abrous; fruit orange
=Black Alder, Ilex verticillata var. tenuifolia.=

CELASTRACEAE, the Staff Tree Family

Shrubs with simple leaves and inconspicuous flowers; sepals and petals
each 4 or 5, the stamens of the same number and attached to a disk which
fills the center of the flower; fruit showy, orange and red.

1a. Leaves alternate (climbing vine; flowers in racemes; late spring)
=Bitter-sweet, Celastrus scandens.=

1b. Leaves opposite (flowers in axillary clusters) --2.

2a. Prostrate, with short erect branches; leaves broadest above the
middle (spring) =Creeping Wahoo, Evonymus obovatus.=

2b. Tall shrub, with leaves broadest below or near the middle
(early summer) =Wahoo, Evonymus atropurpureus.=

STAPHYLEACEAE, the Bladder Nut Family

Shrubs with opposite trifoliate leaves and small axillary clusters of
white flowers in spring; sepals, petals, and stamens each 5; ovary
3-celled, ripening into a large inflated 3-celled pod.

One species in Michigan (2-5 m. high) =Bladder Nut, Staphylea trifolia.=

ACERACEAE, the Maple Family

Trees or shrubs, with opposite, lobed or compound leaves and
inconspicuous flowers; sepals about 5; petals the same number, or none;
stamens 4-12; ovary 2-lobed, ripening into a pair of winged fruits.

1a. Leaves compound (tree; flowers appearing before the leaves)
=Box Elder, Acer negundo.=

1b. Leaves simple (Maple) --2.

2a. Shrubs or small trees; leaves 3-5-lobed; the lobes with
regularly serrate margins (flowers greenish-yellow, appearing
later than the leaves) --3.

2b. Trees; leaves 3-7-lobed; margins of the lobes entire or
incised, but never regularly serrate --4.

3a. Leaves finely and sharply serrate; twigs smooth; bark conspicuously
striped with white lines =Striped Maple, Acer pennsylvanicum.=

3b. Leaves coarsely and bluntly serrate; young twigs pubescent; bark not
striped =Mountain Maple, Acer spicatum.=

4a. Angles between the leaf-lobes rounded (flowers greenish-yellow,
appearing with the leaves) --5.

4b. Angles between the leaf-lobes acute or obtuse, but not rounded
(flowers purple, red, or yellowish, appearing before the
leaves) --6.

5a. Leaves glabrous ben