﻿Trees of New York State 289 



ACERACEAE 



Acer pennsylvanicum L. 



Striped Maple, Moosewood 



Habit — Usually a large shrub or small tree 10-25 feet in height with a 

 trunk diameter of 2-6 inches, occasionally 30— iO feet in height with a 

 trunk 8-10 inches in diameter. Trunk usually short, dividing a few feet 

 above the gi'ound into slender, straight, ascending branches which form 

 a deep, broad crown, often several stems together. 



IiCaves — Opposite, broadly obovate to orbicular. 4-6 inches long, 4-5 inches 

 wide, cordate or rounded at the base, palmately 3-nerved and acutely 

 3-lobed at the apex and occasionally with 2 short additional lobes at the 

 base, sharply and finely doubly serrate, at maturity membranous, pale 

 green and glabrous above, paler and nearly smooth beneath, borne on 

 stout, grooved petioles which are enlarged at the base and lM>-2 inches 

 long. 



Flowers — Appearing in May and June when the leaves are nearly full grown, 

 dioecious or occasionally the two sorts on the same plant, yelloAvish 

 green, borne in terminal, drooping, stalked racemes 4-6 inches long. 

 Sepals linear-lanceolate, yello\\-ish green, about % of an inch long. Petals 

 obovate to spatulate, bright yellow, slightly longer than the sepals. 

 Stamens 7-8. shorter than the petals, with slender filaments and oval 

 anthers. Pistil consisting of a sessile, broadly obovate, laterally com- 

 pressed, purplish brown, puberulous ovary surmounted by a stout style 

 and 2 s])reading recurved stigmas. Vestigial organs present in both 

 types of flowers. 



Fruit — A double samara consisting of two dark reddish bniwii. 1 -seeded, 

 laterally-compressed and somewhat rugose, nut-like carpels each about 

 14 of an inch long and bearing on its back a thin, oblong to obovate, 

 divergent wing about % of an inch long. Fruiting racemes glabrous, 

 drooping, 4-6 inches long. 



Winter characters — Twigs stout, glabrous, reddish brown, with scattered, 

 inconspicuous lenticels and brown pith. Buds opposite, obtuse, some- 

 Avhat 4-sided, appressed. short-stalked about % of an inch long, entirely 

 covered by single pair of red, smooth, valvate scales. Terminal bud 

 larger than the appressed lateral buds. Mature bark thin, quite smooth. 

 green or reddish brown, conspicuously marked longitudinally by white 

 streaks, at length becoming dark gray and rougher. 



Habitat — A retiring, tolerant species. Shaded situations in cool, moist woods, 

 deep glens, and on northern exposures where it is protected from excessive 

 isolation. Forms the bulk of the shrubby undergrowth in many places. 



Range — ■ Xova Scotia westward through southern Canada and the northern 

 border states to Minnesota, southward along the Applachians to northern 

 Georgia and eastern Tennessee. Zones B. C, D, and E. 



Uses — Of no economic importance. The tree possesses ornamental value 

 and is occasionally groA\Ti in the larger parks of the northeastern states 

 but its exacting site requirements preclude its extensive use. 



10 



