90 



WEEDS AXD rSEFUL PLANTS. 



2. A. plataxoi'des, L. Juice milky ; leaves broadly heart-shaped, 5- 

 lobed, coarsely toothed ; flowers SDmewhat coiymbose ; fruit divaricato^ 

 smooth. 



Pi^TAXus-LiKE Acer. Xorway Maple. 



A large tree when full grown. Leaves 4-6 inches in length and rather wider than long, 

 leep shining green ; petioles ahout as long as the leaves, when hroken exuding a milky 

 iuice. Flowers pale greenish-yellow, in loose terminal, somewhat pendulous corymhs. 

 Keys remarkably divaricate. 



Cultivated. i\ative of Europe. April. 



Ohs. This tree has been but recently introduced ; yet it promises to 

 become one of our most desirable shade trees. Its foliage is remarkably 

 fine, and abundant, continuing green longer than most other species ; 

 and it is said that its milky juice prevents the ravages of insects. 

 If Petals none. 



3. A. sacchari'liumj L. Leaves broad, subcordate at base. 3-5- 

 lobed Trith the sinuses obtuse, — the lobes acuminate, coarsely and spar- 

 ingly sinuate-dentate ; flowers apetalous, pendulous on long filiform, 

 villous, fasciculate pedicels ; fruit turgid, smooth. 



SACCH.AJlI^-E Acer. Sugar Maple. 



stem 50-80 feet or more in height, and 2-3 feet in diameter. Leaves 3-5 mches long, 

 and generally rather wider than long, dark green above, paler beneath ; _pefioZ€S 2-4 

 2iches long. Calyx pale greenish-yellow, truncate and cup-like, the limb fringed with 

 Jong hairs. Petals none. Fruit ovoid at base, about an inch long — ^including the wing- 

 slightly diverging. 



Rich woodlands : Canada to Georgia. Fl. April-:May. Fr. Sept. 



Ohs. This is one of the most valuable and interesting of our native 

 trees, — particularly in the forests of the North and West — where its 

 sap, in early spring, yields an immense quantity of Sugar and Syrup. 

 The beautiful wood, known as Bird's-eye Maple — so much admh'ed in 

 cabinet work — is obtained from this species ; and it is, moreover, rarely 

 surpassed, in any respect, as an ornamental shade tree. The Black 

 Sugar Maple (A. nigrum, Mkhx. ) is regarded as only a variety of this ; 

 its leaves are usually somewhat larger and of a darker green, and of a 

 thicker and somewhat leathery texture. The wood of the Sugar Maple 

 is highly valued as fuel, ranking near hickory : it also furnishes a fine 

 quality of charcoal. 



Flowers in shoii erect dusters, from lateral leafless buds, preceding the 

 leaves. 

 f Petals none. 



4. A. dasycar'pum, Ehrh. Leaves palmately and deeply 5-lobed with 

 the sinuses acute, the lobes unequally incised-dentate ; ovary densely 

 tomentose. 



Hairy-fruited Acer. Silver-leaved Maple. White Maple. 



-Stem 30-60 feet high, and 2 feet or more (-'in the Western States sometipies 8-9.'' — 

 Thrr. & Gr.) in diameter, much branched, — the young branches virgate and straggling or 

 drooping. Leaves 3-6 inches long, bluish white or glaucous beneath ; petioles 2-5 incnea 

 long. Flowers in fascicles mostly of fives and sevens. Calyx pale green, truncate anQ 



