Acer leucoderme

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Chalk maple
Acer leucoderme (6351476580).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Sapindaceae
Genus: Acer
Section: Acer sect. Acer
Series: Acer ser. Saccharodendron
Species:
A. leucoderme
Binomial name
Acer leucoderme
Acer leucoderme range map 1.png
Natural range

Acer leucoderme (English: chalk maple; also whitebark maple, pale-bark maple and sugar maple [2] ) is a deciduous tree native to the southeastern United States from North Carolina south to northwest Florida and west to eastern Texas. It lives in the understory in moist, rocky soils on river banks, ravines, woods, and cliffs. Although generally an uncommon tree, it is most often found in the inner coastal plain and Piedmont regions of Georgia.

Contents

Description

Chalk maple is a small tree, reaching 8–9 m in height and develops a round form with slender branches, and often with multiple trunks. The name "chalk maple" (in addition to the Latin name, meaning "white skin") comes from the attractive smooth and thin chalky white or light gray bark on mature trees. The bark becomes ridged and blackish at the base as it ages. The leaves are opposite and simple, 5–9 cm long and broad, often drooping at the tip. They have 5 or 3 long-pointed lobes with wavy or coarsely toothed edges. They are dark green and hairless above, with a yellow-green and softly pubescent underside. In autumn, the leaves turn from a brilliant yellow to orange to deep red. The fruit is a paired brown samara, 2-2.5 cm long, maturing in autumn. [3]

Acer leucoderme is often confused with Acer floridanum (Florida maple), but there are several differences. A. leucoderme is smaller in size but has larger leaves than Florida maple. The leaves of A. leucoderme are yellow-green underneath rather than the whitish underside of Florida maple. The lobes on the leaves of Florida maple are squarer and blunter than those of A. leucoderme. [4] [5]

Some botanists classify A. leucoderme as a subspecies of the sugar maple: A. saccharum subsp. leucoderme [6]

Taxonomy

John Kunkel Small first recognized Acer leucoderme as a distinct species in 1895, observing it along the Yadkin River in Stanly County, North Carolina and the Yellow River in Gwinnett County, Georgia. [3] Acer leucoderme has been combined with Acer saccharum and variously recognized as distinct species or variety over time. In 1897, George Bishop Sudworth described the synonym Acer saccharum var. leucoderme Sudw. for the USDA Division of Forestry. [6] In 1914, Julius A. Nieuwland reports the synonym Saccharodendron leucoderme [7] and Yves Desmarais described the species in 1952 as Acer saccharum subsp. leucoderme (Small) Desmarais. [8] Francis Raymond Fosberg used the synonym Acer nigrum var. leucoderme (Small) Fosberg. [9]  

Distribution and habitat

Acer leucoderme can be found from North Carolina south into Florida and west to Texas. [3] Acer leucoderme is an understory tree that is capable of surviving in poor soil conditions and grows on cliffs, along the banks of rivers, and in ravines. Though a relatively uncommon species, the IUCN Red List categorized A. leucoderme as Least Concern with a stable population. [10]

Cultivation

Acer leucoderme in an urban environment. C7-1-Acer leucoderme (Chalk Maple).JPG
Acer leucoderme in an urban environment.

Acer leucoderme is well-suited for the warmer and drier climates of the upland regions of the southeastern United States. Because A. leucoderme does not require rich soil in which to grow, it can be a viable option for planting in urban environments. [4] Acer leucoderme can be grown as a shade tree or reclamation plant up through USDA plant hardiness zone 5B, far north of its natural range. The tree is highly shade- and drought-tolerant. It is recommended that seeds be gathered while still on the tree, as they do not stay viable for very long and are susceptible to insect damage. [11]

Differentiation from Florida maple

A member of the Aceraceae (maple) family, Acer leucoderme can be most easily differentiated from its closest cousin, Acer floridanum (Florida maple or Southern sugar maple), by its leaves and size. The leaves of the chalk maple are generally smaller, 5-8 cm across, with 3 to 5 lobes, whereas the leaves of the Florida maple are larger, up to 11 cm. The leaves of A. leucoderme are yellow-green underneath rather than the whitish underside of Florida maple. The lobes on the leaves of Florida maple are squarer and blunter than those of A. leucoderme. The chalk maple grows up to 9 m in height, though often appears with a more shrub-like presentation, whereas the Florida maple grows from 15 to 25 m [4] [5] Both varieties share similar gray and white bark, though A. floridanum bark tends to curl up more around the edges. [12] Both provide a bright orange to red leaf display in the fall. Both trees retain their dry leaves in winter. [13]

