CHAP, i.l ACERINEiE. 317 



light-feathery flowers of the Lime, and the 

 gracefully-drooping ones of the Sycamore, I 

 was quite astonished. The flowers of the Syca- 

 more grow in a drooping raceme ; the calyx is 

 divided into five parts, but as it is scarcely 

 distinguishable from the petals, which are five 

 in number, and placed alternately with the 

 sepals, it appears to be in ten divisions (see a). 

 These flowers are partly male and female (see 

 b and c), and partly perfect. In the perfect 

 flowers there are eight stamens, and two stig- 

 mas ; and the ovary when ripe expands into a 

 curiously winged pod, called a samara (c?), but 

 differently shaped to the samara of the Ash, 

 the thickened parts at the base of which contain 

 the seeds. There is no albumen in the seed, 

 which, when put into the ground, expands into 

 two long thin cotyledons, {a in Jig. 124 ) which, 

 if once pointed out, will always be known again 

 instantly. If a ripe seed be opened when quite 

 fresh, the cotyledons or seed leaves will be found 

 within it, fresh, green, and succulent ; and these 

 leaves (a in Jig. 124), which rise above the 

 ground as soon as the seed begins to germinate, 

 differ widely in shape from the true leaves (b) 

 which are serrated, and of a much thicker 

 texture. The bracts of the Sycamore (J in Jig. 

 123) are thick and leathery, and of a rich dark 

 brown. The leaves are serrated at the margin ; 



