Chapter VII: Appendix: Identification Keys to Tree Groups and Families

A KEY TO NEEDLE-LEAVED EVERGREENS

A. Leaves few, in sheathed bundles, set spirally on the twig.
THE PINES.
AA. Leaves solitary, set spirally on the twig.
B. Twigs with bracket-like projections for attachment of leaves;
cones hanging down.
C. Leaves flat, blunt, with short stalks.
The Hemlocks.
CC. Leaves angled, sharp, without stalks.
The Spruces.
BB. Twigs smooth; cones standing erect.
The Firs.

A KEY TO THE PINES

A. Sheaths of leaf-bundles soon shed; wood soft, pale.
SOFT PINES.
B. Needles, 5 in a bundle.
C. Cones, 5 to 8 inches long; Eastern.
White Pine.
CC. Cones, 12 to 18 inches long; Western.
Sugar Pine.
BB. Needles fewer than 5 in a bundle; Western.
Nut Pines.
AA. Sheaths of leaf-bundles not soon shed; wood hard, heavy, dark,
resinous.
HARD PINES.
B. Needles, 3 in a bundle.
C. Length of needles, 8 to 18 inches; cones, 6 to 10 inches.
Longleaf Pine.
CC. Length of needles, 6 to 9 inches; cones, 3 to 5 inches.
Loblolly Pine.
CCC. Length of needles, 3 to 5 inches; cones, 1 to 3 inches.
Pitch Pine.
BB. Needles, 2 in a bundle; Northern.
C. Length of needles, 4 to 6 inches; cones 2 inches.
Red Pine.
CC. Length of needles, 1 to 3 inches; cones, 2 to 3 inches.
Jersey Pine.
BBB. Needles, 2 or 3 in a bundle; Southern.
C. Length of needles, 3 to 5 inches; cones, 1 to 3 inches.
Shortleaf Pine.
CC. Length of needles, 8 to 12 inches; cones, 3 to 6 inches.
Cuban Pine.

A KEY TO THE SCALE-LEAVED EVERGREENS

A. Seeds borne in a woody cone; twigs flattened, leaves minute.
Arbor Vitae. White Cedar.
AA. Seeds borne in a fleshy, blue berry; leaves scale-like or spiny, or
both.
Juniper. Red Cedar.

A KEY TO THE NUT TREES

A. Nuts in a husk that opens when ripe.
B. Husk opens in four divisions.
C. Surface of husk, spiny.
D. Nut three-angled, small, two in a husk.
Beech.
DD. Nut rounded, or flattened, 2 or 3 in a husk.
Chestnut.
CC. Surface of husk not spiny.
Hickories.
BB. Husk opens in three divisions.
Horse-chestnuts and Buckeyes.
BBB. Husk opens in two divisions; spiny.
Chinquapin.
A. Nuts in a husk that does not open when ripe.
B. Shape of nut, globular; surface, smooth.
Black Walnut.
BB. Shape of nut, oblong; surface, clammy.
Butternut.

A KEY TO THE GROUPS OF OAKS

A. Acorns, annual; bark usually pale; leaves with rounded lobes, not
spiny-pointed.
The White Oak Group.
AA. Acorns, biennial; bark usually dark; leaves with spiny-pointed
lobes.
The Black Oak Group.

A KEY TO THE WHITE OAK GROUP

A. Leaves evergreen; Southern tree.
Live Oak.
AA. Leaves not evergreen.
B. Lining of leaves pale, not downy; lobes finger-like.
White Oak.
BB. Lining of leaves pale, downy.
C. Bark of branches corky-ridged; acorn large, in fringed cup.
Bur Oak.
CC. Bark of branches shed in rough flakes; acorns large, on
long stalks.
Swamp White Oak.
CCC. Bark of branches not corky-ridged, nor scaly.
D. Acorn medium-sized; leaf margins cut into squarish lobes.
Post Oak.
DD. Acorn large; leaf margins wavy; bark dark brown.
Chestnut Oak.

