Part 52

=Fruit=.—May-June; paired samaras, small, smooth, wings about 1 inch long on long, drooping pedicels.

=Bark=.—Thick, roughened by shaggy ridges, gray. The smooth bark of young trees and limbs of large trees are silvery gray.

=Wood=.—Heavy, medium soft, close-grained, light brown, with whitish sapwood.

=Range=.—Southern Canada to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Occurs in all parts of the State. Not common east of the Alleghanies.

=Habitat=.—Thrives best in swamps or on stream borders, but is found also on hillsides and ridges.

=Notes=.—The Red Maple is especially noticeable early in spring on account of the red flowers and fruits, and in autumn when the leaves turn bright scarlet. The wood is used for cheap furniture, turnery, and paper pulp. It cannot be recommended highly for forestry purposes.

BOX ELDER

=Acer negundo=, L.

=Form=.—Height 40-60 feet, diameter 1-2½ feet; trunk usually short dividing into several large, spreading branches, forming an unequal, open crown.

=Leaves=.—Opposite, compound, the 3-5 leaflets 2-4 inches long, ovate, pointed, coarse-toothed above the middle, or sometimes slightly 3-lobed.

=Flowers=.—April; dioecious; small, yellow-green, the staminate on slender drooping pedicels, the pistillate in narrow drooping racemes.

=Fruit=.—Matures in late summer and persists into the winter; paired samaras hanging in racemose clusters.

=Bark=.—Somewhat roughened by narrow, close ridges, gray-brown; twigs greenish.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, close-grained, not strong, creamy-white with scarcely lighter colored sapwood.

=Range=.—Ontario and Vermont to Florida, Texas and Mexico.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common locally along streams at lower elevations. Plentiful in some sections of the following counties: Boone, Braxton, Doddridge, Fayette, Jefferson, Lewis, Monongalia, and Tyler.

=Habitat=.—Deep moist soils of stream banks and swamp borders.

=Notes=.—Box Elder grows naturally along streams but thrives when planted in drier soils. It is not important as a timber tree, nor very desirable for ornamental uses. This tree is sometimes called Ash-leaved Maple.

FETID BUCKEYE

=Aesculus glabra=, Willd.

=Form=.—Height 30-60 feet, diameter 12-20 inches; trunk short supporting a deep, round-topped crown.

=Leaves=.—Opposite, digitately compound, leaflets usually 5, 3-6 inches long, oval, tapered at base, sharp-pointed, irregularly and finely toothed, pale green above, paler beneath, smooth, when old. The foliage is ill-smelling when bruised.

=Flowers=.—April-May; polygamo-monoecious or perfect; most of the flowers with imperfect pistils; borne in downy terminal panicles 5-6 inches long; corolla yellow.

=Fruit=.—Matures in October; a leathery round or pear-shaped prickly pod or capsule about 1 inch in diameter, containing a large, shining, brown nut.

=Bark=.—Roughened by even, scaly, broken gray ridges.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, weak, pale yellow.

=Range=.—Pennsylvania to Alabama and west to Iowa and Oklahoma.