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.