Two Neighborhood Trees
The first tree I keyed I used iNat first to get a general idea of what tree it was and to see if it was in the book. I figured out that it was some type of birch tree. From the key to groups it was pretty straight forward I just had to go through the entire key until group 11. It wasn't a palm or conifer(1',2',3'). The leaves were simple, alternate, pointed tip, leaf margin toothed, and pinnately veined (5',8',9', 13',14') Then I knew it was deciduous because it was a birch. In Group 11 I knew it was not an Oak(1'). The second couplet was harder because the leaf base looked ever so slightly asymmetrical. But after going down that rabbit hole I figured it must be symmetrical(2'). I didn't remember what dioecious or monoecious but I knew the tree wasn't a willow(6'). From there I followed the key to Betula spp. by observing the fruits and seeds which were woody brown, cone like, and the seeds broke apart at maturity(7', 12', 13', 14', 15., 16'). I looked at pg 33 at the white birch and compared that with the iNat suggestions. Still not sure if it is paper birch (Betula Papyrifera) or white birch (Betula Pendula).
The second tree was in my neighbors yard. I knew it was a maple because it had the cool helicopter seeds. From the Key to Groups I narrowed it down to group 7. Not a monocot, not a palm or conifer, simple, opposite leaves (1', 2', 3', 5', 8.). In group 7 the first couplet weeds out Melaleuca spp. which did not match the characteristics of my tree(1'). Leaves were opposite, less than 6" wide, palmately veined (2', 5', 7.) and that led me to the Acer spp. ---Maples. On page 24-25 I looked at the "key to California's commonly cultivated maples." It was very hard to figure out which species of maple was growing in my neighbors yard. I asked my lab instructor and she suggested sycamore maple, but that didn't seem to fit. Then she asked Dr. Ritter and he said it was Norway Maple, Acer Platanoides.
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