SYCAMORE; BUTTONWOOD; AMERICAN PLANE TREE (Plat- 

 anus occidentalis, Linn.). 75 to 150 feet. Large, stately, but 

 unsymmetrical tree, with stout, tall trunk, and loose, broad 

 bead. Bark brown with small scales on the trunk; on branches 

 smooth, whitish blotched with olive green, shedding in irreg- 

 ular plates. Buds solitary, conical, developed under the 

 hollow base of the leaf stalk. Leaves broader than long, 3 to 

 5 lobed, 7 to 9 inches across, pale beneath, and fuzzy on veins. 

 Stems short, with a ruffled sheath at base. Flowers May, 

 monoecious, both kinds in globular heads on flexible, tough 

 stems. Staminate axillary, red; pistillate terminal, green, 

 with red stigmas. Fruit dry, swinging balls, 3 inches in diam- 

 eter, composed of crowded, pointed seeds, which gradually 

 are freed, and carried away by wind. Dist. : Maine to Minne- 

 sota and Nebraska; south to Florida and Texas. Preferred 

 habitat, rich, wet bottom land. Excellent shade tree for 

 cities, especially smoky ones; foliage endures noxious gases. 

 Wood preferred for butchers' blocks, tobacco boxes, etc. 



119 



