Trees of Alabama

by Lisa J. Samuelson, Michael E. Hogan (Photographer)

Overview

An easy-to-use guide to the most common trees in the state

From the understory flowering dogwood presenting its showy array of white bracts in spring, to the stately, towering baldcypress anchoring swampland with their reddish buttresses; from aromatic groves of Atlantic white-cedar that grow in coastal bogs to the upland rarity of the fire-dependent montane longleaf pine, Alabama is blessed with a staggering diversity of tree species. Trees of Alabama offers an accessible guide to the most notable species occurring widely in the state, forming its renewable forest resources and underpinning its rich green blanket of natural beauty.

Lisa J. Samuelson provides a user-friendly identification guide featuring straightforward descriptions and vivid photographs of more than 140 common species of trees. The text explains the habitat and ecology of each species, including its forest associates, human and wildlife uses, common names, and the derivation of its botanical name. With more than 800 full-color photographs illustrating the general form and habitat of each, plus the distinguishing characteristics of its buds, leaves, flowers, fruit, and bark, readers will be able to identify trees quickly. Colored distribution maps detail the range and occurrence of each species grouped by county, and a quick guide highlights key features at a glance.

This book also features a map of forest types, chapters on basic tree biology and terminology (with illustrative line drawings), a spotlight on the plethora of oak species in the state, and a comprehensive index. This is an invaluable resource for biologists, foresters, and educators and a great reference for outdoorspeople and nature enthusiasts in Alabama and throughout the southeastern United States.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780817359416
Publisher:	University of Alabama Press
Publication date:	02/04/2020
Series:	Gosse Nature Guides
Edition description:	First Edition, First Edition
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	1,091,750
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.30(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Lisa J. Samuelson is Dwain G. Luce Professor of Forestry, Auburn University Alumni Professor, and director of the Center for Longleaf Pine Ecosystems at the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences at Auburn University. She has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications on tree physiology and three dendrology textbooks, including Forest Trees: A Guide to the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic Regions of the United States and Forest Trees: A Guide to the Eastern United States.

Michael E. Hogan is a fine woodworker and award-winning photographer whose images have appeared in numerous educational, extension, and outreach publications.
 

