree is reported to be migrating rounded or slightly keeled and westward during the past few sometimes with few whitish lines. centuries. Twigs stout, stiff, hairless, light This species extends from sea brown to dark brown, becoming level to the timberline up to about rough from peglike bases of leaves. 3,000 ft. (914 m.) in the coastal Bark gray and smoothish on small mountains but grows mainly at trunks, thin, becoming dark altitudes below 1,500 ft (457 m.). purplish brown with scaly plates, However, dwarf plants have been the inner bark whitish with brown seen as high as 3,500-3,900 ft. dots. Wood moderately hght- (1067-1189 m.) on unglaciated weight, moderately soft, of fine rocky outcrops (nunataks) proj- and moderately even texture, and ecting above the Juneau Ice Field. usually very straight grained. In bare or open areas, such as Sapwood nearly white and heart- at Glacier Bay, the bushy trees wood light reddish brown. often propagate by layering. The Cones short-stalked, hanging lowest branches touch the ground, down, cylindric, 2-31/4 in. (5-9 become partly covered up, develop cm.) long, light orange brown, roots, and then turn upward to falling at maturity; cone-scales form separate trees. Sprouts from long, stiff, thin, rounded and ir- stumps have been observed also. regularly toothed. Seeds brown, Small groves of Sitka spruce about 1/2 in. (12 mm.) long, in- trees were planted as early as cluding large wing. 1805 by Russians at Unalaska, Sitka spruce forms more than near the eastern end of the tree- 20 percent of the hemlock-spruce less Aleutian Islands and far out- coastal forests of Alaska and also side the tree limits. These trees occurs in pure stands. It grows are still growing and have pro- more rapidly and to larger size duced cones. Younger trees are than v/estern hemlock and is more absent, perhaps because of graz- light-requiring. The largest old ing. Several plantings have been growth trees in southeast Alaska made also on other Aleutians have trunk diameters exceeding Both the common and scientific 8 ft. (2.4 m.) and ages of 500-750 names honor Sitka Island, now years or more. Many years ago Baranof Island, where the south- there was reported a giant I41/2 east Alaska town of Sitka is lo- ft. (4.4 m.) in trunk diameter cated. measured 6 ft. (1.8 m.) above the Sitka spruce produces high- ground, but further information grade wood pulp, the best on the including the locality is lacking, Pacific coast. The wood with that (The national champion Sitka of western hemlock is extensively spruce, at Forks, Wash., is some- used in manufacture of news- what larger, approximately 17.9 print. This species is also the prin-

32 Figure 6.—Sitka spruce (Picea sitcheri'- sis)^ three-fourths natural size.

boats, particularly racing sculls. Resonant qualities, large size, and uniformity make the wood valu- able for piano sounding boards. Much low-grade lumber is made into packing boxes for the Alaska salmon industry. Other uses are general construction, food con- tainers, shelving, and kitchen fur- cipal -timber tree of southeast nishings. Alaska has about two- Alaska and is made into all the fifths of the total supply of this usual forms of lumber. The high- species and seven-eighths of the grade lumber from the large clear United States supply. trunks has many uses. It is the The range of Sitka spruce is the most important wood for airplane same as the hemlock-spruce and glider construction, and in coastal forests of southeast and World War II was utilized espe- southern Alaska. Throughout cially in British mosquito bomb- southeast Alaska north to head of ers. Other important uses are Lynn Canal at Skagway, Glacier oars, ladders and scaffolding, and Bay, and Yakutat Bay. West

33 along coast of southern Alaska to are slightly 4-angled, less so than Prince William Sound, Kenai in white spruce and are near Sitka Peninsula, and west side of Cook spruce in the whitish upper sur- Inlet. Along southern coast of faces. The cones are intermediate Alaska Peninsula southwest to its in size or small as in white spruce. westernmost limit at Cape Kubu- Cone-scales are short as in gakli near southern boundary of white spruce but like Sitka spruce Katmai National Monument. Also in being thin, light brown, and Afognak Island and eastern half irregularly toothed. These hy- of Kodiak Island, where it is the brids are found on Kenai Penin- only conifer. South Tongass, sula where the ranges of the two North Tongass, and Chugach Na- species meet and overlap slightly tional Forests, Glacier Bay Na- and may be sought elsewhere tional Monument, Kenai National along the border between the Moose Range, Kodiak Island Na- coastal and interior forest types. tional Wildlife Refuge. From Kodiak Island and southern Alaska southeast along Pacific HEMLOCK (Tsuga) coast to northwestern California. On Kenai Peninsula there are Hemlock trees have very slen- natural hybrids between white der leading twigs or leaders spruce and Sitka spruce (Picea which are curved down or nod- glauca X sitchensis; Lutz spruce, ding. The leaves are short needles, Picea X häzii Little). The hybrid flat or half-round, blunt, soft, and is a tree 55-70 ft. (17-21 m.) high not stiff, with short leaf-stalks, and 1-11/2 ft. (30-45 cm.) in shedding promptly on drying. trunk diameter. Hybrid trees are Twigs are very slender, becoming recognized by their leaves and roughened by peglike bases after cones intermediate between those leaves fall. The cones are stalkless of the parent species. The leaves and usually hang down.

Key to the 2 Alaska Species

Leaves (needles) flat, appearing in 2 rows, shiny dark green above, with 2 whitish bands (stomata) on lower surface; %-l in. (1.5- 2.5 cm.) long _ 7. western hemlock {Tsuga heterophylla) Leaves (needles) half-round and keeled or angled beneath, crowded on all sides of short side twigs, blue green, with whitish lines (sto- mata) on both surfaces; cones cylindric, I-2V2 in. (2.5-6 cm.) long 8. mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) 7. WESTERN HEMLOCK and short narrow crown of horizontal or slightly drooping (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) branches, the very slender leading Sarg.) twig curved down or nodding. The largest trees are as much as 190 Other names: west coast hem- ft. (58 m.) in height and 5 ft. lock (lumber), Paciñc hemlock; (1.5 m.) or more in diameter. formerly Tsuga mertensiana auth. Leaves (needles) short-stalked, Large evergreen tree becoming spreading in 2 rows, %-% in. 100-150 ft. (30-46 m.) tall and (6-22 mm.) long, flat, rounded at 2-4 ft. (0.6-1.2 m.) in trunk di- tip, flexible, shiny dark green ameter, with long slender trunk above, and with 2 whitish bands often becoming fluted when large, (stomata) on lower surface. Twigs

34 Figure 7.—^Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) ^ natural size.

mm.) long including large wing. Western hemlock is the most abundant and one of the most im- portant tree species in southeast Alaska and forms more than 70 percent of the dense hemlock- spruce coastal forests. This spe- slender, dark reddish brown, cies attains its largest size on finely hairy, roughened by peglike moist flats and lower slopes, but bases after leaves fall. Bark red- with abundant moisture, both dish brown to gray brown, becom- atmospheric and soil, it grows well ing thick and furrowed into scaly on shallow soils. It is very tol- plates ; a pocketknif e will disclose erant of shade. the red inner bark not found in This species is one of the best spruce. Wood moderately light- pulpwoods for paper and paper- weight, moderately hard, of mod- board and products such as rayon. erately fine and even textured, Other important uses are lumber non-resinous. Heartwood pale for general construction, railway reddish brown, sapwood similar or ties, mine timbers, and marine whitish. piling. The wood is suited also for Cones stalkless and hanging interior finish, boxes and crates, down at end of twig, small, ellip- kitchen cabinets, flooring and ceil- tic, %-l in. (1.5-2.5 cm.) long, ing, gutter stock, and veneer for brown, with many thin papery plywood. The outer bark contains scales. Seeds about 1/2 in« (12 a high percentage of and is 35 a potential source of this product. stout and blunt, blue green and Alaska Indians made coarse bread with whitish lines (stomata) on from the inner bark of this tree both surfaces. Twigs mostly and shore pine. Western hemlock short, slender, light reddish is the State tree of Washington. brown, finely hairy, roughened by Western hemlock has the dis- peglike bases after leaves fall. tribution of the hemlock-spruce Bark gray to dark brown, thick, coastal forests of southeast and and deeply furrowed into scaly southern Alaska but does not go plates. Wood moderately heavy, as far west as Sitka spruce, not moderately hard, and moderately reaching Afognak and Kodiak fine and even textured. Heartwood Islands or the west side of Cook pale reddish brown, sapwood thin Inlet. It extends throughout and similar or whitish. southeast Alaska north to head of Cones stalkless and usually Lynn Canal at Skagway, Glacier hanging down, cylindric, 1-21^ in. Bay, and Yakutat Bay, west to (2.5-6 cm.) long and % in. (2 Prince WiUiam Sound and east cm.) wide, purplish but turning side of Cook Inlet to Portlock at brown, with many thin papery southwest end of Kenai Peninsula scales. Seeds hght brown, about and northwest to hills around 1/^ in. (12 mm.) long including Anchorage. South Tongass, North large wing. Tongass, and Chugach National Mountain hemlock extends from Forests, Glacier Bay National sea level to an altitude of 3,000- Monument, and Kenai National 3,500 ft. (914-1067 m.), growing Moose Range. Southeast along in an altitude higher than other Pacific coast to northwestern Cali- trees. On upland sites, it is well fornia and east in mountains to formed and resembles western southeastern British Columbia, hemlock. Toward the timberline, northwestern Montana, and north- it replaces the latter and becomes ern Idaho. a prostrate shrub. It grows with shore pine in muskegs of deep 8. MOUNTAIN HEMLOCK peat as well as on subalpine slopes on the ocean side of the Coast (Tsuga mertensiana (Bong.) Range in southeast Alaska. In the Carr. ) Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet regions, mountain hemlock Other names: alpine hemlock, is found on better drained slopes black hemlock. and near tidewater, reaching its Small to large evergreen tree maximum height. becoming 50-100 ft. (15-30 m.) The wood is marketed with high and 10-30 in. (25-76 cm.) in western hemlock, being similar trunk diameter, maximum about but somewhat more dense, and 125 ft. (38 m.) and 40 in. (1 m.), has the same uses. Nearly pure with marked taper when open stands of mountain hemlock on grown, narrow crown of hori- Prince of Wales Island have been zontal or drooping branches, and logged for pulp. The wood has very slender leading twig curved been used for railroad ties. How- down or nodding; a shrub near ever, in the higher altitudes timber line. Leaves (needles) where commonly found, mountain mostly crowded on all sides of hemlock is largely inaccessible short side twigs and curved up- and unimportant commercially. ward, short-stalked, i/4-l in. (6- Southeast and southern Alaska. 25 mm.) long, flattened above and Through southeast Alaska north rounded, keeled, or angled be- to head of Lynn Canal at Skag- neath (half-round in section), way, Glacier Bay, and Yakutat 36 Figure 8.—Mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiand) ^ natural size.

rowed into stalks at base and have an elHptic leaf-scar. Winter buds Bay, west to Prince William are distinctive, pointed, red Sound, Kenai Peninsula, and east brown, and not resinous. The ellip- side of Cook Inlet. Also local at tic, light brown cones 2-31/2 in. Lake Iliamna on Alaska Peninsula. (5-9 cm.) hang down and have South Tongass, North Tongass, thin rounded - cone-scales and and Chugach National Forests, prominent 3-toothed bracts. Doug- Glacier Bay National Monument, las-fir, one of the world's most Kenai National Moose Range. valuable timber trees, is wide- Southeast along Pacific Coast of spread in the Pacific coast and British Columbia and in moun- Rocky Mountain regions north in tains to western Montana and cen- British Columbia nearly to Alaska. tral California. On the coast it extends almost to This species honors the German the north end of Island naturalist Karl Heinrich Mertens and slightly inland north to Gard- (1796-1830), who discovered it ner Canal In the interior it near Sitka, Alaska, in 1827. ranges north to Fort McLeod and Douglas-fir ( men- Tacla Lake at latitude 55°, north ziesii (Mirb.) Franco; Ps. taxi- of the southern tip of Alaska. folia (Poir.) Britton) though not native is sometimes planted in southeast Alaska as an ornamen- FIR {Ahies) tal and in forestry tests. Growth Fir trees have narrow pointed is rapid. The ñat leaves (needles) crowns with mostly horizontal %--1^4 in. (1.5-3 cm.) long re- branches. The leaves are flat semble those of fir but are nar- needles without leafstalks, those

37 on lower branches often spreading right axis persists on the twig. in 2 rows along the twig, others No old cones remain on the trees mostly curving upward. Older or on the ground. twigs are smooth with round leaf- Two species of fir are present in scars. Cones are upright and southeastern Alaska, both rare stalkless in the highest branches. and local. They are not likely to At maturity the cone-scales and be seen without a special trip to seeds are shed, but the narrow up- one of the places mentioned.

Key to the 2 Alaska Species

Leaves (needles) shiny dark green on upper surface and silvery white with many lines (stomata) on lower surface 9. Pacific silver fir (Abies mnahilis) Leaves (needles) dull dark green with whitish lines (stomata) on both surface 10. subalpine fir {Abies lasiocarpa)

9. PACIFIC SILVER FIR axis in autumn. Seeds light brown, about 1 in. (2.5 cm.) long, includ- (Abies amabilis (DougL) ing broad wing. Forbes) The trees are logged with other conifers. Fir logs are sawed into Other names: silver fir, white lumber with Sitka spruce, if large fir (lumber). and clear, or chipped with hem- Medium-sized resinous and aro- lock and used for pulp. South- matic tree rare and local in ex- ward, where more abundant, the treme southeast Alaska, becoming wood is used for interior finish. 80 ft. (24 m.) tall and 24 in. (60 Pacific silver fir is rare and local cm.) in trunk diameter, maximum in extreme southeast Alaska. It 149 ft. (45 m.) tall and 49 in. has been recorded from well- (1.24 m.) in diameter. Leaves drained lower slopes of canyons, (needles) crowded and spreading, benches, and flats from sea level stalkless, %-lVé in. (2-3 cm.) to 1,000 ft. (305 m.) altitude in long, flat, deeply grooved and the coastal forest of Sitka spruce shiny dark green above, beneath and eastern hemlock, being very silvery white with whitish lines shade tolerant. Large trees were (stomata), those on lower branch- found on forest survey plots east es notched or rounded at tips and of Ketchikan in mountains near spreading in 2 rows, those toward Marten Arm of Boca de Quadra, top of tree shorter and sharp- Smeaton Bay of Behm Canal, and pointed, twisted in brushlike mass near Thorne Arm. Also at Very on upper side of twig. Twigs slen- Inlet. Northeast of Ketchikan, der, finely hairy. Bark smooth, trees have been observed in Car- gray, splotched with white. Wood rol Inlet and George Inlet. How- with whitish sapwood and pale ever, earlier reports from Kos- brow^n heartwood, fine-textured, ciusko Island and near northern lightweight, soft. end of Prince of Wales Island re- Cones in highest branches, up- main unverified. South Tongass right, 4-5 in. (10-12.5 cm.) long^ National Forest. South through 2-21/4 in. (5-6 cm.) in diameter Pacific coast region of British purplish, finely hairy or nearly Columbia and in mountains to hairless ; many fan-shaped round- Oregon and northwestern Cali- ed overlapping scales, falling from fornia. 38 Figure 9.—^Pacific silver fir (Abies ama- bilis) ^ natural size.

and aromatic. However, larger trees to 95 ft. (29 m.) tall and 27 in. (69 cm.) in diameter have been observed. Leaves (needles) crowd- ed and spreading, stalkless, %- 11/2 in. (2-4 cm.) long, flat, dark blue green and with whitish lines 10. SUBALPINE FIR (stomata) on both sides, grooved above, those on lower branches (Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) rounded on occasionally notched (Nutt.) at tip and in 2 rows, those near top of tree shorter, pointed, stiff, Other names: alpine fir, white and twisted upward and curved on fir (lumber). upper side of twig. Twigs gray, Small to medium-sized ever- rusty hairy. Bark ash gray, green tree, rare and local in south- smooth, thin. Wood pale brown, east Alaska, commonly 20-60 ft. fine-textured, lightweight, soft, (6-18 m.) high and 4-12 in, (10- usually knotty because of the 30 cm.) in trunk diameter, with many persistent branches. long, narrow, sharp-pointed, or Cones in highest branches, up- spirelike crown and branches ex- right, cylindric, 21/2-4 in. (6-10 tending nearly to base, resinous cm.) long and I14-II/2 in. (3-4 39 cm.) in diameter, dark purple, Columbia and southwestern Al- finely hairy; many fan-shaped, berta and in mountains to New rounded, overlapping scales, fall- Mexico, , and Oregon. ing from axis in autumn. Seeds Subalpine fir has been reported light brown, % in. (1.5 cm.) long, from 3 localities in south central including broad wing. Alaska: Copper River Basin, Subalpine fir is of rare, local Mentasta Pass on Glenn Highway, occurrence in mountains of south- and mountains northeast of east Alaska. This inland tree Anchorage. Specimens are needed grows in cool, moist subalpine before those unverified range ex- slopes near timberline, becoming tensions should be accepted. shrubby or prostrate, and is found on the valley ñoors as well It ap- pears to be very shade tolerant. CYPRESS FAMILY Near the southernmost tip of Alaska, subalpine fir is known ( Cupressaceae ) from several localities. At Hyder The cypress family (Cupres- it is in Salmon River valley near saceae) has 2 genera and species sea level and at higher altitudes of trees in Alaska, also a third near the timberline at 2,500 ft. genus with 2 species of low (762 m.) and on the Texas Creek shrubs, . This family for- road. It grows in the forest of merly included in the pine family Sitka spruce and hemlock. Also is characterized by small scalelike at 3,000 ft. (914 m.) altitude on leaves paired or in 3's. The cones Harris Ridge near Hollis and Vir- are small with few cone-scales ginia Mountain near Calder on bearing mostly few seeds with Prince of Wales Island, associated short side wings. However, juni- with mountain hemlock and Sitka pers have berrylike cones and spruce. wingless seeds. At the northern end of south- Characteristics of the 3 genera east Alaska, subalpine fir from and names of their Alaska species the interior of British Columbia are summarized here for ready crosses over the divide of the identification. Coast Range. In Taku River valley Western redcedar (Thuja pli- northeast of Juneau, this species cata Donn), the only Alaska extends from the Canadian border species of thuja. Leaves scalelike, down to sea level on outwash of flattened and curved, on flattened Norris Glacier. It is common, twigs in fanlike sprays. Small scattered with Sitka spruce, hem- cones clustered near ends of twigs lock, and black cottonwood. Near and becoming turned up. Skagway at head of Lynn Canal, Alaska-cedar ( Chamaecyparis subalpine fir descends from tim- nootkaterisis (D. Don) Spach), berline at 3,000 ft (914 m.) to the only species of white-cedar. sea level. Leaves scalelike, pointed and Northeastward in Yukon Terri- spreading. Leafy twigs 4-angled tory, this species occurs within or slightly flattened. Cones small, 125 miles (200 km.) of the Alaska hard, nearly round. border along Stewart River, a Juniper (Juniperus), 2 species, tributary of Yukon River. South common juniper (J. commimis Tongass and North Tongass Na- L.) and creeping juniper (J. hori- tional Forests. Southeast Alaska, zontalis Moench), Dwarf shrubs central Yukon Territory, and with scalelike or awl-shaped southwestern District of Mac- leaves, small round berrylike kenzie, south through British cones, and few wingless seeds. 40 Figure IG.—Subalpine fir (Abies lasio- carpa), natural size.

