Aceraceae
(Maple Family)
[Latin = "sharp"]
2 Genera (1 on campus)
112 species
I. Leaves
A. Opposite
B. Simple
C. Most estipulate
D. Palmate lobing & venation or
Pinnately compound
II. Flowers
A. Regular
B. Perfect or imperfect (dioecious)
C. 4-12 stamens
D. 2 lobed, 2 celled pistil with wings along
back
III. Fruit
A. Double samara
IV. Economic Importance
A. Lumber differs in size & variation of
rays
hardness &
strength
1. Hard maples
(Acer saccharum, A. nigrum)
Furniture, veneers, musical instruments,
bowling alleys, dance & gym floors, sporting goods
railroad ties if pressure treated with fungicide
2. Soft maples
(A. rubrum, A. saccharinum)
Millwork, shuttles, spools, bobbins
B. Methanol distillation
C. Maple sugar & syrup
D. Ornamental
V. Range
A. Throughout N. hemisphere, especially in
E. Himalayans
& central
China
Species comparison
Leaves with 5 lobes
I. Acer platanoides (Norway Maple)
[like Platanus]
A. Glabrous
B. Sinuses 1/3 length of leaf
C. Long petiole with milky latex
II. A. saccharinum (Silver Maple)
[Latin "sugary"]
A. Silver/white underside
B. Sinuses 2/3 length of leaf
C. Silver gray bark when young,
long, thin,
scaly plates unattached at ends
when older
III. A. pseudoplatanus (Sycamore Maple)
[Latin "false Platanus"]
A. Glabrous, light green, glaucous
B. Sinuses 1/2 length of leaf
C. Broad, green buds
Leaves with 3 or 5 lobes
I. A. campestre (Hedge Maple)
A. Pubescent
B. Rounded lobes, teeth, sinuses
C. Milky latex
D. 5-10 cm wide
II. A. nigrum (Black Maple)
[Latin = "Black"]
A. Pubescent
B. Dark green, drooping leaves
C. Persistant stipules
D. 10-15 cm wide
III. A. saccharum (Sugar Maple)
[Latin = "sugary"]
A. Glabrous
B. Green, non-drooping leaves
C. Nonpersistant stipules
D. 10-15 cm wide
IV. A. rubrum (Red Maple)
[Latin = "red"]
A. Somewhat glaucous
B. Young leaves, bud scales, fruit red
C. Sharp acute sinuses
D. 5-10 cm wide
Leaves with 3 lobes
I. A. ginnala (Amur Maple)
A. Lateral lobes at right angles to midrib
B. Sinuses 1/2 length of leaf
C. Red buds
Leaves with 5-9 lobes
I. A. palmatum (Japanese Maple)
A. Sinuses >2/3 length of leaf
B. Serrated margin
C. Green/reddish
Leaves pinnately compound
I. A. griseum (Paperbark Maple)
A. Trifoliate leaves
B. Pubescent
C. Papery bark
II. A. negundo (Box Elder)
[Malayan name for tree with this leaf type]
A. 3,5,7 leaflets
B. Glabrous
C. Green stem