inch across; borne on slender, glabrous, red pedicels in 2-3-flowered
umbels; calyx 5-lobed, dark red; petals 5, white; stamens 15-20, with
purple anthers; ovary 1-celled; style 1; stigma 1.
FRUIT.--August-September; a fleshy drupe, about 1 inch long,
oblong-ovoid, with a tough, thick, orange-red skin nearly free from
bloom, and yellow flesh adherent to the flat stone. Eaten raw or cooked.
WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud absent; lateral buds 1/8-1/4 inch long, ovate,
acute, chestnut-brown.
BARK.--Twigs green, marked by numerous pale excrescences, later dark
brown; thin, gray-brown and smooth on young trunks, but soon splitting
off in large, thick plates, exposing the darker inner bark.
WOOD.--Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, light red-brown, with thin,
lighter colored sapwood.
DISTRIBUTION.--Upper Peninsula and the Lower Peninsula north of Lansing.
HABITAT.--Prefers rich, alluvial soil along streams.
NOTES.--Suckers freely, forming low, broad thickets.
[Illustration: +Coffeetree. Kentucky Coffeetree+
1. Winter twig, × 1.
2. Leaf, × 1/4.
3. Leaflet, × 1/2.
4. Vertical section of staminate flower, enlarged.
5. Vertical section of pistillate flower, enlarged.
6. Fruit, × 1/4.]
+LEGUMINOSAE+
+Coffeetree. Kentucky Coffeetree+
_Gymnocladus dioica (L.) Koch_ [_Gymnocladus canadensis Lam._]
HABIT.--A slender tree 50-75 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 2-3
feet; divides near the ground into several stems which spread slightly
to form a narrow, pyramidal crown; branchlets stout, clumsy, blunt, with
conspicuous leaf-scars.
LEAVES.--Alternate, bipinnately compound, 1-3 feet long. Leaflets 40 or
more, 2-2-1/2 inches long and one-half as broad; short-stalked; ovate,
acute; entire; thin and firm; dark green above, pale yellow-green and
glabrous beneath. Petioles stout, terete, glabrous. Appear late in
spring.
FLOWERS.--June, after the leaves; dioecious; greenish white; the
staminate short-stalked, in racemose corymbs 3-4 inches long; the
pistillate long-stalked, in racemes 10-12 inches long; calyx tubular,
hairy; petals 5, keeled, nearly white; stamens 10; ovary hairy.
FRUIT.--Ripens in autumn, but remains closed until late in winter;
short-stalked, red-brown legumes 6-10 inches long, 1-1/2-2 inches wide,
containing 6-9 large, flat seeds.
WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud absent; lateral buds minute, depressed, 2 in
the axil of each leaf, bronze-brown, silky-pubescent.
BARK.--Twigs coated with short, dense, reddish pubescence, becoming light
brown; thick, deeply fissured and scaly on the trunk, dark gray.
WOOD.--Heavy, somewhat soft, strong, coarse-grained, very durable in
contact with the soil, light red-brown, with thin, lighter colored
sapwood.
DISTRIBUTION.--Southern Michigan as far north as the Grand River.
Infrequent.
HABITAT.--Prefers bottom-lands and rich soil.
NOTES.--The seeds in early days were used as a substitute for coffee.
[Illustration: +Honey Locust. Three-thorned Acacia+
1. Winter twig, × 1.
2. Vertical section through lateral buds, enlarged.
3. Leaf, × 1/4.
4. Leaflet, × 1.
5. Staminate flowering branchlet, × 1/2.
6. Staminate flower, enlarged.
7. Pistillate flowering branchlet, × 1/2.
8. Pistillate flower, enlarged.
9. Fruit, × 1/3.
10. Spine from trunk, × 1/2.]
+LEGUMINOSAE+
+Honey Locust. Three-thorned Acacia+
_Gleditsia triacanthos L._
HABIT.--A tree usually 50-75 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 2-3
feet; dividing near the ground into several large, upright branches
which divide again into long, slender, horizontal branchlets; both trunk
and large branches armed with stout, rigid, simple or branched spines.
LEAVES.--Alternate, pinnately or bipinnately compound, 7-12 inches long.
Leaflets 18 or more, 3/4-1-1/2 inches long, one-third as broad;
lanceolate-oblong; remotely crenulate-serrate; thin; lustrous, dark
green above, dull yellow-green beneath. Petioles and rachises pubescent.