11. WESTERN REDCEDAR (Thuja plicata Donn) Other names : giant arborvitae, canoe cedar, shinglewood, Pacific redcedar, arborvitae. Large evergreen tree 70-100 ft. (21-30 m.) tall, sometimes 130 .^^^ ft. (40 m.), with tapering trunk 2-4 ft. (0.6-1.2 m.) in diameter, long ridges. Wood with the dis- sometimes to 6 ft. (1.8 m.), swol- tinctive odor of cedars, fine- len or buttressed base, pointed textured, straight-grained, light- conical crown, and horizontal weight, moderately soft, and branches curving upward at tips. brittle. Heartwood reddish brown, Leaves scalelike, fattened, yiß-Vs the narrow sapwood white. in. (1.5-3 mm.) long, on leader Cones clustered near ends of twigs to 1/4 in. (6 mm.) long and twigs and becoming turned up on pointed, shiny yellow green above short stalks, elliptic, i^ in. (12 and dull green below. Leafy twigs mm.) long, light brown, composed flattened, in fanhke sprays, sHght- of several paired elliptic leathery ly drooping, older twigs gray and cone-scales. Seeds 3 or fewer smooth. Bark gray or brown, thin, under a cone-scale, %6 in. (5 mm.) fibrous and stringy or shreddy, long, light brown, with 2 narrow becoming thick and furrowed into wings.

41 Figure 11.—^Western redcedar (Thuja plicata), natural size.

Western redcedar is well suited for boat and canoe construction. It is the most widely used wood for shingles. Other uses of this very durable lightweight wood are utility poles, f enceposts, light con- struction, pulp, clothes closets and chests, conduits, piling, and fish- trap floats. The Indians employed Western redcedar is native in the wood for totem poles, dugout the southern half of southeast , and houses and made Alaska from sea level to 3,000 ft. mats, baskets, and from the (915 m.) altitude on the west stringy bark. This is an important slopes of the Coast Range, attain- timber tree of the coast region of ing its largest size below 500 ft. British Columbia. Western red- (150 m.). Although sometimes in cedar is exported to Japan in log pure stands, it is also dominant in form, though some is used locally. the redcedar-hemlock forest and Southern half of southeast scattered in the hemlock-spruce Alaska north to Wrangell and forest. It is of moderately slow vicinity of Petersburg on southern growth and long-lived. parts of Mitkof, Kupreanof, and 42 Figure 12.—Alaska-cedar {Chamaecy- paris nootkatensis), natural size. Kuiu Islands. On Kupreanof Island north to Duncan Canal (collected on Woewodski Island) but not found at Portage Bay on north end where formerly reported. South Tongass National Forest and south end of North Tongass National Forest. Pacific coast re- gion of southeast Alaska south to northwestern California, also east in Rocky Mountains to west- ern Montana and southeastern British Columbia, 43 12. ALASKA-CEDAR (38-51 cm.) in trunk diameter being 200-300 years old. (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis The very durable aromatic (D. Don) Spach) wood is easily worked and takes a beautiful finish. It is valuable Other names: Alaska yellow- for window frames and exterior cedar, Nootka false-cypress, yel- doors, boat construction, and sim- low-cedar, Alaska cypress, Sitka ilar purposes. It is used also for cypress, yellow cypress. utility poles, piles, interior finish, Medium sized evergreen tree furniture, cabinet work, patterns, 40-80 ft. (12-24 m.) high and 1-2 and novelties. Indians of south- ft. (30-60 cm.) in trunk diameter, east Alaska made their canoe pad- sometimes a large tree to 100 ft. dles from this wood. Much Alaska- (30 m.) tall and 4 ft. (1.2 m.) in cedar is exported to Japan in log diameter, with narrow crown of form, though some is used locally. slightly drooping branches. Leaves Through southeast Alaska north scalelike, Vie-Vs i^i- (1.5-3 mm.) to Lynn Canal and Yakutat and long, pointed and spreading, yel- west in southern Alaska to Glacier low green, with slightly spread- Island and Wells Bay in Prince ing, pointed tips ; leaves on leader William Sound. South Tongass, twigs to l^ in. (6 mm.) long and North Tongass, and Chugach Na- sharp-pointed. Leafy twigs 4- tional Forests. Pacific coast region angled or slightly flattened, in from southern Alaska southeast flat, spreading sprays on slightly through British Columbia and in drooping branches, becoming mountains to Oregon and north- reddish brown. Bark shreddy, western California. with long narrow shreds and as- sures, ash gray or purplish brown. Wood with distinctive odor, fine- WILLOW FAMILY textured, relatively straight- (Salicaceae) grained, moderately heavy, mod- erately hard. Heartwood bright The willow family (Salicaceae) yellow with narrow band of lighter contains the cottonwoods, poplars, sapwood. and aspens (all in the genus Popu- Cones scattered, short-stalked, lus with 3 tree species in Alaska), nearly round, less than 1/2 in. (12 and the willows {Salix), a large mm.) in diameter, hard, ashy genus of 33 or more native species gray, often covered with whitish ranging in size from creeping or bloom, of 4 or 6 paired rounded dwarf shrubs to large shrubs and hard cone-scales each with a cen- small trees (12 species). Distin- tral pointed projection, maturing guishing characters are as fol- in 2 years. Seeds 2-4 under a lows: (1) leaves borne singly cone-scale, %6 in. (4 mm.) long, (alternate), with margins evenly brown, with 2 broad wings. toothed or without teeth ( entire) Alaska-cedar extends along the but not lobed; (2) flower clusters coast of southeast Alaska from () composed of an axis sea level to timberline but is best bearing many small flowers each developed at 500-1,200 ft. (150- above a scale, in early spring be- 365 m.) altitude. It is scattered fore or with the leaves; (3) flow- with western redcedar, in pure ers without sepals or petals, of stands, in forests of Sitka spruce 2 kinds on different plants, male and western hemlock, and, on flowers with pollen and on other higher slopes or muskegs, with plants the female flowers with mountain hemlock. The trees are seeds ; and (4) the tiny seeds with slow-growing, those 15-20 in. long white cottony hairs, borne in 44 small seed capsules mostly 2- woods have deeply lobed scales parted. soon shedding, a broad or cup- Cottonwoods, poplars, and as- shaped disk, and 10 to many pens usually have broad leaves stamens. Willow flowers have with petiole nearly as long as scales without or with teeth, per- blade, stout twigs, and large win- sistent or late shedding, disk re- ter buds with several scales ex- duced usually to. 1 small gland, posed, resinous (except in aspen), and 2-8 stamens. an end (terminal) bud present. Willows usually have narrow COTTONWOOD, POPLAR, leaves with very short petioles, ASPEN (Populus) slender or wiry twigs, and small winter buds covered by a single This genus has no single Eng- scale, without an end bud. Cat- lish common name. The 3 Alaska kins in the genus of cottonwoods species of the cottonwood genus, hang down, while those of wil- all common trees, are balsam pop- lows are upright or slightly lar, black cottonwood, and quak- spreading. Flowers of cotton- ing aspen. Key to the 3 Alaska Species Leaf blades longer than broad, 21/2-5 in. (6-12.5 cm.) long; leafstalks round. Seed capsules pointed, hairless, 2-parted; leaves pale green and brownish beneath; tree of interior forests . 13. balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) Seed capsules rounded, hairy, 3 parted; leaves whitish beneath; tree of coastal forests _ 14. black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) Leaf blades nearly round, less than 2 in. (5 cm.) long; leafstalks flat- tened 15. quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) 13. BALSAM POPLAR hairy when young, with orange dots (lenticels), becoming gray, (Populus halsamifera L.) with raised leaf scars showing 3 Other names: tacamahac, taca- dots. Winter buds large, to 1 in. mahac poplar, cottonwood ; Popu- (2.5 cm.) long, long-pointed, lus tacamahaca Mill. sticky or resinous, covered with Medium-sized deciduous tree shiny brown scales, with pungent usually 30-50 ft. (9-15 m.) high, balsam odor which permeates the with straight trunk 4-12 in. (10- air in spring. Bark light gray to 30 cm.) in diameter and long thin gray, smooth, becoming rough, open crown, sometimes a large thick, and deeply furrowed. Wood tree 80-100 ft. (24-30 m.) tall and mth thick whitish sapwood and 2 ft. (60 cm.) in trunk diameter. light brown heartwood, fine-tex- Leaves with slender petioles 1-2 tured, lightweight, soft. in. (2.5-5 cm.) long, round, finely Flower clusters (catkins) 2-31^ hairy. Leaf blades ovate or broad- in. (5-9 cm.) long, narrow, droop- ly lance-shaped, 2y2-^V2 iïi- (S'- ing, with many small flowers il cm.) long, 11/2-3 in. (4-7.5 about Vs iïi- (3 mm.) long, each cm.) wide, mostly long-pointed at with disk and above a light brown apex and rounded at base, with hairy lobed scale, male and female many small rounded teeth, hair- on different trees (dioecious). less or nearly so, shiny dark green Male flowers with 20-30 reddish above, pale green and rusty brown purple stamens; female flowers beneath. Twigs red brown and with conic slightly 2-lobed hair- 45 less ovary and 2 broad wavy stig- The wood is used chiefly for mas. Seed capsules in catkins to boxes, crates, and pulpwood south- 6 in. (15 cm.) long, short-stalked, ward. A small amount is sawed egg-shaped, V4"%6 ii^- (6-8 mm.) for use in the Anchorage area and long, long-pointed, light brown, efforts are being made to broaden hairless but warty, 2-parted, with the market. many tiny cottony seeds. Flower- Interior Alaska, north and west ing in May-June before the leaves, to limits of trees, south to Kodiak fruit maturing in June. Island and northern end of south- Balsam poplar, sometimes erro- east Alaska. On south slopes of neously called balm-of-Gilead, is a Brooks Range in drainages of rapidly growing tree. It is com- Porcupine, Koyukuk, Kobuk, and mon in river valleys including Noatak Rivers; north of Brooks sandy bottoms and gravelly flood Range in small isolated stands plains, terraces, and coarse allu- along many of the rivers draining vial fans throughout the interior into Arctic Ocean but best devel- except near the coasts. In forests, oped and most extensive along especially in openings and clear- Canning River. West to Igloo near ings, it is associated with white western tip of Seward Peninsula ; spruce, birch, and aspen. It Js southward, at Unalakleet, and often common with willows and reaching coast of Bristol Bay near alders in flood plain thickets and Dillingham; on Alaska Peninsula along river banks. as far west as Chignik, and on In the mountains balsam poplar Kodiak Island. South of Alaska extends to somewhat higher alti- Range in Cook Inlet and Copper tudes than white spruce, to 3,500 River drainages and in extreme ft. (1067 m.) altitude or more on northern part of southeastern north and west slopes of the Alaska near Haines and Skagway Alaska Range. Also, it projects and Taku Inlet near Juneau. farther north to the Arctic slope North Tongass and Chugach Na- in a few places. At Firth River tional Forests, Mt. McKinley Na- near the northeast corner of tional Park, Katmai National Alaska and north of the treeline, Monument, Kenai National Moose balsam poplar, white spruce, and Range, Kodiak National Wildlife feltleaf willow are the only trees. Refuge, Arctic Range Wildlife. VEGETATION OF ALASKA (CENTER MAP BETWEEN PAGES 47-48) COASTAL FORESTS 1. Sitka spruce—hemlock forests. Tall, dense coastal forests of Sitka spruce, western hemlock, locally with other conifers, and black cottonwood, often inter- spersed with open treeless bogs. INTERIOR FORESTS or TAIGA 2. Closed spruce—hardwood forests. Tall to moderately tall closed forests of white and blaclt spruce, paper birch, aspen, and balsam poplar ; on moderate to well drained sites. 3. Open, low growing spruce forests and treeless bogs. Primarily of black spruce but often interspersed with white spruce, paper birch, tamarack, and willows, locally interspersed with treeless bogs; on poorly drained sites usually underlain by perma- frost, TUNDRA or TREELESS 4. Moist tundra. Tundra meadows dominated by sedges, especially in tussocks. Also extensive areas of willow and alder thickets on streams and protected slopes. 5. Wet tundra. Wet coastal tundra and marsh, predominantly sedges and grasses. Also extensive shrub thickets along streams. 6. Alpine tundra, ice and snow. Predominantly barren, alpine tundra dominated by white mountain-avens, low heath shrubs, prostrate willows, and dwarf herbs. Also extensive shrub thickets of resin birch, alder, and willows at lower elevations. 46 Figure 13.—Balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera), natural size. Winter twig at lower right.

47 VEGETATION OF ALASKA

COASTAL FORESTS

1. Sitka spruce—hemlock

INTERIOR FORESTS or TAIGA

2. Closed spruce—hardwood forests

3. Open, low growing spruce forests and treeless bogs

VEGETATION OF ALASKA. Legend on page 46. East across Canada to Labra- rowed with flat ridges. Wood with dor and Newfoundland, south in thin whitish sapwood and light eastern United States to West brown heartwood, fine-textured, Virginia, Indiana^ and Iowa and lightweight, soft. in western mountains locally as Flower clusters (catkins) IVs-S far south as Colorado. in. (4-7.5 cm.) long, narrow, Balsam poplar intergrades or drooping, with many small flowers hybridizes with black poplar in about Ys in. (3 mm.) long, each southern Alaska where ranges of with disk and above a light brown the two overlap^ as mentioned hairy lobed scale, male and female under the latter. Rare hybrids on different trees (dioecious). with quaking aspen, which has Male flowers with 40-60 reddish smaller, rounded leaves and flat- purple stamens; female flowers tened petioles, have been recorded v/ith rounded densely hairy ovary also. and 3 broad lobed stigmas. Seed capsules in catkins to 6 in. (15 14. BLACK COTTONWOOD cm.) long, short-stalked, rounded, (Populus trichocarpa %Q in. (5 mm.) in diameter, white Torr. & Gray) hairy, 3-parted, with many tiny cottony seeds. Flowering in May Other names: cottonwood, bal- before the leaves, fruit maturing sam cottonwood, northern black in June-July. cottonwood, Pacific poplar ; Popu- lus trichocarpa var. hastata Black cottonwood is the largest (Dode) Henry; P. balsamifera L. broadleaf tree in Alaska, growing ssp. trichocarpa (Torr. & Gray) rapidly to a height of 80-100 ft. Brayshaw, var. california S. (24-30 m.) at maturity. It is also Wats. the hardwood or broadleaf tree of Large deciduous tree to 80-100 greatest size in northwestern ft. (24-30 m.) tall, with straight North America, reaching a height trunk 3 ft. (1 m.) in diameter, of 125 ft. (38 m.) on the best sites with narrow pointed crown; in at age 35 years. age larger and developing a tall A champion of this species, the massive trunk and small flat- largest then known, was discov- topped crown. Leaves with slender ered in Alaska in 1965 by for- petioles 11/2-2 in. (4-5 cm.) long, esters on the State timber inven- round, finely hairy. Leaf blades tory project. Measurements of broadly ovate, 2V2-5 in. (6-12.5 this giant are as follows : circum- cm.) long, 11/2-^ in. (4-7.5 cm.) ference of trunk at breast height, wide, mostly long-pointed at apex, 32 ft. 6 in. (9.9 m.), total height, rounded or sHghtly notched at 101 ft. (30,8 m.), and estimated base, with many small rounded spread of crown, 60 ft. (18.3 m.). teeth, hairless or nearly so, shiny It is located on State land about dark green above, beneath whitish 25 miles (40 km.) northwest of and often with rusty specks. Haines on a gravel flat 300 ft, Twigs red brown and hairy when (91 m.) from Klehini River about young, with orange dots (lenti- 5 miles (8 km.) west of the village eels), becoming dark gray, some- of Klukwan. This ancient tree had times angled, with raised leaf its main stem broken off many scars showing 3 dots. Winter buds years ago but has several large large, to % in. (2 cm.) long, long- branches forming the top. The pointed, sticky or resinous, cov- trunk is deeply grooved and hol- ered with shiny brown scales. low. In 1969 a larger black cotton- Bark gray to dark gray, smooth, wood was found near Salem, becoming rough, thick, deeply fur- Oreg., thus replacing the northern

