ACERACEAE 



Mountain Maple 



Acer spicatum, Lam. 



'HABIT. A bushy tree sometimes 25-30 feet high, with a 

 short trunk 6-8 inches in diameter; small, upright branches form 

 a small, rounded crown. More often a straggling shrub. 



LEAVES. Opposite, simple, 4-5 inches long and two- 

 thirds as broad; 3-lobed above the middle, the lobes coarsely 

 crenate-serrate with pointed teeth, the sinuses usually wide- 

 angled and acute at the base; thin; glabrous, dark green above, 

 covered with a whitish down beneath, turning scarlet and orange 

 in autumn; veining prominent; petioles long, slender, with en- 

 larged base. 



FLOWERS. June, after the leaves are full grown; poly- 

 gamo-monoecious ; small, yellow-green, in erect, slightly com- 

 pound, many-flowered, long-stemmed, terminal racemes; calyx 

 downy, 5-lobed ; petals 5 ; stamens 7-8 ; ovary tomentose. 



FRUIT. July; bright red, turning brown in late autumn; 

 small, glabrous, paired samaras, in pendulous, racemose clusters. 



WINTER-BUDS. Small, flattish, acute, bright red, more 

 or less tomentose; the terminal l /% inch long, containing the 

 flowers. 



BARK. Twigs reddish, slightly hairy; very thin, red- 

 brown, smooth or slightly furrowed on the trunk. 



WOOD. Light, soft, close-grained, light brown, with thick, 

 lighter colored sapwood. 



DISTRIBUTION. Common in the Upper Peninsula; ex- 

 tends as far south as Saginaw Bay. 



HABITAT. Damp forests; rocky woods; along streams; 

 always in the shade of other trees. 



NOTES. Forms much of the undergrowth of our northern 

 forests. Little used, except for fire-wood. 

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