﻿Treis of Xcw York State 291 



ACERAGEAE 



Acer spieatuni Lam. 



Mountain Maple 



Habit — Oecasioually a small bushy tree '20-33 feet in height with a trunk 

 diameter of 4-8 inches, more often a shrub growing in clumps of a half 

 dozen or more, or forming extensive thickets. 



Leaves — Opposite, broadly ovate to orbicular^ 3-5 inches long, cordate at 

 the base, palmately 3-lobed or obscurely 5-lobed, the lobes acute or acu- 

 minate at the apex and coarsely crenate-serrate with gland-tipped teeth. 

 At maturity the leaves are membranous, prominently 3-nerved with con- 

 spicuous veinlets. glabrous above, dense hoary pubescent below, borne on 

 slender petioles 2-3 inches long which are enlarged at the base and 

 usually turn scarlet during the summer. 



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

 polygamo-dioecious. greenish yellow, borne in narrow, erect, terminal, 

 pubescent, long-stalked, compound racemes, the fertile flowers towards 

 the base. Calyx usually o-lobed, the lobes narrowly obovate, pubescent 

 on the outer surface. Petals usually o. linear-spatulate. acute, longer 

 than the sepals. Stamens 7-8, free, with slender, glabrous filaments and 

 oblong, glandular anthers, exserted in the staminate flower. Pistil con- 

 sisting of a sessile, broadly obovate. laterally compressed, pale tomentose 

 ovary surmounted by a columnar style and 2 short, spreading stigmas. 



Fruit — • A double samara consisting of 2 bright red, 1-seeded, laterally com- 

 pressed, nearly glabrous, strongly striated, nut-like cai"pels which develop 

 from the back oblong or obovate. coriaceous, divergent mngs about Vi 

 of an inch long. The samaras are borne in drooping, racemose clusters. 

 As they mature in September, the nut-like carpels turn brown and fall 

 separately from the persisting axis. 



Winter characters — Twigs slender, bright red, apjiressed grayish-pubescent 

 at least toward the tip. at length pale grayish broA\-n, often streaked with 

 green toward the base. Buds opposite, acute, appressed. short-stalked, 

 greenish red. about ^4 of an inch long including the stalk. Terminal 

 bud larger. Bud-scales 2-3 pairs, but one or two pairs \isible. the inner 

 pair tomentose. Mature bark thin, reddish brown, smooth or slightly 

 furrowed. 



Habitat — A retiring species preferring moist sites in rocky glens, gulfs and 

 on talus slopes with northern exposure. Frequent on the moist alpine 

 slopes of the southern Appalachian ^Mountains. 



Bange — Xewf oundland westward to ^Manitoba and the northern border 

 states as far west as ^Minnesota, south along the Appalachians to north- 

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



Uses — The species possesses little economic importance. Occasionally culti- 

 vated for ornament in arboretums and parks. The wood is sometimes 

 used for fuel. 