48 rival as the national champion. Though with a broken top and not as tall, the Klukwan giant has a slightly broader trunk than the Oregon winner, which measures 30 ft. 2 in. (9.2 m.) in circumfer- ence. This species is found in low- lands of the coastal forests of southeast and southern Alaska. It is best developed at lower levels on river bottoms and sandbars, forming pure stands with under- growth of willows and alders. It is common on the valley floors of a few large streams, such as Figure 14.—^Black cottonwood (Populus Stikine and Taku Rivers. Very trichocarpa), natural size. Winter twig rare on islands. at left. Trees are planted for shade in 49 towns of southeast Alaska. South- South Tongass, North Tongass, ward, the wood is used for boxes and Chugach National Forests, and crates, pulpwood, and ex- Glacier Bay National Monument, celsior. The small supply in Kenai National Moose Range, Alaska is a possible source of Kodiak , paper pulp, veneer, and lumber. Southern Alaska and southern Square cut logs have been used Yukon Territory south through for cabins. British Columbia to Montana, Black cottonwood is not easily Idaho, and California and in distinguished from its close rela- mountains to Utah and Baja tive, balsam poplar. Both have California. much the same general appear- Black cottonwood and balsam ance and similar habitats. The poplar have long been regarded as chief differences are in the seed separate species. The two have capsules, which in black cotton- geographic ranges mostly far wood are nearly round, densely apart and grow under somewhat hairy, and split into 3 parts and different climates with different which in balsam poplar are long- associated tree species. Recently er than broad and long-pointed, black poplar has been united by hairless but warty, and split into a few botanists as a subspecies of 2 parts. Also, there are minor dif- balsam poplar, because of the ferences in flowers. The pistil of slight differences and the inter- black cottonwood has 3 carpels mediate trees where the ranges and 3 stigmas, while that of bal- meet. However, foresters treat the sam poplar has 2 carpels and 2 two as separate species in forest stigmas. The number of stamens management. is reported to be greater in black cottonwood. Leaves of black cot- 15. QUAKING ASPEN tonwood generally are broader in (Populus tremuloides proportion to length and seem to Michx.) be whiter beneath. As the ranges of the two species are separate ex- Other names: American aspen, cept at their narrow borders, most trembling aspen, popple, squaws- trees or specimens without seed tongue; Popultts tremuloides var. capsules can be named by locality. aurea (Tidestr.) Daniels. Small to medium-sized decidu- Black cottonwood hybridizes ous tree commonly 20-40 ft. (6-12 extensively with balsam poplar m.) tall, maximum 80 ft. (24 m.), where the ranges meet and over- with straight trunk 3-12 in. (7.5- lap slightly, for example, in the 30 cm.) in diameter, maximum 18 Cook Inlet and Lynn Canal areas. in. (46 cm.), and short, irregu- Hybrids or intermediate trees are larly bent limbs making a narrow recognized by the seed capsules, domelike crown. Leaves with slen- which may be 3-parted and hair- der flattened petioles 1-2,5 in, less or 2-parted and hairy. (2.5-6 cm.) long. Leaf blades Pacific coast of southeastern nearly round, 1-2 in. (2.5-5 cm.) Alaska, rare toward southern end long and broad, short-pointed at and reported from only a few apex, rounded at base, with many islands ; commoner from Stikine small rounded teeth, hairless, River north to head of Lynn shiny green above, pale beneath, Canal along the Dyea, Chilkat, which tremble in the slightest and Klehini Rivers, Glacier Bay, breeze, turning bright yellow and Yakutat Bay ; west to Prince (sometimes reddish) in autumn. William Sound, Cook Inlet, Susit- Twigs slender, reddish and slight- na Valley, and Kodiak Island. ly hairy when young, becoming 50 Figure 15.—Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) 9 natural size. Winter twig at right. gray, with raised leaf scars show- ing 3 dots. Winter buds conic, 14 in. (6 mm.) long, long-pointed, of shiny red brown hairless scales, not resinous or flower buds slightly so. Bark whitish or greenish gray, smooth, thin, with characteristic curved scars and black knots- Wood of broad whitish sapwood and light brown heartwood, fine- textured, lightweight, soft, and stamens; female flowers with brittle. conic ovary, short style, and 2 Flower clusters (catkins) l-2i/^ stigmas each 2-lobed. Seed cap- in. (2.5-6 cm.) long, narrow, sules in catkins 8-414 in. (7.5- drooping, with many small flowers 11 cm.) long, nearly stalkless, less Vs in. (3 mm.) long, each with than 14 in. (6 mm.) long, conic, saucer-shaped disk and above a hairless, 2-parted, with many tiny brown hairy lobed scale, male and cottony seeds. Flowering in May female on different trees (dioe- before the leaves, fruit maturing cious). Male flowers with 6-12 in May-June. 51 Quaking aspen is a fast-grow- shrubs to erect bushes 2-6 ft. ing tree common on south slopes, (0.6-2 m.) tall and large shrubs well-drained benches, and creek or small trees, usually with many bottoms throughout the interior stems. As 12 of the 33 Alaska of Alaska to about 3,000 ft. (914 species are known to attain the m.) altitude. It often occurs in size and habit of small trees, wil- dense pure stands, especially fol- lows (Salix) are the largest genus lowing forest fires. Aspen fre- of trees here. Numerous varia- quently propagates by suckers tions occur, and some species from roots. Growth will continue seem to intergrade or hybridize, for 80-100 years before the stands often making identification diffi- begin to deteriorate. Also in for- cult. Some botanists distinguish ests with white spruce and birch. by name many additional varieties Rare hybrids with balsam poplar or subspecies of Alaska willows. have been noted. Although field identification is The wood has not yet been uti- difficult, especially in winter, the lized commercially in quantity in willows as a group can be distin- Alaska. Elsewhere it is used for guished by the usually slender or pulpwood, boxes and crates, and wiry twigs, the winter buds cov- excelsior. ered by a single bud-scale, and by Interior Alaska as far north as the bitter quininelike taste of the the south slopes of Brooks Range bark. The short-stalked leaves but not as far north or as high in generally are long and narrow, mountains as white spruce ; west- with smooth or finely toothed ward to Koyukuk and Kobuk edges. The yellowish or greenish Rivers; south on Yukon River to male and female flowers are borne Holy Cross and on Kuskokwim to in hairy, narrow catkins 1-3 in. Bethel and to base of Alaska (2.5-7,5 cm.) long, on separate Peninsula at Lake Iliamna ; south trees or shrubs in early spring be- of Alaska Range in Susitna Val- fore or with the leaves. ley, Cook Inlet, Kenai Peninsula, The fruits in tassellike catkins and Copper River areas. South- are pointed, thin-walled seed cap- east Alaska only in extreme north- sules about 1/4 in. (6 mm.) long, ern part near Haines and Skag- which split open in spring and way at head of Lynn Canal. summer to release the numerous Chugach National Forest, Mt. tiny seeds with tufts of cottony McKinley National Park, Kenai hairs. National Moose Range. Shrubby willows are widely The most widely distributed distributed almost throughout tree species in North America, Alaska, extending beyond the lim- ranging from Alaska east across its of trees to the Arctic coast, Canada to Labrador and New- Bering Sea, and Aleutian Islands. foundland, south in the North- They are the undergrowth of the eastern United States to New open spruce-birch forest of in- Jersey, Virginia, and Missouri, terior Alaska and form thickets and south in western mountains on sandbars and other porous soils to Trans-Pecos Texas, California, along streams. Although not suit- and Mexico. able for lumber because of their small size, shrubby willows pro- WILLOW (Salix) vide important summer and win- Willows are well represented in ter food for many game animals, Alaska, as in other far northern especially moose and ptarmigan. lands. In habit they vary from The great variation in willows prostrate or creeping dwarf and their tendency to hybridize

52 make it difficult to construct a growth form. completely workable key. Two With considerable field experi- keys are provided. For using the ence, one can learn to distinguish first key to Alaska tree willows, many willows. It is best to start it is best to have material grown with the more common and dis- under normal conditions (not tinctive willows, such as Sitka sprouts from stumps of fast-grow- willow and Scouler willow in ing roadside shoots) and to have southeastern Alaska, and feltleaf both mature catkins and leaves. willow and Bebb willow in central Because the catkins often develop Alaska. Once the characteristics of before the leaves, it may be de- these become familiar, it is easier sirable to tag the shrub and re- to recognize the less common and turn to it at different times during less easily identified willows. the growing season. In addition, Five shrubby species rarely unusual growth forms resulting reaching tree size are described from differences in site cannot brieñy at the end of the genus as always be included in the key. Nos. 22.1-22.5. Drawings and The second key, for specimens maps are in "Alaska Trees and without catkins, is a vegetative Shrubs'' (Viereck and Little key based on leaves, twigs, and 1972).

Key to Alaska Tree Willows (and shrubs that rarely reach tree size) A. Pedicels, ovaries, and seed capsules hairless (young ovaries in some species with few hairs, especially near tip). B. Catkins stalkless, young twigs densely hairy ; stipules glandular margined, persisting on twig several years 22.4. Richardson willow (Salix lanata ssp. richardsonii) BB. Catkins on leafy twigs, stipules not persisting on twigs. C. Leaf margins distinctly toothed. D. Leaves lance-shaped, 4-5 times as long as broad, with long narrow tip, shiny above ; scales of yellow, soon shedding 22. Pacific willow (Salix lasiandra) DD. Leaves rounded or blunt at tip, not lance-shaped; scales of catkin not yellow or deciduous. E. Leaves whitish (glaucous) beneath, ovate to obovate, toothed or entire on margins, hairless or with few hairs on veins of upper surface (or both surfaces with long silky hairs when young) ; pedicels short, about 1/32 in. (1 mm.) 22.3. Barclay willow (Salix barclayi) EE. Leaves light green beneath, dark green above, regularly toothed, hairless; pedicels VIQ-VQ in. (1.5-3 mm.) long ___ 22.2. tall blueberry willow (Salix novae-angliae) CC. Leaf margins entire or with few small teeth near base. F. Twigs with dense long hairs when young ; catkins large and thick, to % in. (2 cm.) in diameter; styles Vs iïi. (3 mm.) long 16. Hooker willow (Salix hookeriana) FF. Twigs hairless or with scattered hairs, never densely hairy; catkins usually less than % ii^- (15 mm,) in diameter; styles less than y^Q in. (1.5 mm.) long 22.3. Barclay willow (Salix barclayi)

53 AA. Ovaries hairy (mature seed capsules sometimes with only few hairs near tip). G. Pedicels of flower and seed capsule V8-%6 i^^- (3-5 mm.) long, conspicuous, exceeding scales 18. Bebb willow (Salix bebbiana) GG, Pedicels shorter, less than Vs in. (3 mm.) long, not exceeding scales. H. Leaves distinctly glandular toothed around margin 21. littletree willow (Salix arbusculoides) HH. Leaves irregularly or indistinctly toothed or entire. L Leaves without hairs on lower surface, except occasionally on midvein, upper surface shiny green ; stipules long and narrow, glandular margined, persistent several years 22.5. diamondleaf willow (Salix planifolia ssp. pulchra) IL Leaves distinctly hairy on lower surface, upper surface not shiny green ; stipules shedding. J. Leaves hairless above, lower surface with dense woolly hairs 17. feltleaf willow (Salix alaxensis) JJ. Leaves hairy on both surfaces, sometimes with scattered hairs. K. Lower surface of leaves shiny, silky from straight ap- pressed silvery hairs 20. Sitka willow (Salix sitchensis) KK. Lower surface of leaves without silky sheen. L. Lower surface of leaves with scattered, short, stiff hairs at least partly red, giving a reddish hue ; catkins without leafy stalks developing before leaves; pedicels Yg in. (3 mm.) long 19. Scouler willow (Salix scouleriana) LL, Lower surface of leaves densely hairy with woolly hairs, never red ; catkins on leafy twigs or de- veloping with or after the leaves ; pedicels short or lacking 22.1. grayleaf willow (Salix glauca) Vegetative Key to Alaska Tree Willows (and shrubs that rarely reach tree size) Because leaf, twig, and growth form characteristics of some willows are extremely variable, a vegetative key cannot account for all the variability. The key must deal primarily with the typical specimen in a typical location. Perhaps the following key will serve for three- fourths of the Alaska tree willow specimens. However, many will not key out or will key to a wrong species. Usually, it should be possible to narrow the choice to 2 or 3. The descriptions, drawings, and maps will then be of aid in further determination. A. Adult leaves with hairs on low^er surface. B. Lower surface of leaves with dense hairs, appearing silvery, white, or gray. C. Lower surface of leaves with dense white woolly hairs 17. feltleaf willow (Salix alaxensis) CC. Lower surface of leaves with dense straight hairs. D. Lower surface silky hairy, upper surface green, with scat- tered hairs; tall shrub or tree to 20 ft. (6m.) high — 20. Sitka willow (Salix sitchensis) 54 DD. Lower surface dull gray hairy, upper surface greenish gray, without hairs; shrub usually less than 10 ft. (3 m.) high 22.1. grayleaf willow (Salix glauca) BB. Lower surface of leaves visible through less dense hairs. E. Margins of leaves distinctly toothed; leaves dark green and shiny above, whitish (glaucous) beneath, with long, stiff, straight hairs oriented toward tip of leaf, 3-4 times as long as broad; shrub 10-15 ft. (3-4.5 m.) tall, with slender branches 21. littletree willow (Salix arbusculoides) EE. Margins of leaves not toothed or with a few teeth on basal half. F. Hairs on lower surface short and stiff, at least partly red, giving a reddish hue 19. Scouler willow (Salix scotderiana) FF. Hairs denser, longer, not reddish. G. Tall shrubs or trees 10-25 ft. (3-7.5 m.) tall; twigs di- verging at nearly right angles from the main stem 18. Bebb willow (Salix bebbiana) GG. Medium shrubs, usually under 10 ft. (3 m.) high; twigs usually branching at 45° angle or less 22.1. grayleaf willow (Salix glauca) AA. Adult leaves without hairs on lower surface. H. Stipules persistent on the twigs for several years. L Stipules broad at the base and glandular toothed along mar- gins ; twigs coarse, brown to black, densely hairy, even after several years 22.4. Richardson willow (Salix lanata ssp. richardsonii) IL Stipules linear, narrow at base, without glandular teeth; twigs fine, usually reddish brown, shiny, without dense hairs at 1 year 22.5. diamondleaf willow (Salix planifolia ssp. ptdchra) HH. Stipules persisting less than 1 year. J. Leaves with teeth around margin. K. Leaves 3-4 times as long as broad ; tall shrubs or trees. L. Leaves large, 3-4 in. (7.5-10 cm.) long, lance-shaped, with long tapering tip ; young twigs woolly 22. Pacific willow (Salix lasiandra) LL. Leaves smaller, 2-3 in. (5-7.5 cm.) long, not lance- shaped, short-pointed ; young twigs not woolly 21. littletree willow (Salix arbusculoides) KK. Leaves less than 3 times as long as broad. M. Leaves whitish (glaucous) beneath 22.3. Barclay willow (Salix barclayi) MM. Leaves light green, not whitish (glaucous) beneath 22.2. tall blueberry willow (Salix novae-angliae) JJ. Leaves entire or with teeth only on lower part. N. Stems coarse, densely hairy, leaves large at maturity, to 3 in. (7.5 cm.) long, obovate; Yakutat Bay area 16. Hooker willow (Salix hookeriana) NN. Stems fine, thinly hairy, leaves smaller, 11/2-21/2 in. (4-6 cm.) long, dull grayish green above, elliptic to ovate; widely distributed in most of Alaska except southeast 18. Bebb willow (Salix bebbiana) 55 16. HOOKER WILLOW and extreme southwestern British Columbia, , and {Salix hookeriana Barratt) Puget Sound region of western Washington south to northwest- Other names: bigleaf willow, ern California. Reported also Yakutat willow, Salix amplifolia from eastern . Cov. This species honors William A shrub or small tree, usually Jackson Hooker (1785-1865), about 10-16 ft. (3-5 m.) tall but English botanist, in whose work occasionally attaining a height of the description was published. 25 ft. (7.5 m.) and a trunk diam- eter of 8-15 in. (20-38 cm.). 17. FELTLEAF WILLOW Leaves oval to broadly obovate or rarely the uppermost ovate, 11/2-3 (Salix alaxensis (Anderss.) in. (4-7.5 cm.) long and %-2 in. Cov.) (2-5 cm.) wide, broadly pointed to rounded at apex, mostly round- Other names: Salix longistylis ed at base, edges without teeth or Rydb., S. alaxensis var. longistylis sparsely wavy-toothed, pale green (Rydb.) Schneid., ssp. longistylis above, whitish beneath, more or (Rydb.) Huit. less hairy on both sides while un- A shrub or small tree to 20-30 folding but becoming hairless. ft. (6-9 m.) high with a trunk Twigs stoutish, dark brown, 4-7 in. (10-18 cm.) in diameter, densely white- or gray-woolly for occasionally dwarfed and nearly 2 or 3 years. Buds dark reddish prostrate in exposed places. brown, hairy. Bark gray, smooth. Leaves elliptic or oblanceolate Catkins on leafy stalks, appear- (reverse lance-shaped), 2-4 in. ing before or with the leaves, 3-4 (5-10 cm.) long and V2-W2 in. in. (7.5-10 cm.) long and %-% (1.2-4 cm.) wide, short-pointed, in. (12-15 mm.) wide at matu- usually tapering to base, edges rity; scales brownish to blackish, without teeth or nearly so, above covered with long whitish hairs. dull green and hairless or some- Seed capsules long, hairless. Flow- times somewhat short-hairy, be- ering in mid-May to early June, neath covered with a dense white seeds ripening mid-June to July. or creamy-white felt; midrib yel- In Alaska, Hooker willow grows lowish. One-year and 2-year twigs in a variety of sites including stoutish, usually white-woolly. In beach ridges, stabilized sand (Rydb.) Schneid, or ssp. longis- dunes, and coastal meadows. Bare tylis (Rydb.) (Huit.) the young in Alaska, except in the Yakutat twigs and buds without hairs and Bay region where it has been often with a bluish white bloom. known for many years as a local Bark gray, smooth, becoming species, Yakutat willow (Salix rough and furrowed into scaly amplifolia Cov.). Collected re- plates. cently from a few other coastal Catkins stoutish, not stalked, areas including Middleton Island. appearing before the leaves, 2-4 At Yakutat the plants are in. (5-10 cm.) long at maturity; browsed by moose. scales blackish. Seed capsules Coastal Alaska in the vicinity long, pointed, white-woolly. Flow- of Prince Williams Sound and ering May and June, seeds ripen- Yakutat Bay. North Tongass Na- ing in June and July. tional Forest. Also coastal dunes. Feltleaf willow is widely dis- Pacific Coast from Queen Char- tributed in valleys almost through- lotte Islands (Moresby Island) out Alaska. Extending beyond the 56 Figure 16.—Hooker willow (Salix hook- er iana), natural size. Female catkin at left; seed capsules in center; male catkin at right. ÄJ r M^r^ "■N ^^^V limits of the spruce-birch interior ^M^^ 4^!)¿r^ü:;\sí^"^ forest, it is the only tree willow in 0 goo M es many areas, such as north and V" o 300 Kilometi west of Kodiak Island and at Firth River on the northeast Arc- tic slope. In many places in north- ern Alaska, this willow is impor- browse species of moose which tant as the only wood available for pull down and break branches and fuel. Though not the common trunks up to IV2 in. (4 cm.) in '^diamond willow'* from which diameter. Eventually the shrub ornamental canes are made, the grows above the reach of the trunks sometimes have this pat- moose and becomes too thick for tern of diamond-shaped scars the moose to break. It is reported where the lower twigs have died. that the inner bark has served as Feltleaf willow is a preferred food for humans. 57 Widely distributed and common on both sides but becoming less almost throughout Alaska from hairy with age. In an uncommon northern part of southeast Alaska variety, the smaller leaves are to Arctic Ocean, Southeast Alaska hairless or nearly so beneath and from Wrangell to head of Lynn often less rough. Twigs slender, Canal at Skagway, Glacier Bay, branching at wide angles, yellow- and Yakutat Bay; north through ish to brown, gray hairy when the interior to the Arctic coast young but afterward becoming and northwest to Cape Lisburne; hairless. Bark gray to dark gray, west to Bering Sea ; southwest on smooth, becoming rough and fur- Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian rowed. Wood lightweight, brittle. Islands to Unalaska Island; and Catkins on short leafy stalks, south to Kodiak Island, Cook In- before or with the leaves, at ma- let, and Prince William Sound. turity 1-3 in. (2.5-7.5 cm.) long North Tongass, South Tongass, and loose, scales narrow, yellow- and Chugach National Forests, ish with reddish tips, hairy. Seed Glacier Bay and Katmai National capsules long, very slender, with Monuments, Mt. McKinley Na- short hairs Vs-fiQ in. (3-5 tional Park, Kenai National Moose mm.) long, on slender, sparsely Range, Kodiak National Wildlife hairy stalks. Flowering mid-May Refuge, Arctic National Wildlife through mid-June, seeds ripening Range. East to northwest shore by mid- to late June, catkins shed of Hudson Bay and south to by mid-July. central British Columbia, but Bebb willow is the most com- not reaching contiguous United mon upland willow in interior States. Also in eastern Asia. Alaska, occurring as scattered in- This willow was first collected dividuals in most forest types. It at Kotzebue Sound beyond Bering is also the most common species Strait. The specific name alaxen- in the willow stands that follow sis means Alaskan but is from an forest fires on upland sites and in old spelling. thickets adjacent to streams, swamps, and lakes. In open mead- ows it forms large spreading 18. BEBB WILLOW shrubs. It is an important browse (Salix hebhiana Sarg.) species for moose throughout in- terior Alaska. In winter heavy Other names: diamond willow, snows tend to bend the branches beak willow, S, rostrata Richards., down so that they are in reach of S. depressa L. ssp. rostrata (An- both moose and snowshoe hares. derss.) Hiitonen. Bebb willow is the most impor- A large shrub 10 ft. (3 m.) tall tant producer of ''diamond wil- or a small, bushy tree 15-25 ft. low." This term applies to several (4.5-7.5 m.), rarely 35 ft. (10,5 species with diamond-shaped pat- m.) with trunk diameter of 6-9 terns on their trunks. When the in. (15-23 cm.). Leaves elliptic stems are carved they result in a and pointed at both ends to broad- striking pattern of diamond- ly oblanceolate or obovate-oval shaped cavities with a sharp con- and very short-pointed at apex trast between the white or cream and broad at base, I-31/2 in. (2.5- sapwood and the reddish brown 9 cm.) long and %-l in. (10-25 heartwood. Diamond willow is mm.) wide, edges without teeth or carved into canes, lamp posts, somewhat wavy, dull green above, furniture and candle holders. In gray or whitish and roughly net- the old roadhouse at Copper Cen- veined beneath, more or less hairy ter, the newel posts and balusters 58 ^'A\ w^^ ■ /f^r\] á^,/1iÄ ^p^Si^v-^ ^ „_^„„„ ^ %\, '.'^-^ '^'

