Leatherwood

Leatherwood (Dirca palustris), a deciduous shrub of 3-6 feet high, with the habit of a miniature tree, a native of North America. It belongs to the natural order Thymelæaceæ. The bark and wood are exceedingly tough, and in Canada the bark is used for ropes, baskets, &c. The leaves are lanceolate-oblong; the flowers are yellow, and appear before the leaves.