﻿Ti'ees of New York State 293 



ACERACEAE 



Acer saccliariuu Marsh. [Acer saccharinum Wang.] 



Sugar Maple, Black Maple 



Habit — A valuable timber species usually 50-80 feet in height with a trunk 

 diameter of 2-3 feet, under optimum conditions sometimes 120 feet tall 

 Avith a trunk 3— i feet through. In the open the bole divides 8-10 feet 

 above the ground into stout, ascending branches which form a broad, 

 ovoid, round-topped crown. Trees under forest conditions have long, 

 straight, columnar boles often free of branches for 60-70 feet and bear- 

 ing shallow, rounded crowns with a few large limbs. 



Leaves — -Opposite, orbicular to broadly obovate, 3-5 inches across, cordate 

 or rounded at the base, palmately 3-5-nerved and lobed, the lobes acu- 

 minate, sparingly sinuately toothed and separated by rounded sinuses. 

 At maturity the leaves are rather thin, glabrous, dark green and dull 

 above, jjaler and smooth below, borne on slender, glabrous petioles l^-^-S 

 inches long. 



Flowers — Appearing in April and May with the leaves, greenish yellow, 

 polygamous, the staminate and pistillate flowers on the same or on dif- 

 ferent trees, borne on long, filamentous, hairy pedicels in drooping, many- 

 flowered, nearly sessile, umbel-like corymbs from terminal leafy buds or 

 lateral flower-lauds. Calyx campanulate, hairy without, 5-lobed, the 

 lobes shallow and obtuse. Corolla wanting. Stamens 7-8, exserted in 

 the sterile flowers. ^Aith slender, glabrous filaments and oval anthers. 

 Pistil consisting of a sessile, broadly obovate, laterally-compressed, pale 

 green, pilose ovary surmounted by 2 filamentous styles united at the 

 base and bearing long, exserted stignms. 



Fruit — A glabrous, double sanuira consisting of 2 light reddish l)rown, 

 laterally conipressed, 1 -seeded carpels about % of an inch long, equipped 

 on the back with broad, thin, divergent -w-ings Vj-^V-i inches long. The 

 samaras are borne in clusters on long, smooth, filamentous stalks. 



Winter characters. — Twigs slender, lustrous, reddish brown to buff, marked 

 by numerous, conspicuous lenticels, becoming paler tlie second season. 

 Terminal bud conical, reddish brown, hairy toward the apex, with 8-in 

 visible scales, about Vs of an inch long. Lateral buds opposite, similar 

 to the terminal bud but smaller. Mature bark thick, light grayish brown, 

 separated by deep furrows into longitudinal ridges which are scaly at 

 the surface, that of smaller trunks cpiite smooth. 



Habitat- — An upland species preferring the rich, well-drained, rocky soils of 

 slopes, ridges and hills. Thrives on sites underlaid with limestone. 



Range — Xewf oundland westward to Manitoba and the Dakotas, south to 

 Florida and northeastern Texas. Zones B, C, and D. 



Uses — -One of the most valuable timber trees of the forests of eastern 

 United States. Wood hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, pale reddish 

 brown Avith narrow, paler heartwood. Largely used for furniture, floor- 

 ing, interior finish, turnery, and for fuel in the rural districts. Bird's-eye 

 and curly maple are especially prized in cabinet work. This tree is 

 tapped in the spring and produces the maple syrup and sugar of the trade. 

 It makes an excellent shade and ornamental tree and is commonly planted 

 along country roads and on private estates. 