Figure 17.—^Feltleaf willow {Salix alax- ensis), natural size. Male catkins at upper right; female catkins at lower right.

59 Figure 18.—Bebb willow (Salir« bebbi- ana^^ natural size. Seed capsules at left; male catkin at upper right. of the whole staircase have been carved from diamond willow. The depressions or "diamonds" are caused by one or more fungi which attack the willow at the junction of a branch with the main trunk. The "diamond wil- lows" occur most commonly under shade of trees or where the site is poor. They are most abundant Widely distributed in interior in the Copper River Basin area Alaska, south to the Pacific Coast. but occur in Alaska throughout In the northern part of southeast- the boreal forest from the Kenai ern Alaska at Glacier Bay and Peninsula northward. In addition the head of Lynn Canal. In cen- to the Bebb, the following also tral Alaska from Prince William form "diamonds" although usu- Sound north to the south slopes of ally to a lesser degree : Park wil- the Brooks Range, west on the low, feltleaf willow, littletree Yukon River to Holy Cross, and willow, and Scouler willow. south to Katmai, Kodiak Island, In other areas of the United and the Kenai Peninsula. North States, Bebb willow formerly was Tongass and Chugach National used for baseball bats, charcoal, Forests, Mt. McKinley National gunpowder, and withes for furni- Park, Katmai National Monu- ture and baskets. ment, Kenai National Moose 60 i^

Figure 19.—Scouler willow (Salix scou- leriana), natural size. Seed capsules at upper left; female catkin at upper right; male catkin at lower right.

19. SCOULER WILLOW (Salix scouleriana Barratt) Range, Kodiak National Wildlife Other names : mountain willow, Refuge. East across Canada to black willow, fire willow. Hudson Bay, Labrador, and New- A shrub or tree with compact foundland, and south to New rounded crown usually 15 ft. (4.5 Jersey, Nebraska, , m.) tall and 4 in. (10 cm.) in and central California. Also in trunk diameter but in some locali- eastern Asia. ties in Alaska becoming a tree This species commemorates 50-60 ft. (15-18 m.) tall and Michael Schuck Bebb (1833-95), 16-20 in. (40.5-51 cm.) in trunk American specialist on willows. diameter.

61 Leaves variable, mostly oblan- tral Alaska, it commonly reaches ceolate to narrowly obovate or tree size. In south central Alaska sometimes oblong or elliptic, 2-5 where it is an important moose in. (5-12.5 cm.) long and V2-IV2 browse species, most trees have in. wide (12-40 mm.), mostly been barked by moose In the in- very short-pointed at apex and terior of Alaska, Scouler willow tapering to base, edges without occurs in spruce, birch, and aspen teeth to sparsely wavy-toothed, stands, and occasionally in bogs, dark green and nearly hairless but is most common in areas that above, beneath whitish to white have been burned. It is one of sev- and more or less gray hairy or be- eral used for ^'diamond willow" coming rusty hairy when older. carvings. Twigs stoutish, yellowish or green- ish brown and densely hairy when Southern end of southeastern young, reddish to dark brown and Alaska north and west along the nearly hairless when older; buds coast to Kodiak and Katmai, north red. Bark gray smooth, thin, be- to the Tanana River. Also in the coming dark brown, divided into upper and central Yukon River broad flat ridges. Wood light district around Dawson. South brown tinged with red and with Tongass, North Tongass, and hick whitish sapwood, fine-tex- Chugach National Forests, Mt. tured, liglitweight, soft. McKinley National Park, Glacier Bay and Katmai National Monu- Catkins stout, stalkless or on ments, Kenai National Moose short leafless stalks, appearing in Range, Kodiak National Wildhfe great abundance before the leaves, Refuge. Eastward to Saskatche- at maturity 1-2 in. (2.5-5 cm.) wan and south to New Mexico and long and nearly V2 i^i- (12 mm.) California. thick; scales obovate, black, long hairy. Seed capsules long, slender, This species honors its discov- gray-woolly. One of the earliest erer, John Scouler (1804-71), flowering of the v/illows, us cat- Scotch naturalist who made plant kins developing as pussy willows collections on the northwest coast even before the snow has melted ; of North America in 1825-27. flowering in May, seeds dispersing in June, catkins shedding by July. Scouler willow is the most com- 20. SITKA WILLOW mon willow of southeastern and south central Alaska where it oc- (Salix sitchensis Sansón) curs ever a wide range of habitats and vegetation types. It is espe- Other names: silky willow, cially abundant in the vicinity of Salix coulteri Anderss. Anchorage and Kenai Peninsula A large shrub or small tree where it has become extensive 10-20 ft. (3-6 m.) high with in the uplands following past trunk 4-6 in. (10-15 cm.) in di- widespread fires. It is often called ameter or rarely 30 ft. (9 m.) tall *'fire willow" because of its rapid and 12 in. (30 cm.) in diameter. occupation of burned areas, form- In exposed places, becoming a low, ing blue-green thickets. In south- nearly prostrate shrub. Leaves eastern Alaska it comes in abund- oblanceolate or narrowly obovate antly after logging and also occurs or sometimes elliptic, 2-4 in. (5-10 along streams and roadsides and cm.) long, usually short-pointed at occasionally in the more open apex, mostly tapering to a narrow spruce and hemlock stands. Over base, edges without teeth or all of southeastern and south cen- sparsely and inconspicuously 62 Figure 20.—Sitka willow (Salix sitchen- sis), natural size. Seed capsules at left; female catkin at right; male catkins at lower right.

slender, sometimes thinly hairy when young but when older hair- less and dark reddish brown. Bark gray, smooth, becoming slightly furrowed and scaly. Wood pale red, fine-textured, lightweight, soft. Catkins slender, tightly flow- ered on short leafy stalks, appear- wavy-toothed, above dark green ing with the leaves, 2-4 in. (5-10 and with sparse short hairs when cm.) long at maturity; scales young, beneath paler and with small, brown, densely hairy. Seed short silvery, silky hairs. Twigs capsules short, silvery hairy. 63 Flowering in May, seeds ripening Leaves narrowly elliptic-lanceo- in early to mid-June, catkins shed- late, often oblanceolate while un- ding by July or early August. folding, 1-3 in. (2.5-7.5 cm.) long, Sitka willow is common in the ¥8-% in. (10-20 mm.) wide, usu- coastal forest region of southeast ally short-pointed at both ends, Alaska, growing in sunny loca- with edges finely but shallowly tions along streams and beaches toothed, green and hairless above, or in the upland where the forest beneath whitish to white and is open or absent. The satiny finely silvery-hairy or in an un- sheen on the lower surface of the common variety hairless; veins leaves serves to distinguish it closely parallel. Twigs slender, from other willows. The wood is much branched, the younger yel- not used commercially though the lowish brown and sometimes Indians burn it in drying fish, as thinly short-hairy, the older red- the smoke has no bad odor. The dish brown, hairless, and shiny. supple twigs have been used by Bark gray to reddish brown, the Indians in basketmaking and smooth. for stretching skins, and the Catkins small and slender on pounded bark has also been ap- very short stalks, appearing plied to heal wounds. slightly before or with the leaves, Pacific coast region of southeast 1-2 in. (2.5-5 cm.) long at ma- and southern Alaska. Throughout turity; scales blackish. Seed cap- southeast Alaska from Ketchikan sules small, thinly silvery-hairy. northwest to head of Lynn Canal Flowering mid-May to early June, at Skagway, Glacier Bay, and seeds ripening mid- to late June, Yakutat Bay, and west to Prince Littletree willow is one of the William Sound, Cook Inlet, and most common willows, forming Kodiak Island, north as far as dense thickets along streams and Anchorage and the Chitina River. rivers in interior Alaska. It also South Tongass and North Tongass grows in the upland along streams National Forests, Glacier Bay Na- and is a common successional tional Monument, Kenai National species following the burning of Moose Range, Kodiak National open stands of black spruce in wet Wildlife Refuge. Alaska and sites. It is less commonly found British Columbia south along the as a shrub in stands of white coast to southern California and spruce and birch. On the north east to New Mexico and Black slope of the Brooks Range, it Hills. Also in eastern Asia. grows on streambanks and gravel Sitka willow was named for bars in association with several Sitka, Alaska, near which it was other willow species. It is one of discovered by Karl Heinrich Mer- several species that form "dia- tens in 1827. mond willow" patterns. Widely distributed in interior Alaska from the Copper River 21. LITTLETREE WILLOW Basin northward to the northern foothills of the Brooks Range, (Salix arbusculoides westward to the Kobuk River and Anderss. ) Yukon Delta. Mt, McKinley Na- tional Park, Kenai National Moose An erect shrub 10-15 ft. (3-4.5 Range, Arctic National Wildlife m.) tall or commonly a small tree Range. East to Hudson Bay and 25-30 feet (7.5-9 m.) tall and 5-6 south to British Columbia and in. (12-15 cm.) in trunk diameter. central Quebec. 64 Figure 21.—Littletree willow (Salix ar- 22. PACIFIC WILLOW busculoides) ^ natural size. (Salix lasiandra Benth.) Catkins on leafy stalks, appear- Other names: western black ing with the leaves, 2-4 in. long willow, yellow willow. (5-10 cm.) at maturity; scales A tall shrub or small tree to 20 yellowish, hairy toward the base. ft. (6m.) high. Farther south in Seed capsules without hairs contiguous United States, it is a Pacific willow is an occasional small tree 20-30 ft. (6-9 m.) tall pioneer species on the sand and but occasionally a larger tree silt bars of the rivers of interior 50-60 ft. (15-18 m.) tall with a Alaska, usually with other willows trunk 2-3 ft. (60-90 cm.) in di- but occasionally forming pure ameter. Leaves lance-shaped, 2-5 stands. It is occasional to rare in in. (5-12.5 cm.) long and i/^-l in. the uplands in willow thickets (12-25 mm.) wide, long pointed, along streams and roadsides. mostly rounded at the base, with Interior and southeast Alaska. edges finely toothed, shiny green In southeast Alaska only in the above, glaucous and more or less vicinity of Yakutat, Haines, and hairy beneath. Twigs hairy when Skagway and in British Columbia young, stoutish, chestnut to red- adjacent to the boundary along dish, shiny, hairless with age. the Stikine and Chilkat Rivers. In Bark gray, smooth, becoming interior Alaska from Palmer north rough and deeply furrowed. Wood to the central Yukon River dis- pale brown, brittle. trict and Wiseman and west to 65 Holy Cross on the lower Yukon to develop. Seed capsules green to River. North Tongass National brown, hairless, í4-%6 in. (6-8 Forest. East to and mm.) long. Common along rivers south to southern California and in central Alaska. East to British New Mexico. Columbia and southward in moun- 22.1o Grayleaf willow (Salix tains to northern California and glauca L.) An erect to spreading southern Utah, shrub with dull gray appearance, 22.3. Barclay willow (Salix commonly 3-4 ft. (1-1.2 m.) tall; bar clay i Anderss. ). Spreading, in exposed sites may be depressed much branched shrub tending to and in favorable sites rarely be- form dense thickets 3-6 ft. (1-2 comes a small tree to 20 ft. (6 m.) m.) high, rarely to 10-20 ft. (3-6 high and 5 in. (12.5 cm.) in trunk m.) and treelike, variable in diameter. Leaves oval to lanceo- growth form, leaf structure, color, late, IV2-W2 in. (4-9 cm.) long, and habitat. Leaves broadly ellip- entire or with small glandular tic to obovate, %-3 in. (2-7.5 teeth on the lower part. Upper cm.) long, margins toothed, ser- surface green, lower surface whit- rate to entire; upper surface ish (glaucous), both surfaces shiny yellow green, thinly hairy densely hairy to nearly hairless. when young but becoming hair- Twigs reddish brown to grayish, less, sometimes with short red- hairy or hairless. Catkins %-2 dish hairs along midrib; lower in. (2-5 cm.) long, on leafy shoots, surface whitish (glaucous), thinly developing with or after the leaves hairy but soon becoming hairless ; and often persisting into the fall. usually turning black in drying. Seed capsules hairy, gray when Twigs blackish and densely hairy young and turning light brown when young, becoming reddish with age. Throughout Alaska ex- brown and hairless with blackish cept Aleutian Islands and south- buds. Catkins 2-3 in. (5-7.5 cm.) east coast. East across North long, on stalks with 2-3 leaves, America to Labrador and New- appearing with the leaves. Seed foundland, south to southern capsules short and stout, hairy British Columbia, and in the when young but soon becoming Rocky Mountains to northern New hairless, green to reddish. Along Mexico, Northern and coast to Alaska from southeastern Asia. tip to Aleutian Islands. Occasional to rare in Alaska Range and in 22.2. Tall blueberry willow the interior lowlands. South along (Salix novae-angliae Anderss.). the coast to Washington and east- An erect shrub usually 6-8 ft. (2-2.5 m.) tall, rarely to 20 ft. ward to Alberta and Montana. (6 m.) and treelike. Leaves ellip- 22.4. Richardson willow (Salix tic to obovate, 1-3 in. (2.5-7.5 lanata L. ssp. richardsonii cm.) long and about % as wide, (Hook.) A. Skwortz). Erect, margins with teeth often glandu- much-branched shrubs usually lar tipped, upper surface dark forming dense clumps 3-6 ft. (1-2 green, lower surface lighter but m.) tall, rarely to 20 ft. (6 m.). not whitish (glaucous), promi- Leaves elliptic to obovate, %-2V2 nently net-veined. Twigs brown, in. (2-6 cm.) long, about 1/2 to % as wide, entire or toothed on mar- usually straight, coarse, with gins, bo^h surfaces with long thin dense white silky hairs when hairs when young but becoming young. Catkins %-2i/2 in. (2-6 hairless with age, dark green cm.) long on leafy stalks, appear- above, whitish (glaucous) be- ing after the leaves have started neath. Stipules conspicuous, broad, 66 Figure 22.—Pacific willow (Salix lasi- andra)^ natural size.

