ACERACEAE. — ACER 85 
Though Gleditsch’s species is based only on a single leaf without flowers or 
fruits, the figure leaves no doubt that it is the same as A. laetum C. A. Meyer, and 
his name being about 45 years older must supersede that given by Meyer. Acer 
cappadocicum is based on a leaf collected by Gundelsheimer, who traveled with 
Tournefort in Asia Minor during the years 1700 to 1702. The same species is 
mentioned by Tournefort (Coroll. 43) under the name Acer orientalis Hederae folio, 
but without any description or remark. 
Acer cappadocicum, var. sinicum Rehder, n. var. 
Acer laetum var. cultratum Pax in Engler, Pflanzenreich, Heft 8 (IV. 163), 48 
(in part) (1902). — Rehder in Sargent, Trees and Shrubs, I. 178 (in part) 
(1905). 
A typo differt foliis minoribus plerumque 6-9 cm. longis quinque- 
lobis basi subeordatis v. truncatis, fructibus minoribus alis loculo 
incluso 2.5-3 em. longis, floribus minoribus. 
Western Hupeh: Hsing-shan Hsien, woods, alt. 1500-2100 m., 
May 11, 1907 (No. 1884); Chang-lo Hsien, woods, alt. 1500 m., May 
1907 (No. 1925). Western Szech'uan: Ta-p'ao-shan, northeast 
of Tachien-lu, woods, alt. 2300 m., July 5, 1908 (No. 1903); Wa-ssu 
country, Wén-chuan Hsien, woods, alt. 2100-2600 m., October (No. 
1009). 
To this variety I refer all Chinese specimens I have seen from Hupeh, Szech'uan, 
and Yunnan. It differs from var. indicum in its smaller leaves with narrower and 
longer lobes, purplish when unfolding and less densely bearded in the axils of the 
primary veins beneath and in the smaller flowers and fruits. In the shape and size 
of its leaves it much resembles A. pictum, var. parviflorum C. K. Schneider, but is 
easily distinguished by the smooth greenish bark of the young branches. No. 1903 
from Szech’uan differs from the typical form in its somewhat larger leaves, 7 to 
11 cm. long, and Henry’s No. 10877 from Yunnan in its slightly hairy calyx and 
ciliate sepals. 
Acer cappadocicum and particularly its variety sinicum is often confounded with 
Acer pictum, as the relative length of wing and nutlet, usually given as the chief 
istinguishing character, is very variable in both species. The best character by 
which to distinguish these two species seems to lie in the bark of the younger 
branches; this character has moreover the advantage that it is always recognizable 
even in winter. In Acer pictum the epidermis of the young branches ceases growing 
during the first summer, and the bark of the branches becomes corky and grayish 
white, ashy gray or light grayish brown and is marked with conspicuous lenticels and 
in the second year with slight longitudinal fissures, while in A. cappadocicum the 
branches remain covered by the growing epidermis for several years, and are there- 
fore smooth, ranging from green or greenish to purple in color, marked with only 
few and small lenticels or are without lenticels. Other distinguishing characters 
are the generally truncate leaves, at least in the Chinese variety, in A. pictum they 
are subcordate, the more convex and smaller nutlets in A. cappadocicum and the 
wing contracted at the base, while in A. pictum the nutlets are much compressed, 
almost flat, and the wings are of nearly the same width through their whole length. 
The terminal winter-buds of A. pictum have 2 to 3 pairs of outer scales, those of 
A. cappadocicum 3 to 4 pairs. 
