Trees of New York State 293 



ACERAGEAE 



Acer saccharuiu Marsli. [Acer saccliariiuuii \V;iiifx.] 



Sugar Maple, Black Maple 



Habit — A valuable timber sjjceies usually .'jO-SO feet in height with a trunk 

 diameter of 2-3 feet, under optimum conditions sometimes 120 feet tall 

 Avitli a trunk 3-4 feet through. In the open the bole divides 8-10 feet 

 above the ground into stout, ascending branches which form a broad, 

 ovoid, round-topped crown. Trees under forest conditions have long, 

 straight, columnar boles often free of branches for ()0-70 feet and l)ear- 

 ing shallow, rounded crowns with a few large limbs. 



Leaves — Ojijiosite, orbicular to broadly ol)ovate, 3-5 inches across, cordate 

 or rounded at the base, i)almately 3-5-nerved and lobed, the lobes acu- 

 minate, sparingly sinuately toothed and separated by rounded sinuses. 

 At maturity the leaves are rather thin, glabrous, dark green and dull 

 above, paler and smooth below, borne on slendei*, glabrous petioles l%-3 

 inches long. 



Flowers — -Appearing in April and May with the leaves, greenish yellow, 

 polygamous, the staminate and pistillate flowers on the same or on dif- 

 ferent trees, borne on long, filamentous, hairy pedicels in drooping, many- 

 flowered, nearly sessile, umbel-like corymbs from terminal leafy buds or 

 lateral flower-buds. Calyx campanulate, hairy without, 5-lobed, the 

 lobes shallow and obtuse. Corolla wanting. Stamens 7-8, exserted in 

 the sterile flowers, with slender, glabrous filaments and oval anthers. 

 Pistil consisting of a sessile, broadly obovate, laterally-compressed, pale 

 green, pilose ovary surmounted by 2 filamentous styles united at the 

 hase and bearing long, exserted stigmas. 



Fruit — A glabrous, double samara consisting of 2 light reddish bro\\ni, 

 laterally compressed, 1-seeded carpels about 14 of an inch long, equipped 

 on the back with broad, thin, divergent wings %-!%, inches long. The 

 samaras are borne in clusters on long, smooth, filamentous stalks. 



Winter characters. — Twigs slender, lustrous, reddish brown to buff, marked 

 by numerous, conspicuous lenticels, becoming paler the second season. 

 Terminal bud conical, reddish brown, hairy toward the apex, with 8-lG 

 visible scales, about y, of an inch long. Lateral buds opposite, similar 

 to the terminal bud but smaller. Mature bark thick, light grayish brown, 

 separated by deep furrows into longitudinal ridges which are scaly at 

 the surface, that of snuiUer trunks quite smooth. 



Habitat — An upland species preferring the rich, Avell-drained. rocky soils of 

 slopes, ridges and hills. Thrives on sites underlaid with limestone. 



Range — - Newfoundland westward to ^[anitoba and the Dakotas, south to 

 Florida and northeastern Texas. Zones B, C, and D. 



Uses — ^(hie of the most valuable timber trees of the forests of eastern 

 United States. Wood hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, pale reddish 

 brown with narrow, paler heartwood. Largely used for furniture, floor- 

 ing, interior finish, turnery, and for fuel in the rural districts. Bird's-eye 

 and curly maple are especially prized in cabinet work. This tree is 

 tapped in the spring and produces the maple syrup and sugar of the trade. 

 It makes an excellent shade and ornamental tree and is commonly planted 

 along country roads and on private estates. 



