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Identifying trees becomes easier when you can place a tree within its family/genus based upon its key characteristics. Recognizing a willow, oak, pine, maple, or other member of a particular family and genus narrows the identification process to just differentiating between several species (except in the case of oaks or pines). Below are some key characteristics useful in recognizing a member of a particular family/genus. The descriptions mentioned only apply to the species in the NC 2004 species list.
Family Pinaceae (Pines, Fir, Spruce, and Hemlock): Trees in the Pinaceae are large, evergreen, resinous, straight, and narrow. The have needles or needle-like leaves. They do not have real flowers or fruit. Rather, there are separate male cones that bear pollen and female cones that bear seeds with both types on the each tree. (monecious). The female cones are wind-pollinated with the male’s pollen, then the female cones’ fertilized seed-bearing cone scales (usually winged and with 2 seeds per scale) detach and perhaps become baby trees.
-Pines (Genus Pinus): These can be divided into soft pines (with a shedding sheath and usually 5 needles) and hard pines (with a persistent sheath and 2 or 3 needles). Pinecones are small and herbaceous if male and large and woody if female.
-Fir (Genus Abies): The fir has short flat needles in 2 rows at an almost right angle to the twig. The cones are dark purple.
-Spruce (Genus Picea): The spruce has stiff, short, 4-angled needles that spread at all angles from the twig. The cylindrical/egg-shaped cones hang down on the twigs.
-Hemlock (Genus Tsuga): The hemlock has short flat needles in 2 rows like the fir, but the needles are often longer, more flexible, and may be minutely toothed on the edges. The cones are elliptical and hang down at the ends of twigs.
Family Cupressaceae (Cedars): Trees and shrubs in the family Cupressaceae are also evergreen, resinous, without real flowers or fruits, and usually straight and narrow. The species in the NC list have opposite leaves of one of two types: scale-like or awl-shaped. The cone situation is similar to that of the Pinaceae.
Family
Salicaceae
(Aspens,
Cottonwoods,
and
Willows):
The
trees and
shrubs in
the family
Salicaceae
are
deciduous
with
simple,
alternate,
mostly
toothed
leaves.
They have
tiny
dioecious
flowers in
catkins,
and the
fruit are
dehiscent
capsules
containing
many small
cottony
seeds.
-Aspens (Genus Populus): Aspen leaves have rounded teeth and short end points.
-Cottonwoods (Genus Populus): Cottonwood leaves have curved teeth.
-Willow (Genus Salix): Willows have lanceolate leaves with fine saw-teeth.
Family
Juglandaceae
(Hickories,
Walnut,
and
Pecan):
Trees
in the
family
Juglandaceae
are
deciduous
with
pinnately
compound
leaves
having an
odd number
of finely
saw-toothed
leaflets.
The tiny
greenish
flowers
are
monecious
with many
males in
catkins
and fewer
females in
clusters.
The fruit
is a
dehiscent/winged
nut or a
drupe.
-Hickories (Genus Carya): Hickory leaflets are lance-shaped or rarely elliptical/ovate.
-Pecan (Genus Carya): Pecan’s leaflets are sickle-shaped with long end points.
-Walnut (Genus Juglans): Walnut’s leaflets are broadly lance-shaped with a long end point and are often more numerous than the other species’.
Family Betulaceae (Birches, Hornbeam, and Hophornbeam): Trees and shrubs in the family Betulaceae are deciduous with simple, alternate, doubly saw-toothed leaves spreading in 2 rows. The leaves have straight side veins. The tiny greenish flowers are monoecious with the males and females in separate catkins/clusters. The fruit is a bunch of clustered nutlets.
-Birch (Genus Betula): Birch leaves are elliptical or straight-edge ovate (diamond shape)
-Hornbeam (Genus Carpinus): Hornbeam leaves are elliptical with a long end point. The side veins extend to the ends of the larger teeth.
-Hophornbeam (Genus Ostrya): Hophornbeam's leaves are elliptical/ovate with sharp teeth. The side veins also extend to the ends of the teeth.