67 with glandular teeth on the edges, age. Catkins %-lV% i^^- (2-4 cm.) persistent on the twig for several long, stalkless on the branches, years. Young twigs stout and developing in early spring before densely hairy, dark brown to the leaves; scales blackish in black; older twigs hairless, upper part and hairy. Seed cap- orange-red to red-brown and char- sules ¥i6 in. (8 mm.) long, stout, acterized by persistent stipules. hairy, greenish gray when young Catkins II/2-2V2 in (4-6 cm.) long but becoming brown with age. Al- on leafless peduncles, developing most all of Alaska except the early in spring before the leaves; western Aleutians and the coastal scales dark brown to black with forests of southeastern Alaska. dense silky hairs. Seed capsules Along the south coast from stout, green to Hght brown, hair- Unalaska Island to Prince William less, on short stalks. From the Sound. In southeastern Alaska Arctic coast southward through only in the extreme northern part most of central and south central of mountains above Haines and Alaska but not reaching to west- Skagway. In Asia from Novaya em Alaska Peninsula or Kenai Zemlya to Chukchi Peninsula, Peninsula. In southeastern Alaska only in mountains in area from BIRCH FAMILY Juneau to Haines. This subspecies occurs across northern Canada to (Betulaceae) Baffin and Southampton Islands, south to Northwestern Hudson The birch family (Betulaceae) Bay and British Columbia ; north- is represented in Alaska by 2 eastern Asia. The species occurs genera, birch (Betula) and alder across northern North America, (Alnus), and 7 species, also inter- Europe, and Asia and south in grading varieties and hybrids. mountains of Asia. Distinguishing characters are as follows: (1) Leaves borne singly 22,5. Diamondleaf willow (Salix (alternate), broad, margins sharp- planifolia Pursh ssp, pulchra ly and usually double-toothed (Cham.) Argus). An upright with teeth of 2 sizes, and in much-branched shrub 3-6 ft. (1-2 alders often slightly wavy lobed ; m.) tall, rarely to 15 ft. (4.5 m.), (2) flower clusters (catkins) often forming loose thickets in composed of an axis bearing many wet habitats but becoming a pros- minute greenish flowers 2-3 above trate creeping shrub in exposed a scale, in early spring before the sites in arctic and alpine tundra. leaves, from buds partly formed Leaves elliptic to oblanceolate, the preceding summer; (3) flow- pointed at both ends and often ers with minute calyx, of 2 kinds diamond-shaped, 1-21/2 in. (2.5-6 on the same plant (monoecious) ; cm.) long and about ys-Y¿ as wide, (4) male flowers with pollen in hairless and shiny green above long, narrow catkins at end of and pale to whitish (glaucous) twig and female flowers in short beneath, entire on edges or with catkins on sides of twig; and (5) a few small teeth near base. fruits conelike, V2-2 in. (1.2-5 Stipules hnear, glandular-toothed, cm.) long, of many nutlets persisting on twigs 2-3 years. Á C^seeds") and scales. few brown leaves usually remain The tree of Alaska are on the twigs through the follow- easily recognized by their smooth, ing winter and into the next sum- thin, white, pinkish, coppery mer. Twigs shiny dark brown, brown, or purplish brown bark, reddish or purple, hairy when which peels off in papery strips; young but becoming hairless in the soft cone-like fruits shed, 68 Figure 23a.—^Western paper birch (Betula papyrifera var. commutator, natural size. Winter twig with old fruits at left; leafy twig with fruits in center; winter twig with buds of male catkins át right. leaving slender axis. Alders gen- raised gland dots and have winter erally have smooth gray bark, buds not stalked, composed of which is not papery, and usually overlapping scales. Alder twigs have at all seasons some old deadj lack glands and have usually hard, blackish or dark grown stalked winter buds with 3 ex- conelike fruits remaining on the posed scales usually meeting at twigs. Birch twigs commonly have their edges or overlapping. 69 BIRCH (Betula) per birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.). Western paper birch Alaska has 2 species of dwarf, (var. commutata (Reg.) Fern.), shrubby birches both widely dis- of the northern part of southeast tributed, and 3 kinds of tree Alaska, has leaves mostly rounded birches. These are variable and at base and usually reddish brown intergrade and hybridize wher- bark. Alaska paper birch (var. ever their ranges meet. The dwarf hitmilis (Reg.) Fern. & Raup), birches have round, rounded- common through the interior for- toothed leaves less than % in. (2 ests, has rather long-pointed cm.) long. Dwarf arctic birch leaves usually wedge-shaped at (Betula nana L.) has leaf blades base and usually white bark in often broader than long, straight age (or reddish brown when or notched at base. Resin birch (B. young or in dense stands). Kenai glandidosa Michx.) has leaf birch (var. kenaica (W. H. Evans) blades longer than broad, wedge- Henry), of southern and southern shaped at base. The tree birches of Alaska have interior Alaska and treated by larger, ovate leaves 11/^-31/2 in. some authors as a distinct species, (4-9 cm.) long and are treated as has relatively thick, usually short- 3 geographical varieties of a sin- pointed leaves and usually dark gle transcontinental species, pa- brown or gray bark.

Key to Alaska Tree Birches

A. Leaf blades ovate, 11/4-314 in. (4-9 cm.) long, mostly thin, with pointed teeth on edges ; trees with thin papery bark, peeling off—23. paper birch (Betula papyrifera), 3 varieties in Alaska. B. Leaves long-pointed, usually wedge-shaped at base; bark usually white in age (or reddish brown when young or in dense stands) ; interior Alaska—23b. Alaska paper birch (Betula papyrifera var. hiimilis). BB. Leaves mostly short-pointed ; bark brown or pinkish ; southern and southeast Alaska. C. Leaves thin, mostly rounded at base; bark usually reddish brown; northern part of southeast Alaska—23a. west- ern paper birch (Betula papyrifera var. commutata) CC. Leaves thick, wedge-shaped or rounded at base, with white hairs on toothed edges; bark usually dark brown or gray southern and southern interior Alaska—23c. Kenai birch (Betula papyrifera var. kenaica). AA. Leaf blades elliptic, thick, mostly less than IV2 in. (4 cm.) long, with rounded teeth on edges ; large shrubs or small trees with smooth bark not peeling—23.1. hybrid birches (Betula hybrids).

23. PAPER BIRCH The general description and range of this species are sum- (^Betula papyrifera Marsh. ) marized here, followed by similar notes for the three varieties in Other names: white birch, Alaska. Small to medium-sized canoe birch. deciduous tree usually 20-60 ft. 70 Figure 23b.—^Alaska paper birch (Betula papyrifera var. humilis), natural size, Winter twig at lower left.

71 (6-18 m.) high and 4-12 in. (10- Paper birch is one of the most 30 cm.) in trunk diameter, be- widespread tree species in north- coming 80 ft. (24 m.) tall and 24 ern North America and is com- in. (60 cm.) in diameter. Leaves posed of 6 or fewer intergrading with slender petioles 1/2-I in. (1.2- geographical varieties. Widely 2.5 cm.) long. Leaf blades ovate, distributed from northwestern 11/2-31/2 in. (4-9 cm.) long, 1-21/2 Alaska east across Canada to in. (2.5-6 cm.) wide, long-pointed Labrador and Newfoundland, or short-pointed at apex, wedge- south in Northeastern States to shaped or rounded at base, coarse- Pennsylvania and Iowa and in ly and usually doubly toothed, Western States to Montana and mostly dull dark green and hair- northeastern Oregon (locally less above, light yellow green and south to Nebraska and in moun- hairless or slightly hairy beneath. tains to North Carolina, South Twigs slender, hairless, reddish Dakota (Black Hills), and Colo- brown with many small whitish rado) , dots, with short side twigs (spur Paper birch is a characteristic shoots) covered by many raised species of the interior forests of half-rounded leaf-scars, becoming Alaska, designated as spruce- reddish black. Winter buds conic, birch forests, and is associated l^ in. (6 mm.) long, long-pointed, with white spruce and aspen. In dark brown, slightly resinous, cov- the upper Cook Inlet area, exten- ered by 3 overlapping scales. Bark *sive paper birch forests occupy smooth, with long horizontal lines the rolling benchland above the (lenticéis), thin, separating into bottoms and extend up the slopes papery strips and peeling off, from of the foothills to about 800 ft. white to pinkish, coppery brown, (244 m.). Growth is moderate to or purplish brown in the different fast. On the more favorable sites, varieties; inner bark orange. trees 80 to 100 years old attain a Wood of wide white sapwood and height of 60-70 ft. (18-21 m.) light reddish brown heartwood, and a trunk diameter of 12-14 in. fine-textured, moderately hard, (30-35 cm.) Average diameter is and moderately heavy (the 8-10 in. (20-25 cm.) and maxi- densest of Alaska commercial mum about 29 in. (73 cm.). Maxi- woods). mum age recorded is about 230 Flowers male and female on years. same twig, tiny, in groups of 3 Near cities and villages in in- above a scale (bract). Male flow- terior Alaska, paper birch has ers in narrow catkins partly de- been used primarily for fuel, veloped the preceding summer, mainly fireplace wood. It has 1-4 in. (2.5-10 cm.) long com- served locally for mine props. A posed of calyx and 2 stamens; small amount of lumber is cut and female flowers in shorter clusters marketed locally in interior %-l in. (1-2.5 cm.) long, com- Alaska. However, attempts to de- posed of ovary and 2 styles. velop export markets have not yet Fruits coneHke, cylindric, 1-2 in. been successful because of high (2.5-5 cm.) long and % in. (1 costs and transportation prob- cm.) wide, slender-stalked and lems. The wood has been made hanging down. Nutlets ("seeds") into cabinets and wall paneling. many, i/j^ in. (1.5 mm.) long, The wood of paper birch varie- brown, with 2 broad wings. Flow- ties growing in Alaska is suitable ering in May-June, before the for pulping and papermaking by leaves, fruit shedding gradually several processes. It is satisfac- into winter. tory also for furniture, cabinet- 72 Figure 23c.^—Kenai birch (Betula papy- ri fer a var. kenaica), natural size.

its durability and ease of working, bark was used as sheeting under making, veneer and plywood, sod on cabin roofs. Birch trees are handles, boxes and crates, clothes planted also as ornamentals to pins, spools, and bobbins. Other display their attractive bark. uses of paper birch southward are turned and carved articles, tooth- 23a, WESTERN PAPER picks, and toys. The wood works easily and takes finishes and BIRCH stains satisfactorily. The uni- (Betula papyrifera var. formity of grain is a distinct ad- vantage in the manufacture of commutata (Reg.) Fern.) veneers and plywoods. Other names : paper birch ; Be- Northern Indians made canoes tula papyrifera var. occidentalis and various small articles from auth. and ssp. occidentalis auth., the smooth thin bark. Because of not B, occidentalis Hook.

73 Small to medium-sized tree 20- 23b. ALASKA PAPER BIRCH 60 ft, (6-18 m.) high and 4-16 in. (10-40 cm.) in trunk diameter. (Betula papyri fera var. Trunks often clustered, having humilis (Reg.) Fern. & Raup) originated from sprouts at base of old trees. Leaf blades ovate, II/2- Other names: Alaska white 31/2 in. (4-9 cm.) long, I-21/2 in. birch, Alaska birch, canoe birch, (2.5-6 cm.) wide, mostly long- paper birch, white birch; Betula pointed or short-pointed at apex, papyrifera ssp. humilis (Reg.) rounded at base, coarsely doubly Huit., B, pwpyrifera var. neo- toothed, dark green and hairless alaskana (Sarg.) Raup, B. alask- above, beneath slightly hairy, es- ana Sarg., B. neoalaskana Sarg., pecially in angles of veins; peti- B. resinifera auth., not (Reg.) oles slightly hairy and glandular. Britton. Twigs orange brown, with few Small to medium-sized tree 20- hairs and whitish dots when 80 ft. (6-24 m.) high and 4-24 in. young. Bark on small trunks (10-61 cm.) in trunk diameter. smooth and usually reddish (cop- Leaf blades ovate, 1V2-3 in. (4- pery or purplish) brown, some- 7.5 cm.) long, l-=2 in. (2.5-5 cm.) times blackish, on larger trunks wide, rather long-pointed, sharply becoming papery and pinkish to broadly wedge-shaped at base, brown, pinkish, or sometimes coarsely toothed, dark green or whitish. yellow green and hairless above, Male flower catkins 3-4 in. beneath pale yellow green, dotted (7.5-10 cm.) long, narrow. Fruits with glands and usually with cone-like, 1-11/4 in. (2.5-5 cm.) angles of lower veins hairy; long, finely hairy, spreading ; nut- petioles becoming hairless. Twigs lets with wings broader than with many raised resinous dots. body; bracts with long middle Bark white, or pinkish white, lobe and 2 short lobes, hairy on sometimes grayish white or yel- edges. lowish white, papery. Male flower catkin short, 1-1^/2 Western paper birch is local in. (2.5-4 cm.) long, thick, green- and uncommon along the main- ish brown. Fruits conelike, 1-1% land coastal river drainages and in. (2.5-3.5 cm.) long, hairless, lakes in the northern part of hanging down or spreading. Nut- southeast Alaska, separated from lets with wings broader than the other Alaska tree birches. It body; bracts with middle lobe occurs on thin, rocky soils, usu- usually longer than the blunt, dia- ally below 1500 feet (457 m.) ele- mond-shaped lateral lobes, hairy vation, often with lodgepole pine, on edges. following fire and on poor sites. The wood is not'used locally. Alaska paper birch is the vari- ety common through the interior Vicinity of Lynn Canal, from up to tree line. It is best developed Taku River and Juneau to Skag- on warm slopes with moist porous way. North Tongass National For- soils but is also common on cold est. Southern Yukon Territory north slopes and poorly drained east to District of Mackenzie and lowlands following fires. Birch is Saskatchewan and south to Mon- generally in a mixture with white tana and Washington. Also in or black spruce, which replace it northern Ontario and in North- in the successional sequence after east from Labrador and Quebec fire. At Cook Inlet there are im- south to northern New York and portant birch forests. Here paper Massachusetts. birch has its best development on 74 Figure 23.1.—Yukon birch ( X papyrifera}, natural size. Leafy- twig with female catkins and fruits at upper left; leafy twig with male and female catkins at lower left ; winter twig at right. 75 the rolling benchlands and lower Male flower catkins short, about foothill slopes up to an altitude of 1 in, (2.5 cm.) long, narrow, dark about 800 ft. (244 m.). brown. Fruits conelike, about 1 Common in spruce-birch forests in. (2.5 cm.) long, erect or spread- throughout m.ost of interior ing. Nutlets with wings slightly Alaska but not in southeast. narrower than body ; bracts, with North to south slopes of Brooks lobes of about equal length, Range and northwest to Kobuk rounded at apex, side bracts and Noatak Rivers and to coast slightly diamond-shaped. along south side of Seward Penin- Kenai birch, named from Kenai sula; south to Unalakleet and Peninsula and known only from Russian Mission on Yukon River. Alaska, is found in the southern South of Alaska Range in Susitna part of the spruce-birch interior Valley, Kenai Peninsula, and Cop- forests but not southeast. Cook per River valley. Chugach Na- Inlet, Kenai Peninsula area, and tional Forest, Mt. McKinley Na- west to Kodiak Island and base of tional Park. East to Yukon Terri- Alaska Peninsula at Kaguyak and tory and District of Mackenzie Brooks River, Chugach National and south to Saskatchewan and Forest, Katmai National Monu- British Columbia. ment, Kenai National Moose Range, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. 23c. KENAI BIRCH Northvv^ard this variety inter- (Betula papyrifera var. grades or hybridizes with Alaska kenaica (W. H. Evans) Henry) paper birch. Specimens apparently nearer Kenai birch have been re- Other names: Kenai paper ported from interior Alaska along birch, black birch, red birch ; Be- the Tanana, Yukon, and Kusko- tula kenaica W. H. Evans, B, kwim Rivers, at Unalakleet, and kamtschatica var. kenaica (W. H. on Seward Peninsula. Evans) Jansson. Small to medium-sized tree 20- 80 ft. (6-24 m.) high and 4-12 in. (10-30 cm.) in trunk diameter, 23.1, HYBRID BIRCHES rarely 18 in. (46 cm.). Leaf blades (Betula hybrids) ovate or nearly triangular, 11/2-2 in. (4-5 cm.) long, 1-1% in. (2.5- Many plants have characters in- 4.5 cm.) wide, relatively thick, termediate between those of the usually short-pointed, broadly tree and .shrub birches described wedge-shaped or rounded at base, and illustrated here. These hybrid margin coarsely and often doubly birches can be recognized by their toothed with white hairs, dull characters between those of their dark green and often slightly parents growing nearby. In size, hairy above, beneath pale yellow the hybrids between a tree and a green and dotted with glands and shrub species are large shrubs or hairy on veins; petioles usually small trees. Bark is like that of hairless. Twigs reddish brown the tree parent but^does not peel hairy, and often with resin dots off. Leaves are intermediate in when young, becoming blackish size and vary in shape and mar- and hairless. Bark usually dark gin. The shrubby species hybridize brown, often blackish or reddish with one another as do the varie- brown, sometimes becoming pink- ties of paper birch, the tree ish or grayish white, papery. species. 76 Figure 24,—Sitka alder (Alnus sinuata)^ natural size. Winter twig with buds of male catkins at right.

Yukon birch, the hybrid be- tween resin birch and paper birch {Betula glandulosa X Pf^pyri- fera; Betula xeastwoodiae Sarg., B, Xcomixta Sarg., B. occiken- talis auth.), is the common hybrid birch through interior Alaska, for 77 example, at Fairbanks. Often The tree parent in central Alaska found near treeline, where birch is Alaska paper birch and in trees below meet a band of resin southern Alaska, Kenai birch. birch shrubs above. Large, spread- ing clump-forming shrub lO-J-2 ALDER (Alnus) ft. (3-8.7 m.) high, with many stems 1 in. (2.5 cm.) in diameter, Alaska has 4 kinds of alders, sometimes becoming a small tree all of which reach tree size. They 15-20 ft. (4.5-6 m.) high and are treated here as separate spe- 3-6 in. (7.5-15 cm.) in diameter. cies, though 2 intergrade and have Leaves with slender petioles l^- been united as varieties of same % in. (6-10 mm.) long. Leaf species. Alders are easily recog- blades elliptic to diamond-shaped, nized by their smooth gray bark 1-11^ in. (2.5-3 cm.) long, %- with horizontal lines (lenticels) 114 in. (2-3 cm.) wide, short- and the clusters of 3-9 slender- pointed or rounded at both ends, stalked old dead, hard, blackish or with rounded teeth on edges, thick, dark brown conelike elliptic fruits becoming hairless. Twigs often generally present. Male flowers in densely covered with gland dots. narrow catkins, 3 above a scale, Bark reddish black, smooth and composed of 4 sepals and usually not peeling. Fruits conelike % in. 4 stamens. Female catkins short, (2 cm.) long. Alaska, Yukon Ter- about V2 in. (12 mm.) long; flow- ritory, and Alberta. ers 2 above a scale, composed of The hybrid between dwarf arc- ovary and 2 styles. Alder roots, tic birch and paper birch has been like those of legumes, of ten have named Home birch (Betula nana root nodules, swellings that fix X papyrifera; Betula y^hornei nitrogen from the air and enrich Butler, B. Xbeeniana A. Neis.). the soil.

