BLACK LOCUSTALBERT KIM

Robinia pseudoacacia L.

Classification

Kingdom Plantae -Plants Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons Subclass Rosidae Order Fabales Family Fabaceae – Pea family Genus Robinia L. – locust Species Robinia pseudoacacia L. – black locust

Shape, Form, and Type

The Black locust is a medium sized tree to 70 feet, with a straight trunk and a crown of crooked branches. It often creates thickets by root suckering. It is a fast growing tree.

Figure 1

Bark

The bark of the Black Locust is either gray or light brown and heavily ridged or furrowed.

Figure 2

Twig

The black locust’s twig is zig zagged, a little stout and angular, red-brownish in color, and has numerous lighter lenticels. Paired spines at each leaf scar but are often absent on older or slow growing twigs. Buds are beneath the leaf scar.

Figure 3

Leaf

The leaves of the Black Locust are pinnately compound with 7 to 9 leaflets and are 8 to 14 inches long. The Black Locust’s leaflets are oval.

Figure 4

Bud

There are no end buds, but side buds are small and somewhat hidden in the winter.

Figure 5

Flower

The black locust’s flower is monoecious, fragrant, white, 1 inch long and pea-like, borne in long (5 inches) hanging clusters. The flowers appear in mid to late spring.

Figure 6

Fruit

The fruit has a flattened legume and is light brown. It’s 2 to 4 inches long with 4 to 8 kidney-shaped, smooth, red-brown seeds, which ripen in the fall.

Figure 7

Habitat and Range The black locust’s range is from the

Appalachian Mountains in Pennsylvania to Alabama. The habitat varies as black locust is a very versatile and sturdy tree.

Figure 8

Uses

The wood of black locust is very hard and durable and so is usually used as fence posts, mine timbers and railway ties. Black locust is also used to prevent soil erosion. In addition, the tree is also useful for providing colorants, fiber, and fuel.

References

Retrieved 6/24/10. http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/rops 1.htm

Retrieved 6/24/10. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol =ROPS

Retrieved 6/24/10. http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=40

Retrieved 6/24/10. Figure 8. http://forestry.about.com/library/tree/blloc.h tm

Retrieved 6/24/10. Figure 1,2. http://www.treehelp.com/trees/locust/locust-types-black.asp