Bio 430

Bio430

WinterTwigs

Acer glabrum (Aceraceae) - Rocky Mtn. Maple

Acer grandidentatum (Aceraceae) - Big Tooth Maple

Acer negundo (Aceraceae) - Boxelder

Acer pseudoplantanoides (Aceraceae) - Norway Maple -- Homogenous pith

Aesculus (Hippocastenaceae) - Buckeye

Aesculus (Hippocastenaceae) - Buckeye -- homogenous pith

Aesculus (Hippocastenaceae) - Buckeye -- from left to right, terminal bud scale scare, leaf scar with bundle scars, axillary bud

Albizia (Fabaceae) - Silk Tree -- pseudoterminal bud

Albizia (Fabaceae) - Silk Tree

Alnus (Betulaceae) - Alder

Betula occindentalis (Betulaceae) - River Birch

Carpinus (Betulaceae)

Catalpa (Bignoniaceae)

Cercis canadensis (Fabaceae) - Redbud -- superposed axillary buds

Cercis canadensis (Fabaceae) - Redbud

Cercis canadensis (Fabaceae) - Redbud -- pseudoterminal bud with abortive meristem

Cercis canadensis (Fabaceae) - Redbud

Cladrastis kentukea (Fabaceae) - Yellowwood

Cornus mas (Cornaceae) - Corelean cherry (dogwood) -- inflated bud on right is an inflorescence bud; vegetative bud on left

Cornus mas (Cornaceae) - Corelean cherry (dogwood)

Prunus (Rosaceae) - Cherry

Fagus (Fagaceae) - Beech

Fraxinus anomala (Oleaceae) - Ash

Fraxinus (Oleaceae) - common ash

Fraxinus (Oleaceae) - common ash -- subopposite leaves in some cases

Gleditsia (Fabaceae)

Juglans nigra (Juglandaceae) - Black Walnut

Juglans regia (Juglandaceae) - English Walnut

Gymnocladus dioicus (Fabaceae) - Kentucky Coffee Tree

Liquidambar (Altingiaceae) - Sweetgum

Lirodendron tulipiflora (Magnoliaceae) - tulip tree or yellow poplar

Magnolia (Magnoliaceae) - Magnolia

Morus alba (Moraceae) - Mulberry

Quercus (Fagaceae) - oak

Quercus (Fagaceae) - Oak

Platanus (Platanaceae) - Sycamore

Populus (Salicaceae) - Cottonwood

Rhus (Anacardiaceae) - Sumac

Robinia (Fabaceae) - Black Locust

Salix (Salicaceae) - WIllow

Tilia (Malvaceae - formerly Tiliaceae) - Linden tree or Basswood

Ulmus pumila (Ulmaceae) - Elm

Many trees can be identified to genus by characteristics of their twigs. Twigs are the growth at the tips of branches occuring over the past year. Bark color, lenticels, leaf scar shape, vascular bundle scar number and arrangement, bud characteristics, and whether or not the terminal bud is a true terminal bud or a pseudo-terminal bud are among the features used for identification. Several genera can be recognized by one or two key features. Learning trees based on these characteristics is a fun way to extend the botany season, and many of the characters can be used even in spring and summer when leaves are present. The trees presented below are arranged alphabetically by genus.