Important Forest Trees of the United States 



775 



25. Northern 26. Flowering 27. Sugar maple. 28. Black maple, 



catalpa. dogwood. 



RR. Leaves elliptical, less than 6 inches long DOGWOOD (Cornus). 



26. FLOWERING DOGWOOD, Cornus florida L. (dogwood, boxwood; Cynoxylon floridum 

 (L.) Raf.). 



Small tree of eastern half of United States; also in southern Ontario and a variety 

 in northeastern Mexico. Bark dark reddish brown, broken into small square or rounded 

 blocks. Leaves paired, elliptical or oval, 3 to 6 inches long, short-pointed, edges appearing 

 smooth but minutely toothed, lateral veins curved, bright green and nearly smooth 

 above, whitish and slightly hairy beneath, turning bright scarlet above in fall. Flowers 

 greenish yellow, in a dense head with 4 showy, white, petallike bracts 2J4 to 4 inches 

 in diameter, in early spring. Fruits egg-shaped, % inch long, bright scarlet, shiny, fleshy, 

 1- or 2-seeded. 



Principal uses: Important ornamental tree. The outstanding wood for shuttles (used 

 in textile weaving ) . ( Dogwood is the State tree of North Carolina and Virginia. ) 



QQ. Leaf edges toothed, deeply 3- or 5-lobed (fruit of paired, long-winged 



"keys") MAPLE (Acer). 

 S. Teeth of leaves few and blunt HARD MAPLES. 



27. SUGAR MAPLE, Acer saccharum Marsh, (hard maple [lumber], rock maple; A. 

 saccharophorum K. Koch). 



Large tree of eastern half of United States and adjacent Canada. Bark gray, furrowed 

 into irregular ridges or scales. Leaves paired, heart-shaped, 3 to 5/2 inches in diameter, 

 3- or 5-lobed with the lobes long-pointed and sparingly coarsely toothed with few blunt 

 teeth, dark green above, light green or pale and usually smooth beneath, turning yellow, 

 orange, or scarlet in fall. Key fruits 1 to 1 V4 inches long, maturing in fall. 



Principal uses: As a group, the maples rank third in production of hardwood lumber, 

 next to oak and sweetgum, and are among the leading furniture woods. Sugar maple is 

 used for flooring, furniture, boxes and crates, shoe lasts, handles, woodenware and 

 novelties, spools and bobbins, and motor-vehicle parts. Also distillation products, veneer, 

 railroad ties, and pulpwood. Sugar maple is the outstanding wood for flooring under 

 heavy use and is the commercial source of maple sugar and sirup. Much planted as a 

 shade tree. (State tree of New York and Vermont. Maple (Acer spp. ) is the State tree 

 of Rhode Island and Wisconsin. ) 



28. BLACK MAPLE,, Acer nigrum Michx. f. (hard maple [lumber], black sugar maple, 

 sugar maple; A. saccharum var. nigrum (Michx. f.) Britton). 



