90 



WEEDS AXD USEFUL PLA:!sTS. 



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

 lobed, coarsely toothed ; flowers somewhat corymbose ; fruit divaricate, 

 smooth. 



Platan^us-like Acee. Norway Maple. 



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

 deep shining green ; petioles about as long as the leaves, when broken exuding a vKlky 

 juice. Flowers pale greenish-yellow, in loose terminal, somewhat pendulous corymbs. 

 Keys remarkably divaricate. 



Cultivated. Native 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, 

 ff Petals none. 



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

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

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

 villous, fasciculate pedicels ; fruit turgid, smooth. 



Sacchaeixe Acer. Sugar Maple. 



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

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

 inches long. CaZyj; pale greenish-yellow, truncate and cup-like, the limb fringed with 

 long hairs. Petals none. FruU ovoid at base, about an inch long — including the wing — 

 shghtly diverging. 



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



Obs. 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 admired 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 shoil: erect dusters, from lateral leafiess buds, preceding the 

 leaves. 

 f Petals none. 



4. A. dasycar'pum, -E/n-Zi. Leaves palmately and deeply 5-lobed with 



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

 tomentose. 



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



Sieni 30 -60 feet high, and 2 feet or more (- in the Western States sometimes S-9." — 

 Torr. (£• Gr.) in diameter, much branched, — the young branches vii-gate and straggling or 

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

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