Table of Contents

Contents

Introduction
1 How to Identify Trees
2 Identification Features
3 Guides to the Identification of Trees
     Guides to Gymnosperm (Cypress and Pine) Families
     Guides to Angiosperm (all other) Families
4 Species Accounts of Alabama Trees
     Cypress Family (Cupressaceae)
          [1]Atlantic White-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides)
          [2]Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana)
          [3]Pondcypress (Taxodium ascendens)
          [4]Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum)
     Pine Family (Pinaceae)
          [5]Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata)
          [6]Slash Pine (Pinus elliottii)
          [7]Spruce Pine (Pinus glabra)
          [8]Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris)
          [9]Pond Pine (Pinus serotina)
          [10]Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)
          [11]Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda)
          [12]Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana)
          [13]Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
     Moscatel Family (Adoxaceae)
          [14]Rusty Blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum)
     Sweetgum Family (Altingiaceae)
          [15]Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
     Cashew Family (Anacardiaceae)
          [16]Smoketree (Cotinus obovatus)
          [17]Winged Sumac (Rhus coppallinum)
          [18]Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)
          [19]Poison-sumac (Toxicodendron vernix)
     Custard-Apple Family (Annonaceae)
          [20]Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
     Holly Family (Aquifoliaceae)
          [21]Large Gallberry (Ilex coriacea)
          [22]Possumhaw (Ilex decidua)
          [23]American Holly (Ilex opaca)
          [24]Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria)
     Ginseng Family (Araliaceae)
          [25]Devil's Walkingstick (Aralia spinosa)
     Birch Family (Betulaceae)
          [26]Hazel Alder (Alnus serrulata)
          [27]Black Birch (Betula lenta)
          [28]River Birch (Betula nigra)
          [29]Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)
          [30]Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana)
     Catalpa Family (Bignoniaceae)
          [31]Southern Catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides)
     Strawberry-Shrub Family (Calycanthaceae)
          [32]Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus)
     Cannabis and Hop Family (Cannabaceae)
          [33]Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata)
          [34]Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
          [35]Georgia Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia)
     Dogwood Family (Cornaceae)
          [36]Alternate-leaf Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
          [37]Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
          [38]Water Tupelo (Nyssa aquatica)
          [39]Swamp Tupelo (Nyssa biflora)
          [40]Blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica)
     Ebony Family (Ebenaceae)
          [41]Common Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)
     Heath Family (Ericaceae)
          [42]Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)
          [43]Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboretum)
     Spurge Family (Euphorbiaceae)
          [44]Chinese Tallowtree (Triadica sebifera)
     Bean or Pea Family (Fabaceae)
          [45]Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin)
          [46]Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
          [47]Honeylocust (Gleditsia triancanthos)
          [48]Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
     Beech Family (Fagaceae)
          [49]American Chestnut (Castanea dentata)
          [50]Allegheny Chinkapin (Castanea pumila)
          [51]American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
          [52]White Oak (Quercus alba)
          [53]Bluff Oak (Quercus austrina)
          [54]Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea)
          [55]Durand Oak (Quercus durandii)
          [56]Southern Red Oak (Quercus falcata)
          [57]Laurel Oak (Quercus hemisphaerica)
          [58]Bluejack Oak (Quercus incana)
          [59]Turkey Oak (Quercus laevis)
          [60]Swamp Laurel Oak (Quercus laurifolia)
          [61]Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata)
          [62]Sand Post Oak (Quercus margarettiae)
          [63]Blackjack Oak (Quercus marilandica)
          [64]Swamp Chestnut Oak (Quercus michauxii)
          [65]Chestnut Oak (Quercus montana)
          [66]Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)
          [67]Water Oak (Quercus nigra)
          [68]Cherrybark Oak (Quercus pagoda)
          [69]Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)
          [70]Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
          [71]Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii)
          [72]Post Oak (Quercus stellata)
          [73]Nuttall Oak (Quercus texana)
          [74]Black Oak (Quercus velutina)
          [75]Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)
     Walnut Family (Juglandaceae)
          [76]Water Hickory (Carya aquatica)
          [77]Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis)
          [78]Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra)
          [79]Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)
          [80]Shellbark Hickory (Carya laciniosa)
          [81]Nutmeg Hickory (Carya myristiciformis)
          [82]Red Hickory (Carya ovalis)
          [83]Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata)
          [84]Sand Hickory (Carya pallida)
          [85]Mockernut Hickory (Carya tomentosa)
          [86]Butternut (Juglans cinerea)
          [87]Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)
     Laurel Family (Lauraceae)
          [88]Redbay (Persea borbonia)
          [89]Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
     Magnolia Family (Magnoliaceae)
          [90]Tulip-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
          [91]Cucumbertree (Magnolia acuminata)
          [92]Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
          [93]Bigleaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla)
          [94]Umbrella Magnolia (Magnolia tripetala)
          [95]Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
     Hibiscus or Mallow Family (Malvaceae)
          [96]Basswood (Tilia americana)
     Mahogany Family (Meliaceae)
          [97]Chinaberry (Melia azedarach)
     Fig Family (Moraceae)
          [98]Osage-orange (Maclura pomifera)
          [99]Red Mulberry (Morus rubra)
     Wax-Myrtle Family (Myricaceae)
          [100]Southern Bayberry (Morella cerifera)
     Olive Family (Oleaceae)
          [101]Fringe-tree (Chionanthus virginicus)
          [102]White Ash (Fraxinus americana)
          [103]Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)
          [104]Devilwood (Osmanthus americanus)
     Sycamore Family (Platanaceae)
          [105]Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
     Buckthorn Family (Rhamnaceae)
          [106]Carolina Buckthorn (Frangula caroliniana)
     Rose Family (Rosaceae)
          [107]Downy Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea)
          [108]Hawthorns (Crataegus spp.)
          [109]Southern Crabapple (Malus angustifolia)
          [110]Chickasaw Plum (Prunus angustifolia)
          [111]Cherry Laurel (Prunus caroliniana)
          [112]Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana)
          [113]Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
     Rue Family (Rutaceae)
          [114]Hercules’-club (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis)
     Willow or Poplar Family (Salicaceae)
          [115]Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)
          [116]Black Willow (Salix nigra)
     Soapberry Family (Sapindaceae)
          [117]Yellow Buckeye (Aesculus flava)
          [118]Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra)
          [119]Florida Maple (Acer floridanum)
          [120]Chalk Maple (Acer leucoderme)
          [121]Boxelder (Acer negundo)
          [122]Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
          [123]Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)
          [124]Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
     Sapodilla Family (Sapotaceae)
          [125]Gum Bumelia (Sideroxylon lanuginosum)
          [126]Buckthorn Bumelia (Sideroxylon lycioides)
     Star-Vine Family (Schisandraceae)
          [127]Anise-tree (Illicium floridanum)
     Figwort Family (Scophulariaceae)
          [128]Royal Paulownia (Paulownia tomentosa)
     Quassia Family (Simaroubaceae)
          [129]Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
     Bladdernut Family (Staphyleaceae)
          [130]American Bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia)
     Storax Family (Styracaceae)
          [131]Carolina Silverbell (Halesia tetraptera)
          [132]American Snowbell (Styrax americanus)
          [133]Bigleaf Snowbell (Styrax grandifolius)
     Sweetleaf Family (Symplocaceae)
          [134]Sweetleaf (Symplocos tinctoria)
     Tea Family (Theaceae)
          [135]Loblolly-bay (Gordonia lasianthus)
     Elm Family (Ulmaceae)
          [136]Water-elm (Planera aquatica)
          [137]Winged Elm (Ulmus alata)
          [138]American Elm (Ulmus americana)
          [139]Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra)
Appendix One - Winter Twigs
Glossary
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

This is a serious field guide. There is no fluffy introduction explaining the role trees play in moderating climate and no appeal to land conservation or erosion control. Rather, this text is just about trees themselves. One might expect to be held back by complex Latin names for various leaf shapes and other anatomical features (naturally they are here), but such concerns fade with a flip through the pages. Helpful tutorials come in the form of 46 drawings of leaf shape and a glossary of 161 entries. Most helpful of all are the 599 color photographs, which help readers distinguish between species by inspecting their bark (comparing young trees with old), fruiting structures, leaves (of course), and flowers. In addition, 104 species are featured in a section on winter twigs. Still lost? There are 136 range maps to help readers figure out, county by Alabama county, whether the tree in front of them is supposed to be there. Rarely are field guides this good for both beginners and professionals. This one could well be used to encourage novices to look a little more closely at the world around them and also enable them to do so painlessly. Highly recommended.”
—CHOICE

“This is an invaluable resource for biologists, foresters, and educators and a great reference for outdoorspeople and nature enthusiasts in Alabama and throughout the southeastern United States.”
—Southeastern Naturalist
 

“Samuelson’s book is the best available tree identification tool for Alabama because it has an emphasis on the southeast where species complexes tend to be more confusing.”
—John L. Clark, associate professor of biological sciences, University of Alabama (2005 to 2015) and Aldo Leopold Distinguished Teaching Chair, The Lawrenceville School (2015 to 2018)

From the Publisher