224 MAPLE FAMILY 



Acer saccharum Marshall 1785 Sugar Maple Hard Maple 



A large handsome tree, attaining a height of 30-40 m. (95-120 feet), 

 and a trunk diameter of 6-12 dm., bark of trunk furrowed and rough, 

 grayish-brown, separating into scales, the bark of branches and young 

 trees is smooth and pale gray, sometimes with whitish blotches; leaves 

 3-5 lobed, cordate, truncate or cuneate at the base, with rounded sinuses 

 and pointed, sparingly sinuate-toothed lobes, glabrous and dark green 

 above, brighter beneath and slightly hairy in the axils of the veins, 5-16 

 cm. long, 6-20 cm. broad, petioles 4-10 cm. long; flowers in umbellate, 

 drooping clusters, from terminal, leaf-bearing and lateral leafless buds, 

 pedicels long and very slender, hairy, calyx campanulate, greenish-yellow, 

 sepals hairy at the apex, about 4 mm. long, petals none, stamens in the 

 staminate flowers twice as long as the calyx, in the pistillate flower shorter 

 than the calyx; samaras slightly spreading, 2.5-3.5 cm. long, wings 8 mm. 

 wide : saccharum, sugar. 



In rich woods common and in places abundant throughout the state, 

 except the extreme west. Distributed from southern Newfoundland 

 southward along the mountains to northern Georgia and western Florida, 

 westward to Lake of the Woods, eastern Nebraska, eastern Kansas and 

 Texas. Often planted as a shade tree. The wood is heavy and close- 

 grained, hard, tough, and takes a good polish. It has a high fuel value 

 and is much used as firewood. Forms with the grain curled or contorted 

 are known as "curled" or "birdseye maple" and are much valued in cab- 

 inet making. The sap is the main source of "maple sugar." The Chip- 

 pewa Indians of the northern part of the state still make considerable 

 sugar from the sap. Blossoms in April and May, fruit ripe in July and 

 August. 



Acer nigrum M i c h a u x f i 1 i u s 1810 Black Sugar Maple 



A tree nearly as large as the preceding species, bark somewhat darker ; 

 leaves green and scarcely paler beneath, usually pubescent on the under 

 side and along the petiole, but not always so, lobes wider and usually 

 shorter than in the preceding species, not toothed, sinus at the base com- 

 monly closed, making the leaf appear peltate, stipules often conspicuous, 

 in all other respects like the sugar maple : nigru m, black. 



In rich woods, common in southeastern corner of the state where it 

 seems to be quite distinct. Farther north it seems to grade into the 

 preceding species. The wood is essentially the same as in the sugar 

 maple and the sap is employed in the same way. 