FLOWERS.--May-June, when the leaves are nearly full grown;
polygamo-dioecious; the staminate in short, many-flowered, pubescent
racemes; the pistillate in slender, few-flowered racemes; on shoots of
the preceding season; calyx campanulate, hairy 3-5-lobed; petals 3-5,
greenish; stamens 3-10; ovary 1-celled, woolly.
FRUIT.--Autumn, falling in early winter; flat, pendent, twisted, brown
legumes, 12-18 inches long, short-stalked in short racemes; seeds 12-14,
oval, flattened.
WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud absent; lateral buds minute, 3 or more
superposed, glabrous, brownish.
BARK.--Twigs lustrous, red-brown, becoming gray-brown; thick on the
trunk, iron-gray to blackish and deeply fissured into long, narrow
ridges roughened by small scales.
WOOD.--Hard, strong, coarse-grained, durable in contact with the ground,
red-brown, with thin, pale sapwood.
DISTRIBUTION.--Indigenous to the extreme southern portion of the state,
but is planted as far north as Bay City.
HABITAT.--Prefers deep, rich loam, but grows on a variety of soils.
NOTES.--Grows rapidly and is long-lived and free from disease. Easily
transplanted. The leaves appear late in spring and fall early in autumn.
The stiff spines and long pods which litter the ground make the tree
unsuitable for street or ornamental use.
[Illustration: +Redbud. Judas-tree+
1. Winter twig, × 1.
2. Portion of twig, front view, enlarged.
3. Portion of twig, side view, enlarged.
4. Leaf, × 1/2.
5. Flowering branchlet, × 1.
6. Vertical section of flower, enlarged.
7. Fruit, × 1/2.]
+LEGUMINOSAE+
+Redbud. Judas-tree+
_Cercis canadensis L._
HABIT.--A small tree 20-30 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 10-15
inches; divided near the ground into stout, straggling branches to form
a broad, flat crown.
LEAVES.--Alternate, simple, 3-5 inches long and broad; heart-shaped or
rounded; entire; thick; glabrous, dark green above, paler beneath,
turning bright yellow in autumn; petioles slender, terete, enlarged at
the base.
FLOWERS.--April-May, before or with the leaves; perfect; 1/2 inch long;
borne on short, jointed pedicels in fascicles of 4-8; calyx campanulate,
5-toothed, dark red; petals 5, rose color; stamens 10, in 2 rows.
FRUIT.--June-July, remaining on the tree until early winter; a
short-stalked legume 2-1/2-3 inches long, pointed at both ends, rose
color; seeds 10-12, brownish, 1/4 inch long.
WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud absent; lateral buds 1/8 inch long, obtuse,
somewhat flattened and appressed, brownish.
BARK.--Twigs lustrous, brown, becoming dark or grayish brown; red-brown,
deeply fissured, with a scaly surface on old trunks.
WOOD.--Heavy, hard, coarse-grained, weak, dark red-brown, with thin,
lighter colored sapwood.
DISTRIBUTION.--Valleys of the Grand and Raisin Rivers and southward.
HABITAT.--Prefers the borders of streams and rich bottom-lands, often in
the shade of other trees.
NOTES.--A rapid grower. Hardy within its range. Can be transplanted with
success only when very young. Plants begin to produce flowers freely
when 4-5 years old. Much used in landscape gardening.
[Illustration: +Locust. Black Locust+
1. Winter twig, × 1.
2. Vertical section through lateral buds, enlarged.
3. Leaf, × 1/2.
4. Raceme of flowers, × 1/2.
5. Flower, with part of corolla removed, enlarged.
6. Fruit, × 1/2.]
+LEGUMINOSAE+
+Locust. Black Locust+
_Robinia pseudo-acacia L._
HABIT.--A tree 50-75 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 2-3 feet;
forming a narrow, oblong crown of irregular, more or less contorted
branches.
LEAVES.--Alternate, compound, 8-14 inches long. Leaflets 7-21,
short-petiolate, 1-2 inches long, about one-half as broad; ovate to
oblong-oval; entire; very thin; dull dark green above, paler beneath,
glabrous both sides. Petioles slender, pubescent.
FLOWERS.--May-June, after the leaves; perfect; showy and abundant; very
fragrant; borne on slender pedicels in loose, drooping racemes 4-5
inches long; about 1 inch long; calyx short, bell-shaped, 5-lobed,
hairy; corolla papilionaceous, white, 5-petaled; stamens 10.
