Trees of New York State 295 



ACERACEAE 



Acer sjK'cli.'iniin, v;ii-. iii;^ruiii (Miclix. f. ) lirilt. [Acer iiigruiii Mii'lix. f.] 



Black Maple 



Habit — Similar in habit to Sugar Maple and not flistinguished in the trade, 

 a valuable timber species, becoming under optimum conditions 80-100 

 feet in height with a trunk 3-4 feet in diameter. In the open the crown 

 is ovoid, at length becoming bro.-ul and round-topped. Under forest con- 

 ditions the bole is long and colimmar, bearing aloft a shallow, llat-topped 

 crown. 



Leaves — -Opposite, orbicular to broadly obovate, 3-5 inches across, cordate 

 at the base, palniately 3-veined and 3-lobed (rarely 5), the lobes acund- 

 nate. entire or somewhat undulate, and separated by broad, rounded 

 sinuses. At maturity the leaves are rather thick, dull, dark greeu and 

 glabrous above, yellow-green and pubescent below, borne on rather stout, 

 pubescent petioles 2-.'> inches long. 



Flower — Similar to those of Sugar Maple, but opening a few days later 

 than those (-f the species when the leaves are about oiie-thii-d grown. 



Fruit-- Similar to that of Sugar Maple and not to be distinguished from it. 



Winter characters — Twigs rather stout, lustrous or dull, orange-browu or 

 grayish brown, marked by conspicuous, oblong, grayish white lenticels. 

 Terminal bud conical to ovate, grayish brown, hoary pubescent, about ^^ 

 of an inch long. Lateral buds opposite, similar to the terminal bud but 

 smaller. Mature b.-nk similar to tliat of Sugar Maple and not to be 

 distinguished from it. 



Habitat — The Black Maple is said to prefer lower ground than the Sugar 

 Maple. In central New York it grows on upland sites, intermixed with 

 or in places wholly replacing the Sugar Maple. 



Range — Quebec westward to South Dakota and Kansas, southward to north- 

 ern Georgia, and Louisiana. Zones B, C. and D. 



Uses — A valuable timber species. Wood similar to that of Sugar Maple and 

 not distinguished in the trade. The trees are tapped indiscriminately 

 with those of Sugar Maple for their sugary sap. 



