NATIVE TREE IDENTIFICATION
Instructor: Tracy Cook Assistant Curator INTRODUCTION
• Why these trees? • These are the most common trees you will see on hikes in the mountains around Huntsville. • Structure of the class • Objectives: 1. Learn what to look for, and the terminology used in field guides 2. Identify trees to at least the genus level • Caveats: Tree ID is usually 6 hours per week for 30 weeks • Philosophy • “Look” before deciding you don’t know what a tree is. • Perspective: 6,500 – 7,000 spp. of birds worldwide; approx. 250,000 spp. of vascular plants worldwide TOOLS & RESOURCES
• Field Guides – Peterson’s, Audubon, National Wildlife Foundation, etc. • Tree Bark ID website: www.treebarkid.com • Eek! Tree Key: www.dnr.wi.gov/eek/veg/treekey (for kids) • Google Images (use scientific name if possible to eliminate a lot of gibberish) • Clipboard with rubber band • Plastic baggies (quart or gallon size) • Hand lens • Binoculars or camera • Knife or pruners PLANT CLASSIFICATION & ID
• Binomial nomenclature • ID Techniques • Generic name (Genus) • Leaves/buds • example: Quercus • Specific epithet (species) • Flowers/buds • example: alba • Bark/Twigs • Scientific name • Fruit • example: Quercus alba L. • Common name • Habitat/Range • example: White Oak • Habit or Form (can be confusing) What do you call a cat that climbs to the top of a tree?
Branch Manager!
DIAGNOSTIC CHARACTERISTICS
WHAT TO LOOK FOR… DICHOTOMOUS KEY
• simplified example:
• evergreen or deciduous
• alternate or opposite branching
Opposite • simple or compound leaf Flowering Dogwood • lobed or non-lobed leaf
(probably a Maple)
• bark type
• leaf margins, and so on… Alternate
Tulip Poplar LEAF TYPES
ID Techniques
• Leaf: arrangement, shape, size, color, texture, odor, variability • Flowers: arrangement, type, size, color, timing • Bark/Twigs: thickness, type, color, texture, pattern, variability • Fruit: arrangement, type, size, color, timing • Habitat/Range: where it grows • Habit or Form: overall shape of entire tree Image Credit: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leaf&oldid=794298107 LEAF TYPES: SIMPLE
Simple Leaf
midrib
petiole Simple, entire, 4-lobed Axillary bud (Tulip Poplar) Simple, entire, Simple, entire, elliptical-obovate cordate (Black Tupelo) (Eastern Redbud)
Simple, serrate, 3-lobed (Red Maple) LEAF TYPES: COMPOUND
Odd, pinnately compound, Odd, 5-7 opposite leaflets Odd, palmately compound, serrated margins pinnately compound, 5-leaflets (Shagbark Hickory) 7-9 alternate leaflets (American Buckeye) (Yellowwood) BEYOND LEAVES…
• Leaves are only one piece of the puzzle. • Even during dormancy, leaf arrangement can be seen • Some species are distinguished by leaf scar
• Acronym for opposite leaf arrangement: “ Mad Crazy Horse!” Maple Ash Dogwood Crazy = Caprifoliaceae Horse Chestnut = Buckeye a cappella, anyone?
Image Credit: https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/ alternate opposite whorled
BARK
HOW DO YOU TELL A DOGWOOD?…BY IT’S BARK! BARK TYPES: RIDGE & FURROW
Fraxinus pennsilvanica Green Ash Quecus falcata Liriodendron tulipifera Southern Red Oak Tulip Poplar BARK TYPES: PLATELET
Pinus taeda Cornus florida Loblolly Pine Diospyros virginiana Flowering Dogwood Persimmon BARK TYPES: SMOOTH
Approximately 90% of trees can be identified by bark alone – at least to the genus level.
Prunus serotina Black Cherry Fagus grandifolia Carpinus caroliniana (juvenile) American Beech American Hornbeam BARK TYPES: SCALY
Prunus serotina Black Cherry Carya ovata (mature) Shagbark Hickory Image Credit: Illustration by Robert O’Brien, curtesy of Texas A&M Forest Service
FRUIT FRUIT TYPES: SAMARA
Ptelea trifoliata Common Hoptree Acer negundo Fraxinus pennsilvanica Boxelder Green Ash FRUIT TYPES: DRUPE
A drupe is a stone fruit, like a peach...
Cornus florida Flowering Dogwood
Nyssa sylvatica Black Tupelo Ilex opaca Halesia tetraptera American Holly Carolina Silverbell FRUIT TYPES: CAPSULE
Liquidambar styraciflua Aesculus glabra Sweetgum American Buckeye FRUIT TYPES: CONE
Pinus echinata Pinus taeda Taxodium ascendens Shortleaf Pine Loblolly Pine Pond Cypress
Juniperus virginiana Eastern Redcedar
Tsuga canadensis Canadian Hemlock FRUIT TYPES: BERRIES
Callicarpa americana Beautyberry
Diospyros virginiana Vaccinium arboreum Persimmon Sparkleberry REFERENCES
• Kershner B., Mathews D., Nelson G., and Spellenberg R. 2008. National Wildlife Federation® Field Guide to Trees of North America. New York, NY: Stirling Publishing Co., Inc. • Ponder, H. and Montague, D. 1998. Ornamental Horticulture Plant Identification Manual. Auburn, AL: Speedy Printing, East University Dr., Auburn, AL. • Missouri Botanical Garden Staff. 2017. Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder. Retrieved from URL http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/plantfinder/plantfinders earch.aspx • Little E. 1980. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees, Eastern Region. New York, NY: Chanticleer Press, Inc. • Kirkman L., Brown C., and Leopold D. 2007. Native Trees of the Southeast. Portland, OR: Timber Press, Inc.
(In order of relative contribution)