Acer pseudo-platanus L.
HABIT.—A thrifty tree 50-60 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 2-3 feet; the crown roundish, spreading.
LEAVES.—Opposite, simple, 4-7 inches across, and as long as broad; thick; pentagonally 5-lobed, the lobes more or less ovate, separated by very narrow, acute sinuses extending about half-way to the midrib, the lobes coarsely and irregularly blunt-serrate, crenate-serrate, or slightly lobed; upper surface dark green and shining, somewhat wrinkled, but paler dull green and glaucous beneath; petioles long, stout.
FLOWERS.—April, before the leaves; polygamo-monoecious; large, greenish yellow, in pendent racemes of umbellate cymes of about three each; sepals 5; petals 5; stamens 8, hairy; ovary hairy.
FRUIT.—Ripens in autumn and germinates the following spring; pendent on long stalks; large, glabrous, paired samaras, with wings 1-1/2 inches long, diverging at about a right angle.
WINTER-BUDS.—Bright green; terminal bud 1/4-1/2 inch long, ovoid to subglobose, blunt, with bud-scales more or less keeled; lateral buds small, divergent.
BARK.—Twigs lustrous, brown or gray, becoming slate colored on the branches; trunk gray or brownish, smooth or flaking off in short scales.
WOOD.—Moderately heavy, hard, compact, brownish, with white sapwood.
NOTES.—Exotic from Europe. Much planted in our cities, where it is thrifty, but short-lived. The crown is rather too broad for planting anywhere except on our widest streets. The leaves last two weeks longer in autumn than do those of our native maples.