FRUIT.--Late autumn, but persistent on the tree through the winter; a
smooth, dark brown, flat pod 3-4 inches long, containing 4-8 small,
flattish, brown seeds.
WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud absent; lateral buds minute, 3-4 superposed,
partially sunken within the leaf-scar, rusty-hairy.
BARK.--Twigs smooth, green, more or less rough-dotted at first, becoming
red-brown and armed with prickles; dark red-brown and thick on old
trunks, deeply furrowed into firm, sinuous ridges.
WOOD.--Heavy, very strong and hard, close-grained, very durable in
contact with the soil, brown, with very thin, pale yellow sapwood.
NOTES.--Native to the Appalachian Mountains, but much planted in Michigan
for ornamental and economic uses. Very rapid of growth in youth.
Short-lived. Seriously attacked by borers. Spreads by underground
shoots.
[Illustration: +Ailanthus. Tree of Heaven+
1. Winter twig, × 1.
2. Leaf, × 1/8.
3. Leaflet, × 1/2.
4. Staminate inflorescence, × 1/4.
5. Staminate flower, enlarged.
6. Pistillate flower, enlarged.
7. Fruit, × 1.]
+SIMARUBACEAE+
+Ailanthus. Tree of Heaven+
_Ailanthus glandulosa Desf._
HABIT.--A handsome, rapid-growing, short-lived tree, attaining a height
of 50-70 feet and a trunk diameter of 2-4 feet, with a spreading, rather
loose and open crown and a coarse, blunt spray.
LEAVES.--Alternate, pinnately compound, 1-3 feet long. Leaflets 11-41 in
number, 2-6 inches long and about one-third as broad; ovate-lanceolate;
entire with the exception of two or more coarse, glandular teeth at the
base; glabrous, dark green above, paler beneath, turning a clear yellow
in autumn or falling without change; ill-scented. Petioles smooth,
terete, swollen at the base.
FLOWERS.--June, when the leaves are full grown; polygamo-dioecious;
small, yellow-green, borne in upright panicles 6-12 inches or more in
length; calyx 5-lobed; petals 5, greenish, hairy; stamens 10. Staminate
flowers ill-scented, pistillate almost free from odor.
FRUIT.--October; 1-celled, 1-seeded samaras, spirally twisted, reddish or
yellow-green, borne in crowded clusters.
WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud absent; lateral buds about 1/8 inch long,
subglobose, brownish, downy.
BARK.--Twigs yellowish to red-brown, velvety-downy; thin, grayish and
shallowly fissured on old trunks.
WOOD.--Soft, weak, of coarse and open grain, pale yellow, satiny, with
thick, lighter colored sapwood.
NOTES.--A native of China, but naturalized in the United States and
planted frequently in southern Michigan as a foliage tree. Only the
pistillate trees should be planted, as these are almost free from the
objectionable odor of the staminate trees. The smoke and dust of our
large cities have little effect on the foliage, and the trees are
perfectly hardy in the southern part of the state.
+SUMMER KEY TO THE SPECIES OF ACER+
a. Leaves simple; twigs usually without whitish bloom.
b. Leaf-sinuses acute at the base.
c. Leaf-lobes long and narrow, the sides of the terminal lobe
diverging; leaves silvery white beneath; twigs rank-smelling
when broken. _A. saccharinum_, p. 185.
cc. Leaf-lobes short and broad, the sides of the terminal lobe
converging; leaves not conspicuously white beneath; twigs not
rank-smelling when broken.
d. Leaves 2-4 inches broad, thin, not pentagonally 5-lobed;
wings of fruit 3/4-1 inch long.
e. Leaves distinctly white-downy beneath; twigs
appressed-hairy, at least near the tip; fruit hanging in
pendulous racemes, persistent on the tree until autumn; seed
portion with pit-like depression on one side; usually a shrub
or bushy tree. _A. spicatum_, p. 179.
ee. Leaves not distinctly white-downy beneath; twigs glabrous;
fruit hanging in clusters, falling in early summer; seed
portion without pit-like depression on one side; medium-sized
tree. _A. rubrum_, p. 187.
dd. Leaves 4-7 inches broad, thick, pentagonally 5-lobed; wings
of fruit 1-1/2 inches long. _A. pseudo-platanus_, p. 191.
bb. Leaf-sinuses rounded at the base.
