cute; base heart-shaped, truncate, or obtuse; leafstalk 1-3 inches
long. The leaves of the red maple vary greatly in size, outline, lobing,
and shape of base.

=Inflorescence.=--April 1-15. Appearing before the leaves in close
clusters encircling the shoots of the previous year, varying in color
from dull red or pale yellow to scarlet; the sterile and fertile flowers
mostly in separate clusters, sometimes on the same tree, but more
frequently on different trees; calyx lobes oblong and obtuse; petals
linear-oblong; pedicels short; stamens 5-8, much longer than the petals
in the sterile and about the same length in the fertile flowers; the
smooth ovary surmounted by a style separating into two much-projecting
stigmatic lobes.

=Fruit.=--Fruit ripe in June, hanging on long stems, varying from brown
to crimson; keys about an inch in length, at first convergent, at
maturity more or less divergent.

=Horticultural Value.=--Hardy throughout New England; found in a wider
range of soils than any other species of the genus, but seeming to
prefer a gravelly or peaty loam in positions where its roots can reach a
constant supply of moisture. It is more variable than any other of the
native maples and consequently is not so good a tree for streets, where
a symmetrical outline and uniform habit are required. It is
transplanted readily, but recovers its vigor more slowly than does the
sugar or silver maple and is usually of slower growth. Its variable
habit makes it an exceedingly interesting tree in the landscape.

[Illustration: PLATE LXXI.--Acer rubrum.]

1. Leaf-buds.
2. Flower-buds.
3. Branch with sterile flowers.
4. Sterile flower.
5. Branch with sterile and fertile flowers.
6. Fertile flower.
7. Fruiting branch.
8. Variant leaves.

=Acer saccharinum, L.=

_Acer dasycarpum, Ehrh._

SILVER MAPLE. SOFT MAPLE. WHITE MAPLE. RIVER MAPLE.

=Habitat and Range.=--Along streams, in rich intervale lands, and in
moist, deep-soiled forests, but not in swamps.

Infrequent from New Brunswick to Ottawa, abundant from Ottawa
throughout Ontario.

Occasional throughout the New England states; most common and best
developed upon the banks of rivers and lakes at low altitudes.

South to the Gulf states; west to Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and
Indian territory; attaining its maximum size in the basins of the
Ohio and its tributaries; rare towards the seacoast throughout the
whole range