The WOOD is soft, weak, even-textured, rather brittle, easily worked, and decays readily when exposed. It is occasionally used for flooring, furniture and fuel. The silver maple grows rapidly and has been planted in Texas as a shade tree. It is somewhat undesirable because of its brittleness and susceptibility to insects and fungus diseases. RED MAPLE Acer rubrum L. Red maple is abundant in low moist areas in the eastern part of the state. It is usually a medium-sized tree, quick-growing, and relatively short-lived. It is used as a shade tree, though of inferior quality for this purpose. The BARK is smooth and light gray on young limbs and trunks, and dark gray and rough on old limbs and trunks. The LEAVES are 2 to 5 inches long and have from 3 to 5 pointed, saw-toothed lobes separated by sharp angular sinuses or openings. The upper leaf surface when mature is light green, the lower surface whitish and partly covered with pale down. In autumn the leaves turn to brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow. [Illustration: RED MAPLE (Leaf and fruit, one-third natural size; twig, one-half natural size)] The red FLOWERS appear in dense clusters in early spring before the leaves, the buds turning a deep red sometimes before they open. The winter buds are small, red, and round or blunt-pointed. The FRUIT ripens in the late spring or early summer. It consists of pairs of winged samaras, or keys, ½ to 1 inch in length, on a long drooping peduncle (fruit stem), red, reddish-brown, or yellow in color. The WOOD, known commercially as soft maple, is heavy, close-grained, rather weak, and of a light brown color. It is used in the manufacture of furniture, and for turnery, woodenware, and fuel. BOXELDER Acer negundo L. Boxelder, the only Texas maple with compound leaves, is a native of eastern and southern Texas to the lower Rio Blanco River. It is generally found on the banks of streams and lakes and the borders of swamps. It grows rapidly, making a quick shade, and is quite shapely. The branches are brittle and break easily. The tree is short-lived and rather subject to disease. It sometimes attains a height of 50 to 60 feet, with a trunk 2 feet in diameter, but is usually smaller. [Illustration: BOXELDER (Leaf and fruit, one-third natural size; twig, two-thirds natural size)] The BARK of the twigs is green; of the trunk grayish-brown, divided into broad, rounded ridges, and separating on the surface into short, thick scales. The LEAVES are opposite, compound, usually with 5 leaflets, occasionally 3 or 7. The leaflets are 2 to 4 inches long, coarsely and irregularly toothed, light green above, paler beneath.