Test 4 Leaves and Twigs (copy)

Manitoba maple

Only maple that’s compound, leaf shape variable, opposite, purple to greenish twig, outside bud scales purple with white fuzzy centre

Black maple

Similar to sugar maple, long prominent teeth without bristles, hairy underside, twigs slightly darker than sugar maple

Striped maple

3 lobes without distinct sinuses, twigs red, buds stalked, two bud scales forming a shell with a split in the middle, can be greenish, bark on twig is striped

Mountain maple

Similar to striped maple, 3 lobes but can have 2 smaller lobes at bottom, teeth more course/prominent, twigs and buds red, buds not stalked just very appressed, terminal bud and twig can have fine grey to white hairs

Silver maple

Deep sinuses, margin is toothed, buds look like red maple and will be bigger and more prominent when flowering

Ohio buckeye

Palmately compound, taper at both ends and fattest in the middle, opposite, thick twig, terminal bud very large, not sticky

Speckled alder

Leaf shape has large wavy teeth, size is variable, stalked buds, buds appressed, appressed side will be flat and outside will be round (spoon shape)

Serviceberries

Slightly cordate base and egg shape leaf, fine sawblade like teeth, egg size (small), terminal bud elongated and pointed

Bitternut hickory

Compound 7-11 leaflets, leaflets get larger towards terminal end, twig has bright yellow buds

Shagbark hickory

5-7 leaflets, fattest towards the base, leaflets all relatively the same size, two outside bud scales dark brown and paper-like, kind of loose looking (gap), inside bud is lighter colour

American chestnut

Most prominent teeth out of all species, bristle tip, long leaf, twigs light brown with prominent lenticels, buds roundish golden-orange

Hackberry

No true terminal bud - can end with a bud on a 90° angle or twig can extend past, leaf shape variable, prominent teeth, skinny leaf, buds densely packed, fine grey hairs

Redbud

Apex variable, entire margin, flat looking base, terminal bud could be missing, very thin twigs, zig zag look like ironwood

Green ash

Looks like white ash, 5-9 leaflets (usually 7), taper at both ends, don’t have a prominent stalk, twig and buds fuzzy

Honey locust

Doubly pinnately compound, leaflets tapered and short/stubby, twigs honey colour, knuckle look where lateral buds are, buds sunken, native ones have branched thorns

Kentucky coffeetree

Doubly pinnately compound but very large, will only have a section of it on the test (rely on twig), leaflets round (particularly at the base), large leaf scar, tiny bud at the top, fat/course twig, twig looks kinda dead, no terminal bud

Butternut

Similar to black walnut, compound, 11-17 leaflets, densely hairy racchis, terminal leaflet relatively the same size as lateral leaflets, twigs have monkey face leaf scar and fuzzy eyebrows, twig yellow

Black walnut

Compound, 14-22 leaflets, densely hairy rachis, terminal leaflet absent or underdeveloped

Eastern red cedar

Only one with scales on this test, not flat like white cedar, pointy appendages kinda, berry-like cones

Tamarack

Needles in whorls of 15-60, usually around 30, twigs skinny brown to greyish, nodes where whorls will come out, very small cones, look like rose buds, warty looking empty twig

Tulip tree

Cat face leaf shape, terminal bud is elongated, 2 bud scales that fuse

Cucumber tree

Large, widest towards middle, entire margin, buds same shape as tulip tree but fuzzy

Red mulberry

Similar to sassafras, very variable leaf shape, can be ovular or mitten-shaped, toothed margin, base has three prominent veins

Black spruce

Super short needles, rounded (not as pointy as white spruce)

Jack pine

Bundles of 2 but form a divergent v, short, not twisted, cone grows along the twig so kinda clasping it, need fire to drop seed so appear dense/hard

Pitch pine

Bundles of 3, umbo of scales have super prominent prickles

American sycamore

Maple look-alike but alternate arrangement, buds look like dinosaur teeth, scar wraps around bud

Eastern cottonwood

Base of leaf curves up and in towards petiole, greenish yellow sticky buds and dense towards ends of twigs

Canada plum

Boring, symmetrical base, small wavy teeth, greyish film on the twig, has thorns

Pin cherry

Long lanceolate, skinny dramatic taper, buds alternate and have greyish film but has clustered terminal bud (only one that’s not an oak)

White oak

Symmetrical, rounded lobes, buds and bark greyish brownish red, buds rounded, clustered terminal bud

Pin oak

Pointed lobes, bristle tips, wide big sinuses, twig buds a little more pointy, clustered terminal bud

Black oak

Pointed lobes, bristle tips, wide sinuses, but buds are fuzzy and more pointy, clustered terminal bud

Willows

Only twig that has a single bud scale (one shell/case), same colour bud as twig, yellow or red, super appressed, densely packed, skinny lanceolate shape leaf

Sassafrass

Rounded or mitten shaped or dinosaur foot, green teeth and buds, black lenticels (only one)

Mountain ashes

Not a true ash!, ash-like leaves, leaflets more lanceolate shape, margin more heavily toothed, terminal bud has two short bud scales and two longer hairy central ones, colour ranges but generally reddish brown

Poison ivy

Leaves of 3 let it be, outside edges have large teeth but relatively absent on the inside edges, elongated cone shaped terminal bud, has really pale berries (only sample that you won’t be able to touch)

Slippery elm

Coarsely doubly toothed, symmetrical base, buds are hairy (only elm), terminal bud may be slightly canted but generally more straight

Rock elm

Doubly toothed, terminal buds generally not canted, corky twig

Nannyberry

Leaf nondescript, elongated slender buds, terminal bud can be fat and round at the bottom/base