Key to the Alaska Species

A. Leaves dark green above, dull, not sticky when young, edges with short-pointed teeth ; stalks shorter than conelike fruits ; nut- lets with 2 narrow wings or none ; winter buds of 3 exposed scales meeting at edges. B. Leaves thick with edges curled under slightly, with rusty hairs along veins beneath; conelike fruits I/2-I in. (12-25 mm.) long; nutlets with 2 narrow wings 25. red alder (Almis rubra) BB. Leaves thin with edges flat, finely hairy or nearly hairless be- neath; conelike fruits %-% in. (10-15 mm.) long; nutlets almost wingless 26. thinleaf alder {Alnus tenuifolia) AA. Leaves yellow green above, shiny on both sides and especially be- neath, sticky when young, edges with relatively long-pointed teeth ; stalks about as long as conelike fruits ; nutlets with 2 broad wings ; winter buds of overlapping scales. C. Leaves wavy lobed on edges; conelike fruits V2-% in. (12-20 mm. ) long ; shrub or small tree of southern and southeast Alaska 24. Sitka alder (Alnus sinuata) CC. Leaves not lobed on edges; conelike fruits %-% in. (10-15 mm.) long; shrub of interior Alaska, rarely a tree - 24.L American green alder {Alnus crispa)

78 Figure 25.—Red alder (Alnus rubra) ^ natural size. Male and female catkins at upper right.

79 24. SITKA ALDER trees. Sitka spruce often becomes estaWished at the same time. (Alnus sinuata (Reg.) Rydb.) Alder acts as a nurse tree, im- proving soil conditions, and adding Other names: Alnus crispa organic matter and nitrogen. It (Ait.) Pursh ssp. sinuata (Reg.) thrives with overhead light but is Huit., A. fruticosa Rupr. var. intolerant of shade and disap- sinuata (Reg.) Huit., A. sitchensis pears from the stand when over- (Reg.) Sarg. topped by Sitka spruce. Being Deciduous shrub 5-15 ft. (1.5- smaller and hence more quickly 4.5 m.) high or a small tree to 30 overtopped, Sitka alder is prob- ft, (9 m.) tall and 8 in. (20 cm.) ably not such a serious competitor in trunk diameter. Leaf blades as red alder on logged areas. The ovate, 21/2-5 in. (6-12.5 cm.) long, wood produces good fuel and is lVp-3 in. (4-7.5 cm.) wide, short- used for smoking fish. pointed, rounded at base, shal- Southeast and southern Alaska lowly wavy lobed and doubly along the Pacific coast. Through- toothed with long-pointed teeth of out southeast Alaska northwest to 2 sizes, sticky when young, head of Lynn Canal at Skagway speckled yellow green and shiny and Yakutat Bay, west along above, beneath lighter, shiny, and coast to Afognak and Kodiak hairless or nearly so; petioles Islands, Alaska Peninsula, and ^2-% in. (12-20 mm.) long. eastern Aleutian Islands. Also Twigs sticky, finely hairy, and local in western Alaska on Bering orange brown when young, be- Sea (Nushagak and Nome). South coming light gray. Winter buds Tongass, North Tongass, and Chu- short-stalked to stalkless on gach National Forests, Glacier young twigs, to 14 in. (12 mm.) Bay and Katmai National Monu- long, of overlapping scales. Bark ments, Kenai National Moose gray to light gray, smooth and Range, Kodiak Island and Aleu- thin. tian Islands National Wildlife Male flowers in narrow catkins Refuges. Alaska and Yukon Ter- 3-5 in. (7.5-12.5 cm.) long. Fruits ritory southeast to southwestern 1/2-% in. (12-20 mm.) long, on Alberta, western Montana, and long slender spreading stalks northern Calif ornia. Also in north- %-% in. (10-20 mm.) long, nut- eastern Asia. lets elliptic, with 2 broad wings. Intergrades with American Flowering in May-June. green alder (Alnus crispa (Ait.) Sitka alder often is a spreading Pursh), especially northward in shrub, common to abundant, with interior, and often treated as a many stems, forming thickets in variety or subspecies of that spe- marshes, along streams, on land- cies. Sitka alder reaches larger slides, and in clearings, from sea size than American green alder, level to the alpine zone above the becoming a small tree, and has timberline. It also becomes a small mostly larger leaves with margins wavy lobed as well as toothed, also tree, often with many trunks. larger, longer stalked cones. This pioneer species follows dis- turbances such as landslides, log- 24.1. American green alder (Alnus crispa (Ait.) Pursh. A ging, or glacial retreat. It requires spreading deciduous shrub 3-13 mineral soil seedbed and develops ft. (1-4 m.) tall, near Fairbanks, rapidly on moist sites but grows rarely a small tree to 20 ft. (6m,) on soils too sterile for other high and 4 in. (10 cm.) in trunk 80 Figure 26.—Thinleaf alder (Alnus te- nuifoUa), natural size. Male and fe- male catkins at upper right.

81 diameter. Leaf blades ovate or slightly scaly, thin. Wood nearly broadly elliptic, mostly 11/2-3 in. white when freshly cut, soon turn- (4-7.5 cm.) long, 1-2 in, (2.5-5 ing to light reddish brown, fine- cm.) wide, relatively thick, short- textured, moderately lightweight, pointed, rounded or broadly soft. wedge-shaped at base, edges Male flowers in narrow catkins sharply and finely toothed and not 3-6 in. (7.5-15 cm.) long. Fruits lobed, slightly sticky resinous, on short stalks i/4-^/i in. (6-12 shiny yellow green above, and mm.) conelike, V2-I in. (12-25 tufts of whitish hairs in vein mm.) long; nutlets elliptic, with angles beneath, Male flowers in 2 narrow wings. Flowering in narrow catkins %-3 in. (2-7,5 April-May. cm.) long. Fruits conelike, %-% in. (10-15 mm.) long, on slender Red alder is common through- stalks of 1^-1/2 in. (6-12 mm.). out southeast Alaska on stream Common and widely distributed in bottoms with rich, rocky, moist interior of central and northern soils and along beaches where Alaska. Also Yukon Territory creeks enter the sea. On landslides across Canada to Labrador, New- it forms almost impenetrable foundland, and Greenland, south thickets, often with Sitka alder. to North Carolina, Michigan, and Red alder is a pioneer species Oregon and across northern Asia. on mineral soil, thriving on moist Intergrades with Sitka alder sites. It is common below 1,000 (Alnus sinuata (Reg.) Rydb.), feet elevation and absent at high- which has been treated also as a er elevations, where Sitka alder is variety or subspecies. frequent. Being larger, red alder is more competitive and requires more time for overtopping. Both species come in along roadsides 25. RED ALDER and where ground is disturbed after logging. They are a problem (Alnus rubra Bong.) in road maintenance, requiring continual clearing of shoulders Other names: western alder; and side slopes. Seeds of both spe- Alnus oregona Nutt. cies are produced within five years Small to medium-sized decidu- and being tiny are blown great ous tree 20-40 ft. (6-12 m.) tall, distances. with straight trunk 4-16 in. (10- 40 cm.) in diameter. Leaf blades Of little economic importance in ovate or elliptic, 3-5 in (7.5-12.5 Alaska at present, red alder is the cm.) long, l%-3 in. (4.5-7.5 cm.) leading hardwood southward in wide, short-pointed at both ends, the Pacific Northwest, where it is shallow wavy lobed and doubly a larger tree and is made into toothed with both large and small furniture. The wood is used also teeth, thick, edges curled under in smoking meat and fish and for slightly, dark green and nearly wood carving. hairless above, beneath pale with Throughout southeast Alaska rusty hairs along veins; petioles northwest to Yakutat Bay. South i/4-% in, (6-20 mm.) long. Twigs Tongass and North Tongass Na- hairy when young, becoming dark tional Forests, Glacier Bay Na- red with light dots. Winter buds tional Monument. Pacific coast re- stalked, to % in. (1 cm.) long, gion from southeast Alaska south- dark red. Bark gray, splotched east to southern California; also with white, smooth or becoming locally east to northern Idaho. 82 26. THINLEAF ALDER (Alnus tenuifolia Nutt.) Other names: Alrnts incarna (L.) Moench ssp. tenufolia (Nutt.) Breitung, A, incana ssp. rugosa var. occidentalis (Dippel) C. L. Hitchc. Deciduous large shrub or small tree 15-30 ft. (4.5-9 m.) high, commonly forming clumps with Figure 27.—Oregon crab apple (Malus trunks to 8 in, (20 cm.) in diame- diversifolia) ^ natural size. Winter ter. Leaf blades ovate or elliptic. twigs at right. 83 2-6 in. (5-15 cm.) long, I14-21/2 ROSE FAMILY in. (3-6 cm.) wide, short-pointed, rounded at base, shallowly wavy (Rosaceae) lobed and doubly toothed with both large and small teeth, thin, The rose family (Rosaceae) is dark green and becoming hairless well represented in Alaska by 22 above, beneath pale green and species and 10 genera of woody hairy or nearly hairless; petioles plants among the State's 65 native 1/4-1 in. (6-25 mm.) long. Twigs species. Distinguishing characters reddish and hairy when young, are as follows: (1) leaves alter- becoming gray. Bark gray to dark nate, simple or pinnately or palm- gray, smooth, becominof reddish ately compound, with paired stip- gray, thin and scaly. Wood light ules; (2) flowers regular, often brown. large and showy or small and Male flowers in narrow catkins many, with cuplike base, 5 sepals 11/2-3 in. (4-7.5 cm.) long. Fruits mostly persistent, 5 petals mostly on short stalks less than i/4 in. (6 wählte or less commonly pink, pur- mm.) long, conelike %-% in. (1- ple, or yellow, many stamens, and 1.5 cm.) long; nutlets elliptic, al- usually 1 pistil with 2-5—celled most wingless. Flowering in May- ovary (often inferior) and 2-5 June. styles (sometimes many simple pistils) ; and (3) fruit variable, Large trunks have been cut for like an apple (pome) or plum poles. The wood is used for smok- (drupe), aggregate of many 1- ing salmon. Thinleaf alder with seeded fruits (*'berry''), or many the larger willows commonly separate fruits. Numerous wild forms thickets along streams in and cultivated fruits and orna- central and southern Alaska. In- mental plants belong to this fam- terior Alaska from Yukon River ily. Several native genera produce Valley south to base of Alaska fruits edible to mankind as well as Peninsula at Katmai, Kenai Pe- wildlife, for example, serviceberry ninsula, and Copper River Valley. (Amelanchier)f crab apple (Mal- Also north end of southeast us), raspberry (Rtibus), and Alaska from vicinity of Juneau to strawberry (Fragaria). Others, Glacier Bay. North Tongass and such as mountain-ash (Sorbtis)^ Chugach National Forests. Glacier mountain-avens (Dr|/a5), and spi- Bay and Katmai National Monu- rea (Spiraea) are ornamentals. ments. Alaska and Yukon Terri- Rose (Rosa) is both ornamental tory southeast to southwestern and edible, rose hips being a good Saskatchewan and south in moun- source of vitamin C. tains to New Mexico and Cali- fornia. Four native species of the rose family and another naturalized By some authors this alder of species become small trees in western North America is treated Alaska. All belong to the apple as a variety or subspecies of Euro- sub-family and have juicy or pean speckled alder ( mealy fruits resembling small (L.) Moench), of . It is . These species are western closely related also to speckled serviceberry (Amelanchier alni- alder {A. rugosa (Du Roi) folia), Oregon crab apple (Malus diver si folia), Greene mountain- Spreng.), of eastern Canada and ash (Sorbus scopulina), Sitka Northeastern United States, mountain-ash (Sorbus sitchensis), which also has been united with and the naturalized European the Old World species. mountain-ash (Sorbusaticuparia), 84 Figure 28.—Greene mountain-ash (Sor- bus scopulina)^ one-half natural size. Winter twig at right.

27. OREGON CRAB APPLE (Malus diver si folia (Bong.) Roein,) Other names : western crab ap- ple, wild crab apple, Malus fusca (Raf.) Schneid., M. rivularis (Dougl.) Roem., Pyrus diversi- folia Bong., Pyrus fusca Raf. spurs short and spinelike. Winter Deciduous small tree to 25 ft. buds very small, 14g in. (1.5 mm.) (7.5 m.) high, with usually several long, rounded, brown, composed of trunks to 5 in, (12.5 cm.) in di- many scales. Bark gray, smooth ameter, much branched, or a to slightly scaly, thin. Wood light shrub forming thickets. Leaves brown, heavy, hard, fine-textured. with slender petioles 1-2 in. (2.5- Flower clusters (cymes) with 5 cm.) long, ovate, elliptic, or slender stalks bearing several to lance-shaped, 11/2-4 in. (4-10 m.any flowers % in (2 cm.) broad, cm.) long, short-pointed, sharply composed of 5 pointed hairy toothed and sometimes slightly sepals, 5 rounded white or pink 3-lobed toward apex, shiny green petals, 20 stamens, and pistil with and becoming hairless above, be- inferior 2-4-celled ovary and 2-4 neath pale and usually slightly styles. Fruit oblong, like a small hairy. Twigs hairy when young, apple (pome), 1/2-% in. (12-20 becoming red and shiny and later mm.) long, yellow or red, with thin brown or gray, the side twigs or sour flesh and 2-4 papery lined 85 cells, each with 1 or 2 large seeds. Flowering in June, fruit maturing MOUNTAIN-ASH (Sorbus) August-October. Where the trees are sufficiently Deciduous shrubs and small large, the wood is suitable for tool trees with stout twigs and large handles. It is also used for smok- buds with overlapping scales. ing salmon but less commonly Leaves alternate, with paired than alder wood. The crab apples stipules attached to petiole, pin- were eaten by the Indians and are nate with 7-17 toothed leaflets used in jellies and preserves. paired except at end. Flower clus- Commonly a shrub forming ters (corymbs) terminal, much thickets or a slow-growing small tree scattered to plentiful on branched, showy. Flowers many, beach meadow and muskeg small, white, composed of calyx fringes, river bottoms, low slopes, of 5 triangle persistent sepals, 5 and heavy wet soils along the white mostly rounded petals, 15- Pacific coast of southeast and 20 stamens, and pistil with in- southern Alaska. From southern ferior 2-5-celled ovary, 2 ovules end north to Haines and Skagway in each cell, and 2-5 styles. Fruits at Lynn Canal, also at Yakutat like a small red apple (pome) with and from Prince William Sound calyx at apex, 2-4 celled with southwest to end of Kenai Penin- sula. South Tongass, North Ton- 1-2 flattened seeds in each cell. gass, and Chugach National For- Alaska has 3 native species, 2 of ests. Alaska and southward nea^' which become small trees, and 1 coast to Washington, Oregon, and introduced and naturahzed tree northwestern California. species.

Key to the Alaska Tree Species

Leaflets mostly 11-15, oblong, short-pointed, edges toothed nearly to base. Leaflets becoming hairless; shrub or rarely small tree 28. Greene mountain-ash (Sorbus scopiiUna) Leaflets white-hairy beneath; naturalized tree 28.1. European mountain-ash (Sorbus aucuparia) Leaflets mostly 9 or 11, elliptic, rounded or short-pointed at apex, edges not toothed in lowest third ^ _ . 29. Sitka mountain-ash (Sorbits sitchensis)

