Swamp Tupelo

Nyssa biflora Walt. Fl. Car. 253. 1788
Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora Sarg. Silva 5: 76. 1893.
Nyssa servatilis * E. H. L. Krause, Beih. Bot. Centr. 32*: 333. 1914.
Trees to 12 m. high, often growing in water and the base of the trunk then much enlarged; branchlets reddish, becoming dark grey, glabrous; bark of the trunk grey, deeply fissured; leaf-blades commonly 4-12 cm. long, 1.5-4.5 cm. broad, subcoriaceous, narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate, rounded to obtuse or sometimes acute at the apex, gradually tapering to the base, glabrous above, the under surface paler, glabrous except on the midrib, minutely dotted and often papillose-roughened; petioles 1-1.5 cm. long; peduncles from the axils of the cataphylls and proximal leaves of the branchlets; staminate inflorescence an umbel or short raceme, on a peduncle 1.5-3 cm. long, the pedicels 3-7 mm. long, often subtended by small bracts; pistillate inflorescence of usually 2 sessile flowers, subtended by several rufous-pilose bracts about 1 mm. long, on a peduncle 1-3 cm. long; hypanthium about 2 mm. high; petals about 1 mm. long; drupes 1-1.5 cm. long, 8-10 mm. broad, blue-black, on peduncles usually 1-3 cm. long, the endocarp flattened and costate with 8-10 obtuse ridges.
Type locality: None stated.
Distribution: In the coastal plain from eastern Maryland to Florida, thence west to southeastern Louisiana; inland to central Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi.
* As "N. du. servatilis."