286 Order 40.— ACERACE^E. 



(4 — 9)-pctaled or ; stamens 8 (4 — 12); styles 2 ; samaras 2-winged, 

 united at base, by abortion 1-seeded. — Lvs. simple, palmately 5-lobed. 



Flowers in fascicles, preceding the leaves Nos. 1, 2 



Flowers in pendulous corymbs appearing with the leaves Nos. 8, 4 



Flowers in racemes, appearing with the leaves Nos. 5, 6 



1 A. rubrum L. Red Maple. Swamp Maple. Lvs. cordate at base, acutely 

 and incisely toothed, the sinuses acute, glaucous beneath ; pedicels elongated in 

 fruit; petals-linear oblong ; ovaries and fruit smooth. — Common in low woods and 

 swamps throughout the country. It is commonly of smaller dimensions than tho 

 sugar maple, but sometimes far exceeds it. Specimens at Montezuma, Ind., on 

 the Wabash river, measure about 80f in height with a trunk 17f in circumference. 

 Bark rather smooth, becoming dark gray and broken with age. In early spring 

 it puts forth its deep crimson flowers in dense fascicles (about 5 from each bud). 

 Stamens 4 times as ling as the petals. The fruit has its wings 1' long, at first 

 incurved, finally divergent, mostly red. The leaves vary greatly in form and 

 pubescence, sometimes quite woolly beneath. Curled maple is a variety of the 

 wood of this species, much prized in cabinet-work. 



/3. tridens. Lvs. smaller, 3-lobed, rounded at the "base, rather obscurely 

 toothed ; fls. and fr. greenish yellow. — N. J. to La. Probably a distinct 

 species. Lvs. whitish and rather smooth beneath, 2 to 3' broad. Fr. with 

 wings nearly straight, diverging at 90°. (A. rubrum /? 1 T. & Gr.) 



2 A. dasycarpum. Ehrh. White Maple. Lvs. truncated at base, unequally 

 and incisely toothed, with rather obtuse sinuses, white and smooth beneath ; fls. in 

 crowded, simple umbels, with short pedicels and downy ovaries ; petals 0. — This 

 species much resembles the last, but its leaves are larger, more pointed, and 

 whiter beneath, and the winged fruit is also larger than that of the red maple or 

 of any of the following species. It is a tall tree, 50f in height, not uncommon in 

 the N. Eng. forests. The flowers are of a yellowish-green color, as also the fruit 

 The wood is white, softer and less esteemed than that of other species. The sap 

 yields sugar in smaller proportions than the sugar maple. 



3 A. saccharinum L. Sugar Maple. Rock Maple. Lvs. subcordate at base ; 

 acuminate, remotely toothed, with rounded and shallow sinuses, glaucous beneath ; 

 fls. pedunculate, pendulous. — This fine tree is found throughout IT. S., but most 

 abundant in the primitive soils of N. Eng., constituting the greater part of some 

 of its forests. It is a tree of lofty proportions, 7 Of in height, with a trunk 3f diam. 

 The bark is of a light-gray color, rough and scaly. The branches become numer- 

 rous and finely ramified in open situations, and in summer are clothed with a foli- 

 age of uncommon luxuriance and beauty, on which account it is more extensively 

 Cultivated as a shade tree than any other, not even excepting the majestic and 

 favorite Elm. Maple sugar, perhaps the most delicious of all sweets, is mostly tho 

 product of this species. An ordinary tree will yield 5 to 1 pounds in a season. 

 The wood is very strong and compact, and makes the best of fuel. It is some- 

 times curled like the red maple, but oftener presents that beautiful arrangement 

 of fibre, called bird's-eye maple, which is highly esteemed in cabinet-work. The 

 flowers are exceedingly abundant and suspended on long, thread-like pedicels, 

 and delicately beautiful. Apr. 



4 A. nigrum. Mx. Black Maple. Sugar Tree. Lvs. cordate, with the sinus 

 closed, lobjs divaricate, sinuate-dentate, paler beneath, with the veins beneath, and 

 the petioles pubescent ; fls. on long, slender pedicels; fr. glabrous, turgid at base, 

 the wings diverging. — A large tree, in mountainous situations, Vt. to Ind. Re- 

 sembles the last, but is probably distinct. Trunk 30 to 7 Of high, with a shaggy 

 bark. Lvs. 3 to 5' diam., dark green above, the two interior lobes much smaller. 

 Fls. pendulous, on long peduncles, yellowish. Fr. with wings 1' in length, pale- 

 yellow, and more diverging than A. saccharinum. The sap, like the last men- 

 tioned tree, yields sugar abundantly. Apr. 



5 A. Pennsylvanicum, L. Striped Maple. Whistle-wood. Lvs. with 3 

 acuminate lobes, rounded at base, sharply denticulate, smooth ; rac. simple, pendu- 

 bus. — A small tree or shrub 10 to 15f high. Can. to Ga. and Ky., but most abun- 

 dant in our northern woods. The bark is smooth and beautifully striped length- 

 wise with grcea and black. Fls. large, yellowish-green, succeeded by long clus- 