28. GREENE tree to 20 ft. (6 m.) high and 4 in. MOUNTAIN-ASH (10 cm.) d.b.h. Leaves pinnate, 4-9 in. (10-23 cm.) long, with (Sorbus scopulina Greene) paired, very narrow hairless stipules 1/4-% in. (6-10 mm.) Other names: western moun- long. Leaflets 11-15, stalkless, ob- tain-ash; Sorbus alaskana G. N. long-lanceolate, 11/4-21/2 in. (3-6 Jones not Hollick, S, andersonii cm.) long and %-% in. (1-2 cm.) G. N. Jones, Pyrus scopulina wide, unequal and rounded at (Greene) Longyear. base, short- or long-pointed at Deciduous shrub 3-lS ft. (1-4 apex, edges sharply toothed al- m.) high, rarely becoming a small most to base, becoming hairless, 86 Figure 28.1.—^European mountain-ash (Sorbus aucuparia), one-half natural size. Fruits at upper left; winter twigs at right. above shiny dark green, beneath slightly paler. Twigs with whitish hairs when young, with scattered elliptic dots (lenticels). Buds conical, dark reddish brown, inner scales with whitish hairs. Bark gray, smooth. Flower clusters (corymes) ter- 1 ■ minal, rounded, 11/4-3 in. (3--7.5 cm.) broad, bearing on whitish Openings and clearings in for- hairy stalks many fragrant flow- ests. Central interior Alaska from ers % in. (1 cm.) across, com- central Yukon River and Bering posed of 5 minute triangular Sea south to Katmai, southern, sepals, 5 elliptic petals %ß in. (5 and southeast Alaska. South Ton- mm.) long, many stamens, and gass, North Tongass, and Chugach pistil with inferior hairy 3-4- National Forests, Katmai Na- celled ovary and 3-4 styles. Fruits tional Monument. Alaska and fewer than 25, like a small apple British Columbia southeast to (pome), round, less than % in. (10 Alberta, South Dakota, New Mex- mm.) in diameter, bright shiny ico, and California. red, bitter, with few elliptic brown This shrubby species was ob- seeds more than l^ in. (3 mm.) served at Haines as a small tree long, persistent in winter. Flower- 20 ft. (6m.) high and can be ing June-July, fruiting in July, added to Alaska's Hst of trees. 87 28.1. EUROPEAN wings, which probably spread the MOUNTAIN-ASH seeds. Numerous crows can be seen eating the fruits in trees of (Sorbus auciiparia L.) southeastern towns also. Not a true ash, European moun- Other name : -tree. tain-ash is the only introduced or Deciduous small to medium tree exotic tree to become established planted as an ornamental in in Alaska and grow as if wild. Its southeast Alaska and sparingly speciñc name, meaning to catch naturalized, 20-40 ft. (6-12 m.) birds, refers to the use of the tall and 1 ft. (30 cm.) in trunk di- mucilaginous fruits by fowlers in ameter, with symmetrical rounded making birdlime. crown. Leaves pinnate, 4-8 in. Naturalized in southeast Alas- (10-20 cm.) long, with paired 3- ka. Native of Europe and Asia but angled stipules. Leaflets 9-17, ob- widely planted and naturalized long or lance-shaped, 1-2 in. (2.5- in many places across Canada 5 cm.) long, short-pointed, with and northern contiguous United edges coarsely toothed except States. near unequal rounded base, dull green and becoming hairless above, pale and white-hairy be- 29. SITKA MOUNTAIN-ASH neath. Young twigs and winter {Sorbus sitchensis Roem.) buds densely white-hairy or woolly, winter buds conical, ¥i6-% Other names: western moun- in. (5-10 mm,) long. Bark dark tain-ash. Pacific mountain-ash. gray, smooth, with horizontal Deciduous shrub 4-8 ft. (1.2- lines (lenticels), aromatic. 2.5 m.) high, or a small tree to Flower clusters (corymbs) ter- 15-20 ft. (4.5-6 m.) high and 6 minal rounded, 4-6 in. (10-15 in. (15 cm.) in trunk diameter, cm.) across, bearing 75-100 flow- with handsome, round-topped ers on densely white-hairy stalks. head. In rocky alpine situations at Flowers % in. (10 mm.) across, higher altitudes it is a low shrub composed of 5 triangular white- often only 1-2 ft. (30-61 cm.) hairy sepals, 5 white rounded high. Leaves pinnate, 4-8 in. (10- petals %6 in. (4 mm.) long, many 20 cm.) long, with paired narrow stamens, and pistil with inferior rusty-hairy stipules. Leaflets usu- hairy ovary and 3-4 styles. Fruits ally 9 or 11 (sometimes 7 to 13), many, like a small apple (pome), elliptic or oblong, li/â-21/2 in. (3-6 round, % in. (10 mm.) in diam- cm.) long, rounded or blunt- eter, bright red; seeds elliptic, pointed at apex, with edges light brown, %ß in. (4 mm.) long. coarsely and sharply toothed Fruits maturing in August-Sep- above the middle, dull blue green tember. and hairless above, pale and hair- Planted as an ornamental tree less or nearly so beneath. Twigs at Wrangell, Ketchikan, Craig, stout, rusty hairy when young, Sitka, Juneau, and other towns becoming gray, with few elhptic along the coast of southeast dots (lenticels), with odor and bit- Alaska, where it spreads rapidly ter taste of cherry. Buds oblong, from cultivation. Sparingly nat- to 1/2 in. (12 mm.) long, dull red- uralized along roads and forming dish brown, densely rusty hairy. thickets. The fruits persist into Bark gray, smooth. Wood pale late fall and early winter and pro- brown, lightweight, fine-textured. vide food for birds, such as cross- Flower clusters (corymbs) ter- bills, grosbeaks, and cedar wax- minal, rounded, 2-4 in. (5-10 cm.) 88 r^ \ -' \ gtíÍ^rWH^. 3^S? Figure 29.—Sîlka mountain-ash (Sor- bus sitchensîs') ^ one-half natural size. ¿f^^^Ô^ Fruitg at upper left; winter twig at ^ ^-^:r'"!^^. upper right. across, bearing 15-60 flowers on rusty-hairy stalks. Flowers small, % in. (6 mm.) across fragrant, liam Sound, Cook Inlet, Katmai composed of 5 broadly triangular Region at base of Alaska Penin- hairless sepals, 5 white rounded sula, and Afognak and Kodiak petals 14 in. (5 mm.) long, many Islands. South Tongass, North stamens, and pistil with inferior Tongass, and Chugach National hairy ovary and 3-4 styles. Fruits Forests. Glacier Bay and Katmai several to many, like a small apple National Monuments. Kenai Na- (pome), round, %-i/2 in. (10-12 tional Moose Range. Alaska south- mm.) in diameter, red but becom- east along coast to southern ing orange and purple, with few British Columbia and in moun- elliptic brown seeds % in. (3 mm.) tains to Washington, central Cali- long. Flowering June-August, forna, , and northwestern fruits maturing in August-Sep- Montana. Reported from Yukon. tember. Often cultivated as an orna- Uncommon to rare in forests mental north to Anchorage but from sea level to timberline, Pa- with less regular form than Euro- cific coast of southeast and south- pean mountain-ash. Birds eat the ern Alaska. Throughout southeast fruits. Sitka mountain-ash is Alaska from Ketchikan and Hyder named for Sitka, Alaska, where it north to head of Lynn Canal at was discovered. Hybrids with Skagway, west along coast to Greene mountain-ash (Sorbits Glacier Bay, Yakutat, Prince Wil- scopulina Greene) are reported. 89 Figure 30.—^Western serviceberry (^Ame- lanchier alnifolia)^ one-half natural size. Winter twig at left.

Deciduous shrub or small tree to 16 ft. (5 m.) high and 5 in. (12.5 cm.) in trunk diameter. Leaves elliptic or nearly round, " -2 in. (2-5 cm.) long, %-lVé in. (1.5-3 cm.) wide, rounded at both ends with teeth toward apex, 30. WESTERN above dark green and hairless or SERVICEBERRY nearly so, and beneath paler and often hairy when young, petioles (Amelanchier alnifolia slender, %-l in. (1-2.5 cm.) long. (Nutte) Nutt.) Young twigs reddish brown, be- coming hairless. Winter buds nar- Other names: saskatoon serv- row, purpHsh, of several scales. iceberry, northwestern service- Bark gray or brown, thin, smooth berry, Pacific serviceberry ; Ame- or slightly fissured. Wood light lanchier florida Li ndl. brown, heavy, hard, fine-textured. 90 Figure 31.—Douglas maple (Acer gla- brum var. douglasii)^ one-half natu- ral size. Winter twigs at left. rounded, %-% in. (1-1.5 cm.) in diameter, purple or nearly black and covered with a bloom, with calyx at apex, sweet, juicy, and edible, with several elliptic flat- tened brown seeds about %6 in. (5 mm.) long. Flowering June- July, fruiting July-September. The fruits are eaten fresh or Flower clusters (racemes) 11/4- prepared in puddings, pies, and 21/2 in. (3-6 cm.) long, terminal, muffins. The dried berries are used appearing with or before the like raisins and currants. Birds leaves. Flowers 5-15, fragrant, are fond of the fruits. Listed as 1/2-I in. (1.2-2.5 cm.) wide, com- suitable for ornamental planting posed of cal3^x of 5 narrow lobes, for the white flowers and attrac- often densely woolly when young, tive fruits, spreading freely and 5 white oblong petals ^/g.s/g in. forming thickets. (1-1.5 cm.) long, about 20 short Uncommon in forests and open- stamens, and pistil with inferior ings, Paciñc coast of southeast hairy 5-celled ovary and 5 styles. and southern Alaska in four sep- Fruit like an apple (pome) arate areas: Extreme southeast-

91 ern Alaska north to Wrangell; Deciduous small tree of south- from Taku River to Haines and east Alaska becoming 20-30 ft. Skagway at head of Lynn Canal ; (6-9 m.) tall and 6-12 in. (15-30 Kenai Peninsula and Cook Inlet cm.) in trunk diameter but often area; and base of Alaska Penin- a several-stemmed shrub 4-6 ft. sula to Wood River Lakes area (1.2-1.8 m.) high. Leaves paired north of Dillingham. Northward (opposite), ovate, 2-4 in. (5-10 in interior along Chitina and Cop- cm.) long and broad, slightly per Rivers, also along Tanana and heart-shaped at base, shallowly central Yukon Rivers as far west 3-lobed with the lobes long- as Galena- South Tongass, North pointed, deeply, sharply, and ir- Tongass, and Chugach National regularly or doubly toothed, hair- Forests, Katmai National Monu- less, shiny dark green above, pale ment, Kenai National Moose beneath with yellowish veins, Range. Alaska and Yukon Terri- Petioles IV2-4 in. (4-10 cm.) long, tory east to western Ontario and slender, reddish tinged. Twigs Minnesota, south to Iowa, Colo- paired (opposite), reddish, hair- rado, and northwestern California. less, with U-shaped leaf scars. The serviceberries of Alaska Winter buds short-pointed Vs~Vé are perhaps best treated as be- in. (3-6 mm.) long, dark red, the longing to a single species, though side buds paired (opposite). Bark 2 were distinguished in some ref- gray, smooth. Wood light brown, erences including **Alaska Trees heavy, hard, fine-textured. and Shrubs." Flower clusters (corymbs) ter- minal, appearing with the leaves, MAPLE FAMILY with several flowers on slender spreading or drooping stalks. (Aceraceae) Flowers mostly male and female The maple family composed of on different trees (dioecious), deciduous trees is represented in about YQ in. (3 mm.) long, com- Alaska by Douglas maple in the posed of 4 narrow yellow green southeast part. Maples have the sepals as long as the narrow yel- following characteristics for rec- low green petals, 7-8 stamens, and ognition: (1) leaves paired (op- in female flowers very short sta- posite), long-stalked, broad, 3- mens and pistil with 2-celled ovary lobed or 5-lobed and toothed; (2) and 2 styles. Fruit of paired, flowers male and female on the winged, 1-seeded keys (samaras) same or different trees, small, in %-l in. (2-2.5 cm.) long, usually clusters appearing with the leaves ; red until shed, then turning to and (3) fruits, distinctive paired light brown. Flowering in May, winged, 1-seeded keys. In winter fruit maturing July-August. the paired (opposite) U-shaped Common along shores in south- leaf-scars aid in recognition. east Alaska, sometimes fringing tidal meadows or bogs. Occasional 31. DOUGLAS MAPLE in rich moist soils on forested (Acer glabrum Torr. var. slopes. The trees are seldom large enough for commercial purposes. douglasii (Hook.) Dipp.) Southeast Alaska, common Other names: dwarf maple, along the coast north to the head Douglas Rocky Mountain maple; of Lynn Canal at Skagway. South Acer glabrum ssp. douglasii Tongass and North Tongass Na- (Hook.) Wesmael, A. douglasii tional Forests, Southeast Alaska, Hook.; variety of Rocky Moun- southeast to western and southern tain maple, A. glabrum Torr. British Columbia, southern Al- 92 Figure 32.—Pacific red elder (Sambu- cus callicarpa)^ one-half natural size. Winter twig at right.

HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY ( Caprif oliaceae ) Deciduous or evergreen shrubs, sometimes small trees, woody vines, and herbs. Leaves opposite, simple or pinnately compound, without stipules (present in Sambucus). Flowers mostly small, regular or irregular, composed of berta, western Montana, and calyx of 4-5 teeth, tubular corolla northwestern , and west with 4-5 lobes, 4-5 stamens in- to Idaho, Washington, and Ore- serted on tube and alternate with gon. Rocky Mountain maple (Acer lobes, and pistil with inferior glabrum Torr., including this and ovary of 2-5 cells and usually 1 other varieties) extends south- ovule in each and 1 style or none. ward to northwestern Nebraska Fruit mostly a berry or berrylike and in mountains to southern New drupe. Five genera in Alaska, each Mexico and southern California. with a single native species. Douglas maple is the only mem- ber of the maple family (Acera- 32. PACIFIC RED ELDER ceae) native in Alaska. Named for its discoverer, David Douglas (Sambucus callicarpa (1798-1834), Scotch botanical ex- Greene) plorer. Other names ; scarlet elder, red-

93 berry elder, stinking elder, elder- and 3 stigmas. Fruit many berry- berry ; Sambticiis racemosa L. var. like drupes about %ß in. (5 mm.) arborescens (Torr. & Gray) Gray. in diameter with calyx persistent Deciduous clump-forming shrub at apex, bright red or scarlet, 6-12 ft. (2-3.5 m.) high, some- sometimes orange, containing 3 times large and treelike, with sev- 1-seeded poisonous nutlets. Flow- eral stems to 2-4 in. (5-10 cm.) ering May-July, fruit maturing d.b.h., rarely a small tree to 20 ft. July-August. (6 m.) high and 5 in. (12.5 cm.) Elders are easily detected by a d.b.h. Leaves opposite, compound, strong odor when leaves or stems pinnate, 5-10 in. (12.5-25 cm.) are crushed. The red fruits ai"e long, with small narrow stipules classed as not edible, at least when about Va in. (3 mm.) long soon raw, but are sometimes made into shedding and leaving ring scar on wine. They are eaten by some twig, with unpleasant odor, Leaf- birds, especially robins and lets 5 or 7, paired except at end, thrushes. The "seeds'' (nutlets) short-stalked. Blades lanceolate or are reported to be poisonous, elliptic, 2-5 in (5-12.5 cm.) long causing diarrhea and vomiting. and 1-2 in. (2.5-5 cm.) wide, long- Plants can be grown as ornamen- pointed at apex and short-pointed tals but in the interior only in and often unequal at base, finely moist situations. and sharply toothed on edges, Common locally in moist soil, thin, above green and nearly hair- especially open areas and recently less, beneath paler and hairy. cutover land in coastal forests. Twigs stout, finely hairy when in Aleutians, and young, gray, with raised brown Pacific coast regions of south- dots (lenticels), with rings at western, southern, and southeast nodes. Buds paired, large, egg- Alaska. Chugach, North Tongass, shaped, lA-i/s in. (6-12 mm.) and South Tongass National For- long, gray, covered by several ests, Katmai and Glacier Bay Na- slightly hairy overlapping scales tional Monuments, Kenai National often persistent around twig. Moose Range, Kodiak and Aleu- Bark light to dark gray or brown, tian Islands National Wildlife smoothish, becoming cracked or Refuges. Pacific coast region from furrowed into small scaly or southwest Alaska southeast to shaggy plates. Pith thick, whit- western Oregon and mountains of ish on youngest twigs, becoming central and southern California. deep yellow-orange or brown. This elder is added here to the Wood soft, whitish. list of native trees in Alaska, Flower clusters (compound rarely reaching the minimum size. cymes) terminal, erect, longer Small trees were observed to 20 than broad, 2-4 in. (5-10 cm.) ft. in height and 5 in. in trunk long and IV2-2 in. (4-5 cm.) wide, diameter at Meyers Chuck on with many small whitish flowers Cleveland Peninsula northwest of with unpleasant odor, turning Ketchikan. Southward in the brown on drying. Flower com- Pacific States heights of 25-30 ft. posed of minute 5-toothed calyx, and trunk diameters to 1 ft. have white spreading 5-lobed corolla been recorded. %6-% in. (5-6 m.m.) across, 5 The plants of northwestern stamens inserted at base of corolla North America from Alaska to and alternate with lobes, and pistil California have been treated also with inferior 3-celled ovary with as a variety of European red elder 1 ovule in each cell, short style, (S. racemosa L.)

94 SELECTED REFERENCES

Additional information about the trees of Alaska, also the forests and other vegetation, is available in many articles and books. Selected references are listed here and in **Alaska Trees and Shrubs" (Viereck and Little 1972). Comprehensive bibliographies on Alaska plants have been prepared by Hultén (1941-50, 1967, 1968).

