Acer spicatum Lamarck. Section: Spicata. Mountain Maple. Phen: May-Jul; Aug-Oct. Hab: High elevation forests (northern hardwoods or spruce-fir), generally above 1500 m in NC, above 900 m in VA, especially common in periglacial boulderfields. Dist: NL (Newfoundland), NL (Labrador), and SK south to PA, OH, and IA, and in the mountains to w. NC, nw. SC (Bradley et al. [in prep.]), e. TN, ne. GA, and ne. AL.

ID notes: The foliage is quite similar to that of Acer rubrum var. rubrum, with which it can occur; in addition to the key characters, A spicatum can be distinguished from A. rubrum by its leaves which have a strongly rugose texture, the secondary and tertiary veins impressed on the upper surface, distinctly raised on the lower (vs. not rugose, the secondary and tertiary veins only slightly impressed on the upper surface, and slightly raised on the lower). A. spicatum is also sometimes confused with A. pensylvanicum, but has coarsely serrate leaves (vs. finely serrate in A. pensylvanicum). See key for more details.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, G, K1, K3, K4, Mi, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S, S13, Tn, Va, W, Murray (1970)

Show in key(s)

Show parent genus

Wetland Indicator Status:

• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
• Great Plains: FACU
• Midwest: FACU
• Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 1