Identifying broadleaved flowering trees
One of the science projects this trimester is to document the neighborhood trees. The purpose of this page is to assist in documenting the characteristic parts of any broadleaved flowering tree (class angiospermae) with the idea of finding its scientific (genus species) and common names
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Homepage References Acknowledgements Comments
Name of person doing study: __________________________________
Period of study: _______________________
Specimen location: ___________________________________________________
Part Characteristic Choices
Tree Tree height:
  • Small (less than 15 feet)
  • Medium (15 feet to 30 feet)
  • Large (more than 30 feet)
Tree shape: (free growing tree without obstructions)
  • Triangular (pointed at top, flared at bottom)
  • Columnar
  • Wide spreading (broader than taller)
  • Vase shaped (visible trunk with branches growing upward evenly spread around tree in graceful curve)
  • Drooping branches
  • Irregular
Trunk Diameter: ______ inches (hint: Take a string, wrap it round the trunk and measure it)
Color of bark:
Texture of bark:
  • Smooth
  • Peeling
  • Textured
  • Fissured
Leaf Arrangement:
  • Simple [oak/magnolia/apple/plum/cherry/chestnut/elm/birch/ginkgo/maple/sycamore/poplar]
  • Pinnately compound - paired [walnut/ash/pecan]
  • Pinnately compound - alternate
  • Bi-pinnately compound (with side branchlets) [acacia]
  • Whorled (in clusters of 3 or more per node) [buckeye]
  • Palmately compound [palm trees]
  • Yucca
  • Cactus
Leaf Shape:
  • Long and thin [willow/cherry]
  • Oval [magnolia/apple/elm]
  • Multi-lobed - pointed [maple/sycamore/sweetgum]
  • Multi-lobed - rounded [oak/poplar]
  • Star-shaped [maple/sycamore]
Leaf edges:
  • Smooth
  • Jagged
  • Lobed
Leaf appearance:
  • Glossy
  • Rough
Flowers Size:
  • small (size of dime)
  • medium (size of quarter)
  • large (larger than quarter)
Color: _______________
Fragrance:
  • none
  • slight
  • strong
Arrangement:
  • single
  • clustered
Quantity:
  • sparse
  • abundant
Time of flowering:
  • Seasonal
    • late fall to early spring
    • spring
    • late spring
  • Year round
Fruit Type:
  • Acorns - [coniferous]
  • Berries [cherry/holly/
  • Cones – not broadleaved but coniferous
  • Drupe – central hard seed
  • Fleshy fruit [apple/plum/peach/orange/persimmon]
  • Keys or samara [mapel/ash/elm]
  • Nuts [walnut/hickory/pecanbuckeye]
  • Pods [mesquite/locust]
  • Ball/Tufted [sycamore]
Size: ______ inches
Notes:
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  2.  
  3.  
  4.  
  5.  
Name of tree Scientific name (Genus species): ______________    ______________
Common name: _______________
References
  1. Metcalf, Woodbridge - Native Trees of the San Francisco Bay Area
  2. Cassie, Brian - National Audubon Society - First Field Guide Trees
  3. Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees
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Acknowledgements
I'd like to acknowledge the interest and encouragement from Jarl Nilsson and Eva Sachen. Email feedback, including comments/corrections/suggestions and criticisms and I'll be happy to add your name to this list
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Email comments to goagonsalves@yahoo.com