c. Lower sides of leaves and petioles distinctly downy, the
lobes undulate or entire; leaves very thick, drooping at the
sides. _A. saccharum nigrum_, p. 183.
cc. Lower sides of leaves and petioles essentially glabrous,
the lobes serrate; leaves not thick, not drooping at the sides.
d. Leaves coarsely and sparsely toothed or notched; bark not
longitudinally white-striped; large trees.
e. Twigs coarse; petioles exuding a milky juice when cut; wings
of fruit diverging by nearly 180°; bark of the trunk closely
fissured, not scaly. _A. platanoides_, p. 189.
ee. Twigs slender; petioles not exuding a milky juice when cut;
wings of fruit diverging only slightly; bark of the trunk
deeply furrowed, often cleaving in long, thick plates. _A.
saccharum_, p. 181.
dd. Leaves finely and abundantly toothed; bark longitudinally
white-striped; a bushy tree or shrub.
aa. Leaves compound; twigs usually with whitish bloom. _A.
negundo_, p. 193.
+WINTER KEY TO THE SPECIES OF ACER+
a. Terminal buds usually under 1/4 inch in length.
b. Buds white-woolly; twigs usually with a whitish bloom;
opposite leaf-scars meeting; fruit often persistent on the tree
until spring. _A. negundo_, p. 193.
bb. Buds not white-woolly; twigs without whitish bloom;
opposite leaf-scars not meeting; fruit not persistent on the
tree in winter.
c. Buds reddish or greenish; twigs bright red.
d. Twigs strictly glabrous; buds glabrous; spherical flower
buds clustered on the sides of the shoot; pith pink; large
trees.
e. Twigs rank-smelling when broken; tip of outer bud-scales
often apiculate; tips of branches curving upwards; bark
separating into long, thin flakes loose at the ends. _A.
saccharinum_, p. 185.
ee. Twigs not rank-smelling when broken; tip of outer
bud-scales rounded; tips of branches not conspicuously curving
upwards; bark rough-ridged, but seldom forming loose flakes.
_A. rubrum_, p. 187.
dd. Twigs appressed-hairy, at least near the tip; buds somewhat
tomentose; spherical flower buds absent; pith brown; shrub or
bushy tree. _A. spicatum_, p. 179.
cc. Buds brownish; twigs brownish or grayish.
d. Buds glabrous, or somewhat pubescent at the apex only; bark
dark gray on the trunk. _A. saccharum_, p. 181.
dd. Buds hoary-pubescent; bark sometimes almost black on the
trunk. _A. saccharum nigrum_, p. 183.
aa. Terminal buds usually 1/4-1/2 inch in length.
b. Buds reddish; opposite leaf-scars meeting.
c. Buds conspicuously stalked; bud-scales visible, 1 pair; bark
longitudinally white-striped; small tree or large shrub. _A.
pennsylvanicum_, p. 177.
cc. Buds not conspicuously stalked; bud-scales visible, 2-3
pairs; bark not white-striped; large tree. _A. platanoides_, p.
189.
bb. Buds bright green; opposite leaf-scars not meeting. _A.
pseudo-platanus_, p. 191.
[Illustration: +Striped Maple. Moosewood. Whistlewood+
1. Winter twig, × 1.
2. Portion of twig, enlarged.
3. Leaf, × 1/2.
4. Staminate flowering branchlet, × 1/2.
5. Vertical section of staminate flower, enlarged.
6. Pistillate flowering branchlet, × 1/2.
7. Vertical section of pistillate flower, enlarged.
8. Fruit, × 3/4.]
+ACERACEAE+
+Striped Maple. Moosewood. Whistlewood+
_Acer pennsylvanicum L._
HABIT.--A small tree at best, more often a large shrub, seldom attaining
a height of more than 30 feet, with a short trunk 5-8 inches through.
The striped, upright branches form a rather compact crown.
LEAVES.--Opposite, simple, 5-6 inches long and nearly as broad; 3-lobed
above the middle with short, tapering lobes; palmately 3-nerved; sharply
doubly serrate; rounded or heart-shaped at the base; glabrous,
yellow-green above, paler beneath, turning pale yellow in autumn;
petioles stout, grooved.
FLOWERS.--May-June, when the leaves are nearly full grown; usually
monoecious; large, bright yellow, bell-shaped, in slender, drooping
racemes 4-6 inches long; calyx 5-parted; petals 5; stamens 7-8; ovary
downy.