Family Fagaceae (Oaks, Beech, Chestnut, and Chinkapin): The trees in the Fagaceae family have deciduous, simple, alternate leaves that are toothed or lobed. The tiny flowers are monoecious, without petals, and in catkins or spikes. The fruit are nuts.
-Chestnut (Genus Castanea): rare; oblong long-pointed leaves with straight parallel side veins to tips of curved teeth; fruit are densely spiny dehiscent burs containing chestnuts
-Chinkapin (Genus Castanea): oblong/elliptical short-pointed leaves with straight parallel side veins ending in short teeth; fruit are less spiny dehiscent burs containing 1 nut
-Beech (Genus Fagus): elliptical/ovate long-pointed leaves w/many straight parallel side veins and coarsely saw-toothed edges; fruit are short-prickled dehiscent burs w/chestnuts
-Oaks (Genus Quercus): Oaks vary widely in their leaf morphology but usually have lobed leaves and narrowed/pointed bases; the fruits are indehiscent nuts (acorns)
Family Ulmaceae (Hackberries and Elms): The trees and shrubs in the family Ulmaceae have alternate leaves in 2 rows. The leaves have an oblique (uneven) base and usually have toothed edges. The flowers are tiny, greenish, and are monoecious in all except the elms. Fruits are drupes or keys.
-Hackberries (Genus Celtis): long-pointed leaves w/3 main veins (palmate); fruit a drupe
-Elms (Genus Ulmus): pinnately veined elliptical leaves with double saw-teeth and straight side veins; fruit is a winged key
Family Anacardiceae (Sumacs): Sumacs have pinnately compound leaves with many lanceolate leaflets. There are clustered dioecious flowers with 5 pale petals. The fruit is a dark red 1-seeded drupe covered with short sticky red hairs.
Family
Aceraceae
(Boxelder
and
Maples):
Trees
and shrubs
in the
family
Aceraceae
are
deciduous
with
toothed
opposite
leaves
that are
palmately
lobed and
veined.
The
flowers
are small
and in
clusters.
The fruit
are
long-winged
double
keys.
-Boxelder (Genus Acer): pinnately compound with 3-7 long-pointed coarsely saw-toothed ovate/elliptical leaflets
-Maples (Genus Acer): simple leaves with lobes, teeth, and 5 main veins
Family
Hippocastanaceae
(Buckeyes):
Buckeyes
are in the
genus Aesculus.
Their
leaves are
deciduous,
opposite,
palmately
compound,
and
unevenly
saw-toothed.
The
bell-shaped
flowers
are in
upright
clusters,
and the
fruit are
dehiscent
spiny
capsules
known as
horsechestnuts.
Family Tiliaceae (Basswoods): Basswoods are in the genus Tilia. Their leaves are simple, alternate in 2 rows, broadly ovate, palmately veined, and coarsely toothed with an uneven base and long-pointed tip. The flowers are bisexual and hanging in clusters. The fruit are gray, nutlike, and finely hairy.
Family Cornaceae (Dogwood and Tupelos): Shrubs and trees in the family Cornaceae are deciduous. The small flowers are dioecious or bisexual; fruit are drupes.
-Flowering Dogwood (Genus Cornus): opposite elliptical leaves with a wavy edge and curved parallel veins. The bracts appear to be flower petals, and the fruit is a red drupe.
-Tupelos (Genus Nyssa): The leaves vary and are dark. The flowers are greenish and the fruit is a dark drupe.
Family Oleaceae (Ashes): pinnately compound opposite leaves with paired leaflets except for end leaflet; leaflets are ovate or more narrow and may or may not be toothed. The clustered dioecious flowers do not have a corolla, and the fruit is a winged key hanging down in clusters.
Family Bignoniaceae (Catalpas): the leaves are ovate, long-pointed, entire, and may have a notched base. There are 3 leaves per node- they are “whorled.” The flowers are in upright, branched clusters. The have a bell-shaped corolla with 5 unequal, rounded, fringed lobes that have 2 orange stripes on the inside and purple spots and stripes on the inside. The fruit are narrow cylindrical dark brown dehiscent capsules containing winged seeds.
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