Anderson, H. E. Calder, James A., Taylor, Roy L., Fowells, H, A., compiler. 1953. Range of western red- and Mulligan, Gerald A. 1965. Silvics of forest trees of cedar (Thuja plicata) in 1968. Flora of the Queen Char- the United States. U.S. Dep. Alaska. USDA Forest Serv. lotte Islands. Can. Dep. Agrie, Agrie. Handb. 271, Alaska Forest Ees. Cent. Agrie. Res. Monogr. 4, Parts 762 p. Tech. Note 22, 1 p. and 1-2. map. Cooper, W. S. Garman, E. H. Anderson, H. E. 1931. The layering habit in 1970. Pocket guide to the trees 1959, Silvical characteristics of Sitka spruce and the two and shrubs of British Co- Alaska-cedar ( Chamaecypar- western hemlocks. Bot. Gaz. lumbia. B.C. Forest Serv. is nootkatensis ), USDA For- 91: 441-451. Publ. B. 28, Ed. 4, 131 p. est Serv. Alaska Forest Res. Cooper, W. S. Gregory, Robert A. Cent. Stn. Pap. 11, 10 p. 1942. Vegetation of the Prince 1957, Some silvieultural char- Anderson, J. P. William Sound Region, Alas- acteristics of western red- 1959. Flora of Alaska and ad- ka; with a brief excursion cedar in Alaska. Ecology 38: jacent parts of Canada. into post-Pleistocene climat- 543 p. Ames, Iowa: Iowa ic history. Ecol. Monogr. 12: 646-649. State Univ. Press. 1-22. Gregory, Robert A. Anderson, James R. Coville, F. V. 1960. Identification of spruce 1925. Trees and shrubs, food, 1900. The tree willows of seedlings in interior Alaska. medicinal, and poisonous Alaska. Proc. Wash, Acad. USDA Forest Serv. Alaska plants of British Columbia. Sei, 2: 275-286. Forest Res. Cent. Tech. Note 165 p. Victoria, B.C. 45, 4 p. Argus, George W. Coville, F, V. 1965. The of the 1901. The willows of Alaska. Gregory, Robert A., and Haack, Salix glauca complex in Proc. Wash. Acad. Sei. 3: Paul M. North America. Contrib. 297-362. 1964. Equations and tables for Gray Herb. Harv. Univ. 196, Daubenmire, R. F. estimating cubic-foot volume 142 p. 1968. Some geographic varia- of interior Alaska tree spe- Argus, George W. tions in Picea sitckensis and cies. USDA Forest Serv. Res. 1969. New combinations in the their ecological interpreta- Note NOR-6, 21 p. Salix of Alaska and Yukon. tion. Can. J. Bot. 46: 787- Gregory, Robert A. Can. J. Bot. 47: 795-801. 798. 1965. Growth and yield of Argus, George W. Davidson, John. well-stocked aspen and birch 1973. The genus Salix in 1927. Conifers, junipers, and stands in Alaska. USDA For- Alaska and the Yukon. Nati. yew: gymnosperms of Brit- est Serv. Res. Pap. NOR-2, Mus. Can. Publ, Bot. No. 2, ish Columbia. 72 p. . 279 p. 28 p. Babb, M. F. Dugle, Janet R. Griggs, R. F. 1959. Ornamental trees and 1966. A taxonomic study of 1934, The edge of forest in shrubs for Alaska. Univ. western Canadian species in Alaska and the reasons for Alaska Agrie. Exp. Stn. the genus Betula, Can. J. its position. Ecology 15: Bull. 24, 39 p. Bot. 44: 929-1007. 80-96, Bones, James T. Eliot, Willard Ayres, and Mc- 1963. Wood processing in Lean, G. B. Haack, Paul M, Alaska--1961, USDA Forest 1938. Forest trees of the Pa- 1963a. Aerial ^ photo volume Serv. Res. Bull. NOR-1, 14 cific coast. 565 p. New York. tables for interior Alaska p. Evans, W. H. tree species. USDA Forest Brayshaw, T. C. 1899. An undescribed birch Serv. Res. Note NOR-2. 8 p. 1965. The status of the black from Alaska. Bot. Gaz, 27: cottonwood {Populua trich- 481-482. Haack, Paul M, ocarpa Torrey and Gray). 1963b. Volume tables for trees Can. Field-Nat. 79: 91-95. Farr, Wilbur A. of interior Alaska. USDA Bruce, David, and Court, Arnold, 1967a. Board-foot tree volume Forest Serv. Res. Note 1945. Trees for the Aleutians. tables and equations for NOR-5. 11 p. Geogr. Rev. 85: 418-423. white spruce in interior Bruce, Mason B. Alaska, USDA Forest Serv. Hanks, Leland F., and Swanson, 1960. National forests in Res. Note PNW-59, 4 p. Carl W. Alaska, J. For. 58: 437-442. Farr, Wilbur A. 1967. Lumber grade yields Cahalane, Victor H, 1967b. Growth and yield of from paper birch and bal- 1959. A biological survey of well-stocked white spruce sam poplar logs in the Katmai National Monument. stands in Alaska. USDA Susitna River Valley. USDA Smithson. Misc. Collect. Forest Serv. Res. Pap. Forest Serv. Res. Pap. 138(5), 246 p. PNW-58, 30 p. PNW-51, 30 p. 95 Hardy, Charles E., and Franks, Little, Elbert L., Jr, Sargent, Charles Sprague. James W. 1953b. A natural hybrid spruce 1926. Manual of the trees of 196S, Forest fires in Alaska. in Alaska. J. For. 51: 745- North America ( exclusive USD A Forest Serv. Res. 747. of Mexico). Ed. 2, reprinted Pap. INT-5, 163 p. Lutz, H. J. with corrections. 910 p. Bos- Harris, Arland S. 1856. Ecological effects of for- ton and New York: Hough- 1964. Sitka spruce ; Alaska's est fires in the interior of ton Mifflin Co. (Reprinted new State tree. Am. Forests Alaska. U.S. Dep. Agrie. 1933: 1961, New York: 70(8) : 33-35. Tech. Bull. 1133, 121 p. Dover, ) Harris, Arland S. Lutz, H. J. Stoeckler, E. G. 1965. Subalpine fir on Harris 1958a. Effect of red squirrels 1952. Trees of interior Alaska, Ridge near Holiis, Prince of on crown form of black their significance as soil and Wales Island, Alaska. North- spruce in Alaska. USDA permafrost indicators. U.S. west Sei. 39: 123-128. Forest Serv. Tech. Note Dep. Army, Corps Eng, 25 Harrist Arland S. NO-42, 3 p. p. 1969. Alaska cedar, a bibliog- Lutz, H. J. Sudworth, George B. raphy with abstracts. USD A 1958b. Observations on "dia- 1908. Forest trees of the Pa- Forest Serv. Res. Pap. mond willow" with particu- cific slope. USDA Forest PNW-73, 47 p. lar reference to its occur- Serv. 441 p. Wash., D.C, Harris, Arland S. rence in Alaska. Am. Midi. (Reprinted 1967, New York: 1970. The loners of Alaska. Nat. 60: 176-185. Dover. ) Am. Forests 76(5)1 20-22, Lutz, H.J, Taylor, Raymond F. 55-56. 1963a, Early forest conditions 1929. Pocket guide to Alaska Heusser, C. J. in the Alaska interior, an trees. U.S. Dep. Agrie. Misc. 1964. Alpine fir at Taku Gla- historical account with orig- Publ. 55, 39 p. cier with notes on its post- inal sources. USDA Forest Taylor, Raymond F., and Little, glacial migration to the Serv. North. Forest Exp. Elbert L., Jr. Territory. Bull. Torrey Bot. Stn. 74 p. 1950, Pocket guide to Alaska Club 81: 83-86. Lutz, H. J. trees. U.S. Dep. Agrie Heusser, C. J. 1963b. Sitka spruce planted in Agrie. Handb. 5, 63 p. 1960. Late Pleistocene environ- 1805 at Unalaska Island by USDA Forest Products Labora- ments of Pacific North the Russians. USDA Forest tory. America. 308 p. New York: Serv. North. Forest Exp. 1963. Characteristics of Alaska Am. Geogr. Soc. Stn. 25 p. woods. USDA Forest Serv, Hitchcock, C. Leo, Cronquist, McMinn, Howard E., and Maino, Res. Pap. FPL-l. 64 p. Arthur, Ownbey, Marion, Evelyn. USDA Forest Service. and Thompson, J. W. 1937. An illustrated manual of 1940. Tongass National For Pacific coast trees. 409 p. est, Alaska. 46 p. Wash. 1955-69. Vascular plants of D.C. the Pacific Northwest. 5 Berkeley, Calif. {Reprinted 1946.) Viereck, Leslie A., and Foote, parts. Seattle and London: Joan M. Univ. Wash. Press. Markwardt, L. J. 1931. The distribution and the 1970. The status of Populus Hosie, R. C. mechanical properties of balsamifera and P. tricho- 1969. Native trees of Canada. Alaska woods. U.S. Dep. carpa in Alaska. Can. Field- Ed. 7, 380 p. Can. For. Serv. Agrie. Tech. Bull. 226, 79 p. Nat. 84: 169-173. Dep. Fish. For., Ottawa. Viereck, Leslie A., and Little, Hultén, Eric, Massie, Michael R. Elbert L., Jr. 1940, History of botanical ex- 1966. Marketing hardwoods 1972. Alaska trees and shrubs ploration in Alaska and from Alaska's Susitna Val- U.S. Dep. Agrie, Agrie, Yukon Territories from the ley. Univ. Alaska, Inst. of Handb. 410, 265 p. time of their discovery to Soc, Econ. and Gov. Res. Viereck, Leslie A., and Little, 1940. Bot. Not. 1940: 289- SEG Rep. 9, 162 p. Elbert L., Jr. 346. Mitchell, William W. 1974. Atlas of United States 1968. On the ecology of Sitka trees, volume 2, Alaska trees Hultén, Eric. alder in the subalpine zone and common shrubs. U.S. 1941-50. Flora of Alaska and of south-central Alaska, p. Dep. Agrie. Misc. Publ. 1293, Yukon, 1-10. Lunds Univ. 45-56. In Trappe, J. M., 19 p., 105 maps. Arsskr., N. F., Avd. 2, vol. Franklin, J. F., Tarrant, Wiggins, Ira L., and Thomas, 37-46, 1902 p. R. F., and Hansen, G. M., J. H. Hultén, Eric. editors. Biology of alder. 1962. A flora of the Alaskan 1967. Comments on the flora Proc, Symp. Northwest Sei, Arctic slope. Arct. Inst. of Alaska and Yukon. Sven. Assoc. 40th Annu. Meet., North Am. Spec. Publ. 4, Vetenskapsakad. Handl. Ser. Pullman, Wash. USDA For- 425 p. 2, 7(1), 147 p. est Serv. Pac. Northwest Wight, W. F. Hultén, Eric. Forest and Range Exp, Stn. 1908. A new larch from Alas- 1968. Flora of Alaska and 292 p. ka. Smithson. Inst. Misc. neighboring territories; a Orth, Donald J. Collect. 50: 174. manual of the vascular 1967. Dictionary of Alaska Worley, Ian A., and Jacques, plants. 1008 p. Stanford, place names. U.S. Geol. Dennis. Calif.: Stanford Univ. Press. Surv. Prof. Pap. 567, 1084 p. 1973. Subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) in coastal west- Hultén, Eric. Ostenfeld, C. H., and Larsen, C. 1973, Supplement to Flora of Syrach. ern North America. North- Alaska and neighboring ter- 1930. The species of the genus west Sei. 47: 265-273. ritories: A study in the Larix and their geographi- Zasada, John C, and Gregory, flora of Alaska and the cal distribution. K. Dan. Robert A. Vid. Selsk. Biol. Meddei. 1969. Regeneration of white Transberingian connection. spruce (Picea glauca (Mo- Bot. Not. 126: 459-512. 9(2). 107 p. ench) Voss) with reference Hutchison, O. Keith. Raup, Hugh M. to interior Alaska: a litera- 1967. Alaska's forest resource. 1959. The willows of boreal ture review. USDA Forest USDA Forest Serv. Res. western America. Contrib. Serv. Res. Pap. PNW"-79, Bull, PNW-19, 74 p. Grav Herb. Harv. Univ. 185. 37 p. Little, Elbert L., Jr. 95 p. Zoltai, S. C.~ 1953a. Check list of native Rowe, J. S. 1973. The range of tamarack and naturalized trees of the 1972. Forest regions of Can- (Larix laricina (Du Roi) United States (including ada. Can. Dep. North. Aff. K. Koch) in northern Yukon Alaska). U.S. Dep. Agrie, Nat. Res,, For. Branch Bull. Territory. Can. J. For. Res. Agrie. Handb. 41, 472 p. 123, 172 p. 3: 461-464.

96 INDEX OF COMMON AND SCIENTIFIC NAMES

The preferred common names adopted in headings and the page numbers where the descriptions begin are in heavy (boldface) type. Other common names appear in ordinary (roman) type. English com- mon names are indexed under the last word. Scientific names accepted in headings are shown in heavy (boldface) italics, and the page numbers where the descriptions begin are in heavy (boldface) type. Other scientific names, including synonyms, are in italics, Family names, common and scientific, are shown in capi- tals. Scientific names of varieties and subspecies, with few exceptions, are not indexed.

Abies, 23, 37 Betula Xcommixta, 77 CUPBESSACEAE, 40 Abies amabilis, 8, 88 Betula Xeastwoodiae, 77 cypress, Alaska, 44 Abies lasiocarpa^ 8, 39 Betula glandulosa, 70, 77 cypress, Sitka, 44 Acer douglasii, 92 Betula xhomei, 78 cypress, yellow, 44 Acer glahrum, 92 Betula hybrids, 76 CYPRESS FAMILY, 40 Acer glabrum var. doug- Betula kamtschatica var. lasii, 92 kenaica, 76 Douglas-fir, 10, 37 ACERACEAE, 92 Betula kenaica, 76 Alaska-cedar, 6, 10, 12, 40, Betula nana, 70, 78 elder, European red, 94 44 Betula neoalaskana, 74 elder, Pacific red, 93 alder, 6, 7, 12, 13, 78 , 73, 77 elder, redberry, 93 alder, American green, 80 Betula papyrifera 7, 70, elder, scarlet, 93 alder, European speckled, 77, 78 elder, stinking, 94 84 Betula papyrifera var. elderberry, 94 alder, red, 10, 82 commutata, 8, 73 alder, Sitka, 80 Betula papyrifera var. /íM- false-cypress, Nootka, 44 alder, speckled, 84 milis, 74 fir, 23, 37 alder, thinieaf, 83 Betula papyrifera var, ken- fir, alpine, 39 alder, western, 82 aica, 7, 76 fir, Pacific silver, 8, 10, 38 Alnus, 6, 7, 78 Betula resinífera, 74 fir, silver, 38 Alnus crispa, 80 BETULACEAE, 68 fir, subalpine, 8, 10, 39 Alnus crispa ssp. sinuata^ birch, il, 13, 70 fir, white, 38, 39 80 birch, Alaska, 74 Alnus fruticosa var. sinu- birch, Alaska paper, 74 hackmatack, 26 ata, 80 birch, Alaska white, 74 hemlock, 10, 23, 34 Alnus incana, 83 birch, black, 76 hemlock, alpine, 36 Alnus incana ssp. rugosa, birch, canoe, 70, 74 hemlock, black, 36 83, 84 birch, dwarf arctic, 70, 78 hemlock, mountain, 6, 10, Alnus incana ssp. tenui- birch. Home, 78 36 folia, 83 birch, hybrid, 76 hemlock. Pacific, 34 Alnus oregona, 82 birch, Kenai, 7, 76 hemlock, west coast, 34 Alnus rubra, 82 birch, Kenai paper, 76 hemlock, western, 6, 10, Alnus rugosa, 84 birch, paper, 7, 10, 11, 70, 12, 34 Alnus sinuata, 80 73, 74, 77, 78 HONEYSUCKLE FAM- Alnus sitchensis, 80 birch, red, 76 ILY, 93 Alnus tenuifolia, 83 birch, resin, 12, 13, 70, 77 Amelanchier alnifolia, 90 birch, western paper, 8, 73 juniper, 40 Amelanchier florida, 90 birch, white, 70, 74 juniper, common, 40 apple, Oregon crab, 85 birch, Yukon, 77 juniper, creeping, 40 apple, western crab, 85 BIRCH FAMILY, 68 Juniperus, 40 apple, wild crab, 85 Juniperus communis, 40 arborvitae, 41 CAPRIPOLIACEAE, 93 Juniperus horizontalis, 40 arborvitae, giant, 41 cedar, canoe, 41 aspen, 6, 11, 45 Chamaecyparis nootkaten- larch, 22 aspen, American, 50 sis, 6, 40, 44 larch, Alaska, 26 aspen, quaking, 7, 11, 50 coltonwood, 6, 10, 45, 48 larch, eastern, 26 aspen, trembling, 50 cottonwood, Î3alsam, 48 Larix, 22 coltonwood, black, 6, 7, 10, Larix alaskensis, 26 Betula, 70 12, 48 Larix laricina, 7, 26 Betula alaskana, 74 cottonwood, northern Betula xbeeniana, 78 black, 48 Malus diversifolia, 85 97 Malus fusca, 85 Populus tremuloides, 7, 50 spruce, black, 7, 11, 12, 28 Malus iñvulariSj 85 Populus trichocarpa, 6, 7, spruce, bog, 28 mapAe, Douglas, 92 spruce, Canadian, 29 maplej Douglas Rocky Pseudotsuga menziesiif 37 spruce, coast, 31 Mountain, 92 Pseudotsuga taxifolia, 37 spruce, Lutz, 34 maple, dwarf, 92 Pyrus diversifoUay 85 spruce, Porsild, 29 maple, Rocky Mountain, Pyrus fuscaf 85 spruce, silver, 31 92 Pyrus scopulina, 86 spruce, Sitka, 6, 7, 10, 31 MAPLE FAMILY, 92 spruce, swamp, 28 xnouniain-ash, 36 redcedar, Pacific, 41 spruce, tideland, 31 znountain-ash, European, redcedar, western, 6, 10, spruce, western, 31 88 40, 41 spruce, western white, 29 mountain-ash, Greene, 86 ROSACEAE, 84 spruce, white, 7, 10, 11, 12, mountain-ash, Pacific, 88 ROSE FAMILY 84 29 mountain-ash, Sitka, 88 Rowan-tree, 88 spruce, yellow, 31 mountain-ash, western, 86, squaws-tongue, 50 88 SALICACEAE, 6, 44 Salix, 6, 7, 14, 52 tacamahac, 45 Picea, 6, 22, 27 Salix, alaxensis, 56 tamarack, 7, 12, 26 Picea glauca, 7, 29 íSaíia; amplifolia, 7, 56 TAXACEAE, 20 Picea glauca var. alberti- SafiÄ arbusculoides, 64 Taxus brevifolia, 8, 20 ana, 29 SaiiJc barclayi, 66 Thuja plicata, 6, 40, 41 Picea glauca var, porsildiij SaÜAc bebbiana, 7, 58 Tsuga, 23, 34 29 5a¿ía; coulteri, 62 Tsuga heterophylla, 6, 34 Picea xlutziiy 34 SaKa; depressa ssp. ros- Tsuga ntertensiana, 6, 34, Picea mariana, 7, 28 trata, 58 36 Picea sitchensis, 6, 7, 31 Saïi^t, glauca, 66 willow, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 52 PINACEAE, 6, 21 Salix hookeriana, 8, 56 willow, Barclay^ 66 pine, 6, 22 SOIíA: lanata ssp. ricJiard- willow, beak, 58 pine, iodgepole, 7, 8, 10, sonii, 66 willow, Bebb, 7, 58 23, 24, 26 Salix lasiandra, 65 willow, bigleaf, 56 pine, Rocky Mountain iSaZia; longistyliSf 56 willow, black, 61 Iodgepole, 26 Salix novae-angliae, 66 willow, diamond, 58 pine, scrub, 23, 24 Saiijc planifúlia ssp. willow, diamondleaf, 68 pine, shore, 10, 12, 24 pulchra, 68 willow, feltleaf, 56 pine, tamarack, 23, 24 iSafe rostrata, 58 willow, fire, 61 PINE FAMILY, 21 SOIíA; scouleriana, 61 willow, gray leaf, 66 Pinus, 22 Sollet; sitchensis, 62 willow. Hooker, 7, 8, 56 Pinus contorta, 7, 23 Sambucus callicarpa, 93 willow, littletree, 64 Pinus contorta var. coU' Sambucus racemosay 94 willow, mountain, 61 torta, 24 Sambucus racemosa var. willow. Pacific, 65 Pinus contorta var. iati- arborescens, 94 willow, Richardson, 66 /oiiö, 8, 26 serviceberry, northwest- willow, Scouler, 61 poplar, 6, 45 ern, 90 willow, silky, 62 poplar, balsam, 7, 11, 12, serviceberry. Pacific, 90 willow, Sitka, 62 45 serviceberry, saskatoon, 90 willow, tall blueberry, 66 poplar, Pacific, 48 serviceberry, western, 90 willow, western black, 65 poplar, tacamahac, 45 shinglewood, 41 willow, Yakutat, 7, 56 popple, 50 Sorbus, 86 willow, yellow, 65 Populus, 6, 45 Sorbus alaskana,^ 86 WILLOW FAMILY, 44 Populus balsamifera, 7, 45 Sorbus andersoniif 86 Populus balsamifera var. Sorbus aucuparia, 88 yellow-cedar, 44 californicay 48 Sorbus scopulina, 84 yellow-cedar, Alaska, 44 Populus balsamifera ssp. Sorbus sitchensis, 88 yew, Pacific, 8, 20 trichocarpa, 48 spruce, 6, 11, 12, 27 yew, western, 20 Populus tacamahaca, 45 spruce, Alberta, 29 YEW FAMILY, 20

i^U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1974 0—552-628

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