FRUIT.--Ripens in autumn; glabrous, paired samaras in long, drooping,
racemose clusters, the wings 3/4 inch long, widely divergent, and marked
on one side of each nutlet by a small cavity.
WINTER-BUDS.--Bright red; terminal bud nearly 1/2 inch long,
short-stalked, with bud-scales keeled; lateral buds smaller, appressed.
BARK.--Twigs light green, mottled with black, smooth; trunk and branches
red-brown, marked longitudinally by broad, pale stripes.
WOOD.--Light, soft, close-grained, pinkish brown, with thick, lighter
colored sapwood.
DISTRIBUTION.--Abundant in the Upper Peninsula, extending southward as
far as Roscommon County in the Lower Peninsula.
HABITAT.--Cool, rocky or sandy woods, usually in the shade of other
trees.
NOTES.--In the Northwoods the green shoots are browsed by deer and moose.
Valued mostly for its aesthetic qualities. Of little or no economic
value.
[Illustration: +Mountain Maple+
1. Winter twig, × 1.
2. Portion of twig, enlarged.
3. Leaf, × 1/2.
4. Flowering branchlet, × 1/2.
5. Staminate flower, enlarged.
6. Pistillate flower, enlarged.
7. Fruit, × 1.]
+ACERACEAE+
+Mountain Maple+
_Acer spicatum Lam._
HABIT.--A bushy tree sometimes 25-30 feet high, with a short trunk 6-8
inches in diameter; small, upright branches form a small, rounded crown.
More often a straggling shrub.
LEAVES.--Opposite, simple, 4-5 inches long and two-thirds as broad;
3-lobed above the middle, the lobes coarsely crenate-serrate with
pointed teeth, the sinuses usually wide-angled and acute at the base;
thin; glabrous, dark green above, covered with a whitish down beneath,
turning scarlet and orange in autumn; veining prominent; petioles long,
slender, with enlarged base.
FLOWERS.--June, after the leaves are full grown; polygamo-monoecious;
small, yellow-green; in erect, slightly compound, many-flowered,
long-stemmed, terminal racemes; calyx downy, 5-lobed; petals 5; stamens
7-8; ovary tomentose.
FRUIT.--July; bright red, turning brown in late autumn; small, glabrous,
paired samaras, in pendulous, racemose clusters.
WINTER-BUDS.--Small, flattish, acute, bright red, more or less tomentose;
the terminal 1/8 inch long, containing the flowers.
BARK.--Twigs reddish, slightly hairy; very thin, red-brown, smooth or
slightly furrowed on the trunk.
WOOD.--Light, soft, close-grained, light brown, with thick, lighter
colored sapwood.
DISTRIBUTION.--Common in the Upper Peninsula; extends as far south as
Saginaw Bay.
HABITAT.--Damp forests; rocky woods; along streams; always in the shade
of other trees.
NOTES.--Forms much of the undergrowth of our northern forests. Little
used, except for fire-wood.
[Illustration: +Sugar Maple. Hard Maple. Rock Maple+
1. Winter twig, × 2.
2. Portion of twig, enlarged.
3. Leaf, × 1/2.
4. Staminate flowering branchlet, × 1/2.
5. Staminate flower, enlarged.
6. Pistillate flowering branchlet, × 1/2.
7. Pistillate flower, enlarged.
8. Fruit, × 1.]
+ACERACEAE+
+Sugar Maple. Hard Maple. Rock Maple+
_Acer saccharum Marsh._ [_Acer saccharinum Wang._]
HABIT.--A stately tree 60-100 feet in height, with a trunk diameter of
3-4 feet; in the open forming stout, upright branches near the ground,
in forests making remarkably clean trunks to a good height; the crown is
a broad, round-topped dome.
LEAVES.--Opposite, simple, 3-5 inches long and broad; usually 5-lobed
(sometimes 3-lobed), the lobes sparingly wavy-toothed, the sinuses broad
and rounded at the base; thin and firm; opaque, dark green above,
lighter and glabrous beneath, turning yellow and red in autumn; petioles
long, slender.
FLOWERS.--May, with the leaves; polygamo-monoecious or dioecious; on
thread-like, hairy pedicels in nearly sessile corymbs; greenish yellow;
calyx campanulate, 5-lobed; corolla 0; stamens 7-8; ovary hairy.
FRUIT.--September-October, germinating the following spring; paired
samaras, glabrous, with wings about 1 inch long, diverging slightly.