A KEY TO THE BLACK OAK GROUP

A. Leaves narrow, willow-like; Southern tree.
Willow Oak.
AA. Leaves oval, with deeply-cleft margins.
B. Acorn cups, shallow, broader than high.
C. Tree pyramidal, twigs with pin-like spurs.
Pin Oak.
CC. Tree spreading; acorns large, in shallow saucers.
Red Oak.
BB. Acorn cups as deep as broad.
C. Leaves thin, smooth, deeply cut; acorn cup drawn in at the top.
Scarlet Oak.
CC. Leaves leathery, rough, with rusty hairs beneath; acorn cup
not drawn in at the top.
Black Oak.

A KEY TO THE ELMS

A. Twigs smooth, not hairy-coated.
B. Bark of branches not corky-ridged.
American Elm.
BB. Bark of branches corky-ridged.
Winged Elm. Wahoo.
AA. Twigs hairy-coated.
B. Bark of branches corky.
Cork Elm. Rock Elm.
BB. Bark of branches not corky; buds coarsely hairy.
Slippery Elm.

A KEY TO THE MAPLES

A. Leaves simple.
B. Bloom before the leaves open; seeds ripe in May.
C. Flowers red; leaves pale beneath, with three triangular lobes.
Red Maple.
CC. Flowers greenish; leaves pale beneath, deeply cleft, with
long, spiny lobes.
Silver Maple.
BB. Bloom after the leaves open; seeds ripe in autumn.
C. Leaves wider than long; lobes spiny-tipped.
D. Lining of leaves, pale; keys joined at acute angle.
Sugar Maple.
DD. Lining of leaves, not pale; keys joined at wide angle.
Norway Maple.
CC. Leaves circular, lobed; tree prostrate.
Vine Maple.
CCC. Leaves about as wide as long; trees small.
D. Bark striped with white lines; flowers and seeds in
dense, pendant clusters.
Striped Maple.
DD. Bark not striped; flowers and seeds in pendant clusters.
Mountain Maple.
AA. Leaves compound, of 3 to 7 leaflets.
Ash-leaved Maple. Box Elder.

A KEY TO THE WILLOWS

A. Twigs long, drooping.
Weeping Willow.
AA. Twigs erect.
B. Leaves white beneath.
C. Twigs yellow in spring; leaves narrow.
Golden Osier Willow.
CC. Twigs reddish in spring; leaves broad.
Pussy Willow.
BB. Leaves not white beneath; heart-shaped frill at base of leaf stem.
Black Willow.

A KEY TO THE LOCUSTS

A. Leaves simple; flowers rosy.
Redbud.
AA. Leaves compound.
B. Trees thorny.
C. Thorns simple, paired, at bases of leaves; pods small, thin.
Black Locust.
CC. Thorns often branched, clustered; pods large, curved.
Honey Locust.
BB. Trees not thorny.
C. Pods thick; limbs clumsy; leaves twice compound.
Kentucky Coffee Tree.
CC. Pods thin, small; limbs not clumsy; leaves once compound.
Yellow-wood. Virgilia.

INDEX

A
Acorns, 28.
Ailanthus, 61, 175.
Alligator-wood, 90.
Almond, Bitter, 232.
Sweet, 232.
Apple, 96, 190.
Crab, 224.
Oak, 243.
Wild, 99, 221, 224.
Apricots, 231.
Arbor Vitæ, 59, 128.
Ash, 58.
Black, 205.
Blue, 206.
Green, 206.
Mountain, 65.
Red, 205, 206.
White, 204.
Ashes, 96, 203.
Aspen, Quaking, 145, 179.

B
Balm of Gilead, 146.
Bark, 83.
Bark, Birch, 88, 241.
Basswood, 62, 196, 237, 239.
Bay, Swamp, 185.
Beech, 26, 143, 208.
Blue, 63, 89.
Copper, 88.
Cut-leaved, 88.
European, 88.
Weeping, 88.
Beeches, 87, 88.
Bee Tree, 197.
Birch, 60, 76, 96.
Black, 85.
Canoe, 84.
Cherry, 85.
Red, 85.
White, 83.
Yellow, 85.
Birches, Weeping, 97.
Box Elder, 57, 161, 177.
Buckeye, 203.
California, 213.
Ohio, 211.
Red, 213.
Sweet, 212.
Buckthorn, 237.
Budding, 222, 223.
Burning Bush, 139.
Butternut, 18, 175.