Lake Maxlnkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 327 



Family 74. Platanace^e. Plane-tree Family 

 396. sycamore 



PLATANUS OCCIDENTALIS L. 



A fairly common tree in the immediate vicinity of the lake, the 

 greater number growing rather close to the shore line. No very 

 large trees were seen. 



The sycamore is much more common on the west side of the 

 lake than on the east, as there is more low level ground there. 

 Along the west, south and southeast sides of the lake the trees 

 are scattered along the shore from Long Point to Norris's. Six 

 trees were found in the Long Point region. Along the top of the 

 ice-beach near the road in front of Green's occurs a row of syca- 

 mores from 15 to 20 feet high, bearing fruit. Another row is found 

 on shore between Murray's and Farrar's, and a third row is found 

 between the Inlet and Norris's. A large stub of the largest tree 

 noted remains in the region by the wagon road at Culver Bay. 

 Small trees are occasional in front of the Assembly grounds. 



In some parts of the state this species reaches an immense size, 

 perhaps exceeding in diameter any other species. 



The seeds are shed during the winter, the process continuing 

 sometimes well on into spring. The ice was sometimes covered 

 with them in places. The young seedlings germinate in May and 

 June. As in the case with the elm, seedlings of this species come 

 up in great numbers along the high-water line of the lake. There 

 was a long row about two inches high on the sandy beach in front 

 of Green's, one in the low woods near Overmyer's, and one on 

 the shore between the Inlet and Norris's. The bearing row of 

 saplings in front of Green's seems to have been the survivors of 

 such a row left in a year of unusually high water. 



The leaves are not remarkable for autumnal coloration ; they 

 turn a dull yellow, then brown. The leaves were decidedly brown 

 by September 27, 1904, and were falling by September 29. Some 

 trees had leaved out well by May 9, 1901. The sycamore has the 

 somewhat peculiar habit of having the axillary buds protected i>.\ 

 the leaf-petiole. 



The sycamore was once confined chiefly to the edges of water- 

 courses and ponds throughout the state, but it now often springs up 

 in cleared places in the upland, where it appears to grow quite 

 rapidly. This change of habit is perhaps due to the fact that 

 when the country was well covered with forests and the winds 

 had not so wide a sweep, the seeds were chiefly carried by water. 



