GENUS i. 



MAPLE FAMILY. 



495 



2. Acer rubrum L. Red, Scarlet or Water 

 Maple. Swamp Maple. Fig. 2805. 



Acer rubrum L. Sp. PL 1055. 1753. 



A large tree with flaky or smoothish bark, maxi- 

 mum height about 120 feet and trunk diameter 

 3-4i. Twigs reddish ; leaves 3' -4' long, cordate at 

 the base, sharply 3~5-lobed, the lobes irregularly 

 dentate, acute or acuminate, bright green above, pale 

 and generally whitish beneath, often more or less 

 pubescent ; flowers red or yellowish, in sessile lateral 

 clusters much preceding the leaves; petals narrowly 

 oblong; stamens 3-6; fruiting pedicels elongating; 

 samaras glabrous, slightly incurved, $"-12" long, the 

 wing 3 "-4" wide, broadest at or above the middle. 



In swamps and low grounds, Nova Scotia to Manitoba, 

 Nebraska, Florida and Texas. Wood hard, not strong ; 

 color light reddish brown ; weight per cubic foot 38 Ibs. 

 Used for furniture, gun-stocks, etc. Foliage crimson in 

 autumn. Ascends to 4000 ft. in Virginia. Consists of 

 numerous races ; the three following species appear to 

 be distinct. White, soft, shoe-peg, or hard maple. March- 

 April. 



3. Acer stenocarpum Britton. Nar- 

 row-fruited Maple. Fig. 2806. 



Acer stenocarpum Britton, N. A. Trees 647. 1908. 



A small tree, with leaves similar to those of 

 the Red Maple, thin, light green above, pale 

 beneath, 3-lobed or 5-lobed. Flowers red, ap- 

 pearing before the leaves ; samaras on very 

 slender stalks 2'-$' long, linear, not widened 

 above, about 10" long, \\"-2\" wide, slightly 

 curved, the seed-bearing part very strongly 

 striate. 



Flinty soil, Allenton, Missouri. April. 



4. Acer carolinianum Walt. Carolina 

 Maple. Fig. 2807. 



Acer caroliniaiuun Walt. Fl. Car. 251. 1788. 

 Acer rubrum tridens Wood, Classbook 286. 1863. 



A tree attaining nearly or quite the dimen- 

 sions of the Red Maple, with grey, relatively 

 smooth bark. Leaves rather firm in texture, 

 dark green above, white-glaucous and more or 

 less pubescent beneath, mostly 3-lobed and 

 obovate or obovate-orbicular in outline, or 

 5-lobed and suborbicular, rarely ovate and 

 without lobes, the margin serrate ; fruit simi- 

 lar to that of the Red Maple, bright red or 

 sometimes yellow. 



Wet or moist soil, Massachusetts to Pennsylva- 

 nia, Missouri, Florida and Texas. Feb.-April. 