Uses

Acer leucoderme is primarily used as an ornamental tree, though it has been used as a minor timber, tree. [11]

Threats

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species describes no active threats to Acer leucoderme; however, both invasive species and climate change may cause problems in the future. Acer species are often host to the Asian Long-horned Beetle, which could become a problem if its range extends south. [10] Climate change is projected to cause a significant decline in suitable habitat for A. leucoderme. Although it is not in danger now, it is estimated that more than 90% of this species' habitat will be unsuitable by 2050. [14] [15]

Related Research Articles

<i>Acer saccharinum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Sapindaceae

Acer saccharinum, commonly known as silver maple, creek maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, large maple, water maple, swamp maple, or white maple, is a species of maple native to the eastern and central United States and southeastern Canada. It is one of the most common trees in the United States.

<i>Acer saccharum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Sapindaceae

Acer saccharum, the sugar maple, is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. It is native to the hardwood forests of eastern Canada and eastern United States. Sugar maple is best known for being the primary source of maple syrup and for its brightly colored fall foliage. It may also be called "rock maple," "sugar tree," "sweet maple," or, particularly in reference to the wood, "hard maple," "birds-eye maple," or "curly maple," the last two being specially figured lumber.

<i>Acer platanoides</i> Species of flowering plant in the soapberry family Sapindaceae

Acer platanoides, commonly known as the Norway maple, is a species of maple native to eastern and central Europe and western Asia, from Spain east to Russia, north to southern Scandinavia and southeast to northern Iran. It was introduced to North America in the mid-1700s as a shade tree. It is a member of the family Sapindaceae.

<i>Acer rubrum</i> Maple tree native in North America

Acer rubrum, the red maple, also known as swamp maple, water maple, or soft maple, is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern and central North America. The U.S. Forest Service recognizes it as the most abundant native tree in eastern North America. The red maple ranges from southeastern Manitoba around the Lake of the Woods on the border with Ontario and Minnesota, east to Newfoundland, south to Florida, and southwest to East Texas. Many of its features, especially its leaves, are quite variable in form. At maturity, it often attains a height around 30 m (100 ft). Its flowers, petioles, twigs, and seeds are all red to varying degrees. Among these features, however, it is best known for its brilliant deep scarlet foliage in autumn.

<i>Quercus velutina</i> Species of oak tree

Quercus velutina, the black oak, is a species of oak in the red oak group, native and widespread in eastern and central North America. It is sometimes called the eastern black oak.

<i>Acer pseudoplatanus</i> Species of flowering plant in the lychee family Sapindaceae

Acer pseudoplatanus, known as the sycamore in the British Isles and as the sycamore maple in the United States, is a species of maple tree native to Central Europe and Western Asia. It is a large deciduous, broad-leaved tree, tolerant of wind and coastal exposure.

<i>Acer nigrum</i> Species of flowering plant in the lychee family Sapindaceae

Acer nigrum, the black maple, is a species of maple closely related to A. saccharum, and treated by some authors as a subspecies of it, as Acer saccharum subsp. nigrum.

<i>Acer macrophyllum</i> Species of maple

Acer macrophyllum, the bigleaf maple or Oregon maple, is a large deciduous tree in the genus Acer.

<i>Acer grandidentatum</i> Species of maple

Acer grandidentatum, commonly called bigtooth maple, is a species of maple native to interior western North America. It occurs in scattered populations from western Montana to central Texas in the United States and south to Coahuila in northern Mexico.

<i>Acer pensylvanicum</i> Species of maple

Acer pensylvanicum, known as the striped maple, moosewood, moose maple or goosefoot maple, is a small North American species of maple. The striped maple is a sequential hermaphrodite, meaning that it can change its sex throughout its lifetime.

<i>Acer spicatum</i> Species of maple

Acer spicatum, the mountain maple, dwarf maple, moose maple, or white maple, is a species of maple native to northeastern North America from Saskatchewan to Newfoundland, and south to Pennsylvania. It also grows at high elevations in the southern Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia.

<i>Acer ginnala</i> Species of plant

Acer ginnala, the Amur maple, is a plant species with woody stems native to northeastern Asia from easternmost Mongolia east to Korea and Japan, and north to the Russian Far East in the Amur River valley. It is a small maple with deciduous leaves that is sometimes grown as a garden subject or boulevard tree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maple</span> Genus of flowering plants

Acer is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae, along with lychee and horse chestnut. There are approximately 132 species, most of which are native to Asia, with a number also appearing in Europe, northern Africa, and North America. Only one species, Acer laurinum, extends to the Southern Hemisphere. The type species of the genus is the sycamore maple, Acer pseudoplatanus, the most common maple species in Europe. Maples usually have easily recognizable palmate leaves and distinctive winged fruits. The closest relatives of the maples are the horse chestnuts. Maple syrup is made from the sap of some maple species. It is one of the most common genera of trees in Asia. Many maple species are grown in gardens where they are valued for their autumn colour.