WINTER-BUDS.--Small, acute, red-brown, glabrous or somewhat pubescent
toward the apex, the terminal 1/4 inch long, the lateral smaller,
appressed.
BARK.--Twigs smooth, pale brown, becoming gray and smooth on the
branches; old trunks dark gray, deeply furrowed, often cleaving up at
one edge in long, thick plates.
WOOD.--Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, tough, durable, light brown,
with thin, lighter colored sapwood.
DISTRIBUTION.--Found throughout the entire state.
HABITAT.--Prefers moist, rich soil in valleys and uplands and moist,
rocky slopes.
NOTES.--The most important hardwood in Michigan. The tree which produces
the bulk of the maple sugar of the market.
[Illustration: +Black Maple. Black Sugar Maple+
1. Winter twig, × 2.
2. Leaf, × 1/2.
3. Flowering branchlet, × 1/2.
4. Staminate flower, enlarged.
5. Pistillate flower, enlarged.
6. Fruit, × 1.]
+ACERACEAE+
+Black Maple. Black Sugar Maple+
_Acer saccharum nigrum (Michx. f.) Britt._ [_Acer nigrum Michx._]
HABIT.--A stately tree, sometimes reaching a height of 80 feet, with a
trunk diameter of 2-3 feet; branches stout, forming a broad, rounded,
symmetrical crown.
LEAVES.--Opposite, simple, concave, 5-7 inches across, the breadth
usually exceeding the length; usually 5-lobed at maturity, the two lower
lobes being small, often reduced to a mere curve in the outline, the
pointed lobes undulate or entire and narrowed from the broad, shallow
sinuses; thick and firm; glabrous above, downy beneath; petioles stout,
usually pendent, tomentose. The sides of the larger leaves often droop
giving to the tree an air of depression.
FLOWERS.--May, with the leaves; monoecious; in nearly sessile, umbel-like
corymbs; about 1/4 inch long, yellow, on slender, hairy pedicels 2-3
inches long; calyx campanulate, pilose, 5-lobed; corolla 0; stamens 7-8;
ovary hairy.
FRUIT.--Ripens in autumn; glabrous, paired samaras, clustered on drooping
pedicels; wings set wide apart, but only slightly diverging.
WINTER-BUDS.--Small, ovoid, acute, with dark red-brown, acute scales,
hoary-pubescent on the outer surface.
BARK.--Twigs smooth, pale gray; becoming thick, deeply furrowed and
sometimes almost black on the trunk.
WOOD.--Hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, creamy white, with thin,
lighter colored sapwood.
DISTRIBUTION.--Lower Peninsula, south-eastern portion.
HABITAT.--Prefers low, moist, rich soil of river-bottoms, but does well
on gravelly soils and uplands.
NOTES.--Very variable. A very good shade tree because of its dense
foliage. It is claimed by some that the finest grades of maple sugar are
made from the sap of this tree.
[Illustration: +Silver Maple. Soft Maple+
1. Winter twig, × 1.
2. Portion of twig, enlarged.
3. Leaf, × 1/2.
4. Staminate flowering branchlet, × 1.
5. Staminate flower, enlarged.
6. Pistillate flowering branchlet, × 1.
7. Pistillate flower, enlarged.
8. Fruit, × 1/2.]
+ACERACEAE+
+Silver Maple. Soft Maple+
_Acer saccharinum L._ [_Acer dasycarpum Ehrh._]
HABIT.--A beautiful tree, growing to a height of 60-80 feet, with a trunk
diameter of 2-4 feet, usually separating near the ground into 3-4
upright stems which are destitute of branches for a considerable
distance. Usually the long, slender branches bend downwards, but with
their tips ascending in a graceful curve. Crown broad, especially in its
upper portion.
LEAVES.--Opposite, simple, 3-6 inches long and nearly as broad; usually
5-lobed by narrow, acute sinuses which extend nearly to the midrib, the
lobes often sublobed, sharply toothed; light green above, silvery white
beneath, turning pale yellow in autumn; petioles long, slender,
drooping.
FLOWERS.--March-April, before the leaves; polygamo-monoecious or
dioecious; small, yellow-green, in crowded, sessile umbels; calyx
5-lobed (sometimes each lobe again divided); corolla 0; stamens 3-7;
ovary hairy.
FRUIT.--May, germinating as soon as it reaches the ground; paired
samaras, large, glabrous, curving inwards, one samara often aborted.