ACERACEAE 



Sycamore Maple 



Acer pseudo-platanus, L. 



HABIT. A thrifty tree 50-60 feet high, with a trunk diam- 

 eter of 2-3 feet; the crown roundish, spreading. 



LEAVES. Opposite, simple, 4-7 inches across, and as long 

 as broad; thick; pentagonally 5-lobed, the lobes more or less 

 ovate, separated by very narrow, acute sinuses extending about 

 half-way to the midrib, the lobes coarsely and irregularly blunt- 

 serrate, crenate-serrate, or slightly lobed; upper surface dark 

 green and shining, somewhat wrinkled, but paler dull green and 

 glaucous beneath; petioles long, stout. 



FLOWERS. April, before the leaves; polygamo-monoe- 

 cious; large, greenish yellow, in pendent racemes of umbellate 

 cymes of about three each ; sepals 5 ; petals 5 ; stamens 8, hairy ; 

 ovary hairy. 



FRUIT. Ripens in autumn and germinates the following 

 spring; pendent on long stalks; large, glabrous, paired samaras, 

 with wings 1^2 inches long, diverging at about a right angle. 



WINTER-BUDS. Bright green; terminal bud Y 4 -Y 2 inch 

 long, ovoid to subglobose, blunt, with bud-scales more or less 

 keeled; lateral buds small, divergent. 



BARK. Twigs lustrous, brown or gray, becoming slate 

 colored on the branches; trunk gray or brownish, smooth or 

 flaking off in short scales. 



WOOD. Moderately heavy, hard, compact, brownish, with 

 white sapwood. 



NOTES. Exotic from Europe. Much planted in our cities, 

 where it is thrifty, but short-lived. The crown is rather too 

 broad for planting anywhere except on our widest streets. The 

 leaves last two weeks longer in autumn than do those of our 

 native maples. 