<i>Acer japonicum</i> Species of maple

Acer japonicum, Fullmoon Maple, Downy Japanese-Maple, is a species of maple native to Japan, on Honshū, Hokkaidō, Kyūshū, and also southern Korea.

<i>Acer rufinerve</i> Species of maple

Acer rufinerve, the grey-budded snake-bark-maple, redvein maple or Honshū maple, is a species of tree in the snakebark maple group, related to Acer capillipes. It is native to mountain forests of Japan, on Honshū, Kyūshū and Shikoku.

<i>Acer sieboldianum</i> Species of maple

Acer sieboldianum is a species of maple native to Japan and common in the forests of Hokkaidō, Honshū, Shikoku and Kyūshū Islands; in the south of the range it is restricted to mountain forests. It is named after Philipp Franz von Siebold.

<i>Acer floridanum</i> Species of maple

Acer floridanum, commonly known as the Florida maple and occasionally as the southern sugar maple or hammock maple, is a tree that occurs in mesic and usually calcareous woodlands of the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plain in the United States, from southeastern Virginia in the north, south to central Florida, and west to Oklahoma and Texas and also common in south Illinois and Missouri

<i>Acer palmatum</i> Species of maple

Acer palmatum, commonly known as Japanese maple, palmate maple, or smooth Japanese maple (Korean: danpungnamu, 단풍나무, Japanese: irohamomiji, イロハモミジ, or momiji,, is a species of woody plant native to Korea, Japan, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. Many different cultivars of this maple have been selected and they are grown worldwide for their large variety of attractive forms, leaf shapes, and spectacular colors.

<i>Acer tegmentosum</i> Species of maple

Acer tegmentosum, the Manchurian striped maple, is a species of deciduous tree in the maple genus, which is native to the southern part of the Russian Far East, northeastern China, and Korea.

<i>Lobaria scrobiculata</i> Species of lichen

Lobaria scrobiculata, commonly known as the textured lungwort, is a large foliose, epiphytic lichen in the family Peltigeraceae.

References

  1. Barstow, M.; Crowley, D. (2017). "Acer leucoderme". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T103451921A103451931. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T103451921A103451931.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. Sudworth, George B.; States, United (1927). Check list of the forest trees of the United States, their names and ranges. [Washington]: U.S. Govt. Print. Off.
  3. 1 2 3 Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. Vol. 22. New York: Torrey Botanical Club. 1895.
  4. 1 2 3 Jackson, Whitney April (2020). Physiology and genetic studies of the hard maple group (Thesis). Rutgers University – School of Graduate Studies.
  5. 1 2 "Common Trees of the North Carolina Piedmont - Acer barbatum Michx. (Southern sugar maple)". www.ibiblio.org. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  6. 1 2 "Acer leucoderme | International Plant Names Index". ipni.org. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  7. University of Notre Dame (1913). The American midland naturalist. v. 3 (1913-14). Notre Dame, Ind.
  8. Desmarais, Yves (1952-10-01). "Dynamics of leaf variation in the sugar maples". Brittonia. 7 (5): 347–387. doi:10.2307/2804966. ISSN 1938-436X.
  9. Fosberg, F. R. (1954). "Notes on Plants of the Eastern United States". Castanea. 19 (1): 25–37. ISSN 0008-7475.
  10. 1 2 Crowley, Dan; International), Megan Barstow (Botanic Gardens Conservation (2017-02-07). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Acer leucoderme". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  11. 1 2 "Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin". www.wildflower.org. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  12. "Southern Sugar Maple (Acer floridanum)". www.carolinanature.com. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  13. "UNC Herbarium". herbarium.unc.edu. Archived from the original on 2018-10-06. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  14. "IUCN SS C Guidelines for Assessing Species' Vulnerability to Climate Change". Climate Change and Law Collection. doi:10.1163/9789004322714_cclc_2016-0019-008 . Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  15. Potter, Kevin M.; Hargrove, William W. (September 30, 2013). "Quantitative Metrics for Assessing Predicted Climate Change Pressure on North American Tree Species" (PDF). Mathematical and Computational Forestry & Natural-Resource Sciences. 5 (2): 151–169.