Description Cladrastis kentukea

leaves

cladrastis kentukea small medium-sized deciduous tree typically growing 10–15 metres (33–49 ft) tall, exceptionally 27 metres (89 ft) tall, broad, rounded crown , smooth gray bark. leaves compound pinnate, 20-30 cm long, 5-11 (mostly 7-9) alternately arranged leaflets, each leaflet broad ovate acute apex, 6-13 cm long , 3-7 cm broad, entire margin , thinly densely hairy underside. in fall, leaves turn mix of yellow, gold, , orange.

the flowers fragrant, white, produced in wisteria-like racemes 15-30 cm long. flowering in summer (june in native region), , variable year year, heavy flowering every second or third year. fruit pod 5-8 cm long, containing 2-6 seeds.

bark: smooth gray, or light brown. branchlets @ first downy, become smooth, light yellowish green; later red brown, dark brown.
wood: yellow pale brown; heavy, hard, close-grained , strong. sp. gr., 0.6278; weight of cu. ft., 39.12 lbs.
winter buds: 4 in group, making tiny cone , inclosed in hollow base of petiole.
leaves: alternate, pinnately compound, 8 twelve inches long, main stem stout, enlarged @ base. leaflets 7 eleven, broadly oval, 3 4 inches long. wedge-shaped @ base, entire, acute, terminal leaflets rhomboid-ovate. feather-veined, midrib , primary veins prominent, grooved above, light yellow beneath. come out bud pale green, downy; when full grown dark green above, pale beneath. in autumn turn bright clear yellow.
flowers: june. perfect, papilionaceous, white, borne in drooping terminal panicles twelve fourteen inches long, 5 6 inches broad, fragrant.
calyx: campanulate, five-lobed, enlarged on upper side.
corolla: papilinaceous; standard broad, white, marked on inner surface pale yellow blotch; wings oblong; keel petals free.
stamens: ten, free; filaments thread-like.
pistil: ovary superior, linear, bright red, hairy, bearing long incurved style.
fruit: legume, smooth, linear-compressed, tipped remnants of styles. seeds 4 six, dark brown.




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