DESCRIPTION OF SPECIES— STAPHYLEAGE^. 267 



FRANGULACEiE. 

 S T A P H Y L E A C E J^ . 



STAPHYLEA, Linn. 



On this genus, the Flora of California remarks Hint its tive living species 

 are native of as many regions in the northern temperate zone, viz: Europe, 

 the Himalayas, Japan, California, and the Atlantic States. De Candolle, in 

 the Prodromus, refers one species to Peru. None have been recognized in 

 the European Tertiary. 



Staphylea acuminata, Lesqz. 



Plate XLVIII, Figs. 4, 5. 



Sfaphylea acuminata, Lesqx., Annual Report, 1873, p. 415. 



Leavea trifoliate from the enlarged top of an elongated common pedicel ; leaflets ovate, lanceo- 

 late, acuminate, rounded at the base to a short petiolule, serrulate; terminal leaflet longer-acuminate, 

 and longer-petioled ; nervation piunate and caniptodrome. 



The species is remarkably similar, considering the leaves at least, to the 

 North American S. frifoliata, Linn.; the leaflets being merely comparatively 

 narrower and longer, and the middle one shorter-petiolulate. The nervation 

 is of the same character; the lateral veins, more distant in the upper part, 

 curve in passing toward the borders in an open angle of divergence, follow- 

 ing them in successive bows, with nervilles entering the teeth; the areolation, 

 as far as it can be recognized in fig. 5, is formed by the irregular divisions of 

 nervilles at right angle. There is no great difference in the size of the 

 leaflets, the middle one eight and a half centimeters long, the lateral ones 

 eight, with an average width, for both, of three and a half to four centi- 

 meters. The substance of the leaves is apparently membranaceous, somewhat 

 thicker or more rigid than in the hving species. The teeth of the borders 

 are about of the same size, though they do not appear so directly curved 

 inside. I have received from South Park, near Castello's Eanch, a speci- 

 men which seems to represent the same species, with the three leaflets folded, 

 the two sides upon another along the midrib. They are slightly longer, and 

 the border denticulation is scarcely marked. The secondary nerves only are 

 somewhat distinct, and, from this imperfect state of preservation, the identifi- 

 cation is not reliable. 



Habitat. — Middle Park, Colorado {Dr. F. V. Hcnjden). Castello's Ranch, 

 Colorado, in a more obsolete specimen {Prof- W. A. Brmvnell). 



