In winter, what indications do we dispose to identify a tree? Apart from the conifers which, most keep their leaves (exceptions: the Ginkgo and the Larch), deciduous trees have only their bark and their form to help identification. It is very few. It is possible to search at their foot the decomposing leaves, but perhaps they come from another tree. Some trees bear "marcescents"leaves, which remains, even died, on stems: these are the Englosh Oak, the Spanish chestnut and the Beech. Those belong to the same family Fagaceae, that is trees from which fruits are protected by a "cupule" (acorn of the Oak, beechnut of the Beech or chestnut). Other trees keep fruits in winter: samaras in clusters of the ash excelsior, small cones of the alder, glomerules (bowls) of the Plane tree, or of the Davidia (rare), capsules of the Paulownia or clusters of fruits like paper lanterns of the Varnish Tree. Others finally have a particular form (as the Lombardy Black Poplar which is fastigiate) either the English Oak (tortuous branches) or a straight trunk as the Spanish chestnut or the Wild cherry tree, which help to identify them, on the condition of supplementing this distinctive with the observation of the bark. Here are some examples of barks which will make identification easier:
For other trees, identification is delicate, because barks are alike. A young subject bears a normally smooth bark which cracks as it matures. So, it is even more difficult to identify a young tree by its bark. Ordinarily are differentiated :
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