Title: Bulletin (Pennsylvania Department of Forestry), no. 11
Identifier: bulletinpennsylv11pennx (find matches)
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Pennsylvania. Dept. of Forestry
Subjects: Forests and forestry
Publisher: Harrisburg, Pa. : The Department : WM. Stanley Ray, state printer of Pennsylvania
Contributing Library: Penn State University
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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PLATE CVII. SILVER MAPLE 1. riowci'iiiff liiiiiHli, X ?. 2. Hraiich witli inaliiic Iciivcs ami inatnif fiiiit, X i. ;( A wii'ir iif ii maple ki'.v Avitli (•ximi>((1 sci'd X 4. I. A seed, cnlaisod. ."(. Kiiil view iif ii s('c<l. oiilarK('<l- (1. A winter twi«: sliowiiiir Inids. leiiticels, leaf- scais, iMHi-scale scars and Imiidle scars, X i. 201 SILVER MAPLE Acer saccharinum, Linnaeus FORM—Usually a tree about 50-60 ft. in height but may attain a maximum height of 120 ft., with a diameter of 4i feet. Trunlc sliort and divides into lateral branches which again freely subdivide and form a broad head. Lateral branches have pronounced droop, and distinct upward curve at the end. BARK—On branches and young trunks smooth and gray; on old trunks brown with a some- what furrowed surface separating into thin flakes which are fastened at the center and loose at both ends. TWIGS—Somewhat slender, glossy, at first green, later bright chestnut-brown, covered with numerous light lenticels. BUDS—Opposite, red, obtuse-pointed, sessile or short-stalked; flower buds stout, spliericnl, accessory, covered with overlapping scales, 6-8 of which may be exposed. Margin of s-cales .iliated and often light in color. LEAVES—Opposite, simple, 5-lobed, coarsely toothed; bright green on upper surface and silvery-white on lower; with deep round-based sinuses. LEAF-SCARS—Opposite, U-shaped to V-shapcd, not encircling stem. Bundle-scars 3, in a lunate line. FLOWERS—Appear in March or April before the leaves are out, in dense, sessile, axillary clusters. Staminate and pistillate occur in separate clusters sometimes on the same, some- times on different trees. Petals absent. FRUIT—MJatures about May; clustered along branchlets, borne on slender drooping stalks; wings of the keys usually from 1-2 inches long, divergent, sometimes straight, or curved. WOOD-Diffuse-porous; moderately hard, rather britUe, close-grained, with wide sapwood. Used for flooring, cheap furniture,. and paper pulp. Weighs 33 lbs per cubic foot. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS—The Silver Maple, also known as White Maple Kiver Maple, and Soft Maple, can be recognized in summer by its leaves with «^ ^"^y-^"* lower surface and deep round-based sinuses. In winter it closely resembles the R«d Mapl^ l.„t „,ay be distinguished from it by the pungent odor of the broken t-;f «„J"^ .^^f .^^f ^^'^^ brown color. The bark of the Silver Maple is somewhat furrowed and ««?";*«« jf^^^^'^/^.f"" which are loose at both ends and fastened in the middle. The lateral branches ha.e a pro nounced droop and a distinct upward curve at the ends This may bo"^*'";-^ ^^ othe Ma ^es character. The Red Maple and the Silver Maple are distinguished from all the othei Maples of tlie State by the numerous, round, red, collateral buds. RANGE—New Brunswick to southern Ontario, south to Florida and Oklahoma. DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA—Occasional and local throughout the State; especially alo^fg Tar^r strefn.: One of the prevailing trees along the lower part of the f^onoccK.heague c-reek rFrankfin county, but does not occur about the headwaters of this stream. It .s generally absent at higher elevations. HABITAT-It prefers a moist deep soil such as is found along stream banks. It will exist in drier locations but not attain a large size. IMPORTANCE OF*THE SPECIES-The Silver Maple is a very attractive ornamental tree A fevTZciaf orminientai varieties have been developed. The wood is brittle «"d c^"'^^"*;^ =s of no soecial commercial importance and consequently it has little to reconuneiui ii lor iorestrj pXsei, ex^t that it ^orms an excellent soil cover in the understory of the forest. INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE

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