

Dendrology 53 



Key to the Genera of the Common Broadleaf Trees 1 



I. Branches, leaves and buds opposite. 



A. Leaves simple with large lobes: seeds in pairs and 



winged : buds mostly round 

 and red. The maples. 



B. Leaves compound, without lobes but toothed: seeds 



single and winged : buds pointed 

 and dark brown or black. 



The ashes. 



II. Branches, leaves and buds alternate. 

 A. The leaves simple. 



1. Leaves with large lobes: fruit an acorn: buds 



scaly and clustered on ends of 

 twigs. The oaks. 



2. Leaves not lobed but toothed on edges. 



a. Seeds in a burr. 



1. Burr large and very spiny: nut dark 



brown and edible : bark fur- 

 rowed vertically. 



The chestnut. 



2. Burr small with short blunt spines : nut 



three-sided, light brown and 



edible : bark gray and smooth. 



The beech. 



b. Seeds not in a burr. 



1. The seeds disc-shaped and papery, 



ripening as new leaves appear : 

 branches very fine and often 

 zig-zag : tree vase-shaped. 



The elms. 



2. The seeds very small, attached to tufts 



of cotton. 



a. Buds usually large, covered with 

 many bark usually 



smooth and light colored. 



The poplars. 



1 This key includes only the common and useful trees of the farm woodlot. 



