Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Del the cat on August 23, 2013, 02:34:22 pm

Title: Tree ID
Post by: Del the cat on August 23, 2013, 02:34:22 pm
Saw these weird fruiting bodies on a small tree (10' tall) tree in the flood plain of a fast flowing clear stream. Lots of Willow nearby.
Can't find anything like it online.
Anyone know what it is?
Del
Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: jpschersch on August 23, 2013, 02:45:26 pm
I couldn't figure out from the picture....but this site might help. Hope it does!

http://www.arborday.org/trees/whattree/?TrackingID=908
Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: Del the cat on August 23, 2013, 03:11:57 pm
Fell at the first hurdle... I'm in the UK!
Del
Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: autologus on August 23, 2013, 03:18:07 pm
It has a drupe of some sort but one that I have never seen before.  Is it a compound leaf, is it alternate or opposite, what does the bark look like?  With answers to these questions I can run it through a key to possibly identify it.  It does not look like anything I have ever seen so It may be indigenous to the UK and not native to the U.S.

Grady
Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: autologus on August 23, 2013, 03:27:15 pm
I think I have it identified, are the seeds inside the pods bright orange?  It could very well be this plant.

Euonymus europaeus (spindle, European spindle, common spindle)

Grady
Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: Del the cat on August 23, 2013, 03:41:58 pm
Excellent! Cheers Autologus!, yup that's definitely the fellow! ;D
Del
Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: autologus on August 23, 2013, 03:44:19 pm
From what I read about it is it very hard wood so It might be bow wood.

Grady
Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: Jodocus on August 23, 2013, 03:53:02 pm
Definitely Eunonymus europaeus, it's said to be most excellent bow wood, I have some drying but not tried it yet.
Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: Del the cat on August 23, 2013, 04:12:25 pm
Definitely Eunonymus europaeus, it's said to be most excellent bow wood, I have some drying but not tried it yet.
Drat, it was in a nature reserve >:( I'd not seen fruit like that before, so I wondered what it was. I'm glad I didn't taste it... V poisonous!
Del
Title: Re: Tree ID
Post by: Jodocus on August 23, 2013, 05:41:49 pm
 :'(  :laugh:

Go see the fruit in november, the tree will look magic. They're so beautiful I hardly dare cut some. Just kidding :P Spindletree has legendary status among german bowyers, though there are so few staves it might just be legend anyway. I hope to post a spindletree bow or two some time.