396 CELASTRACEAE. [Vor II. 
1. Celastrus scandens L. Shrubby 
or Climbing Bittersweet. Wax- 
work. Staff-tree. (Fig. 2370.) 
Celastrus scandens I,. Sp. Pl. 196. —1753- 
A twining woody vine, ascending trees to a 
height of 25° or more, or trailing on the ground 
where it lacks support. Leaves alternate, 
somewhat 2-ranked by the twisting of the 
stem, ovate, oval or obovate, 2/-4’ long, 1/-2/ 
wide, glabrous on both sides, acuminate or 
acute at the apex, acute or rounded at the base, 
crenulate; petioles 6’’-9’’ long; flowers green- 
ish, about 2’ broad, in terminal compound 
racemes 2/—4’ in length; petals crenate, much 
longer than the calyx-lobes; capsule yellow, 
or orange, 5/’-6’// in diameter, opening in 
autumn and exposing the showy red aril. 
In rich soil, Quebec to North Carolina, especi- 
ally along the mountains, west to Manitoba, Kan- 
sas, the Indian Territory and New Mexico. 
Foliage sometimes variegated. June. Called also Staff-vine, Fever-twig, and False Bitter-sweet. 
Family 66. STAPHYLEACEAE DC. Prodr, 2:2. 1825. 
BLADDER-NUT FAMILY. 
Trees or shrubs, with mostly opposite odd-pinnate or 3-foliolate stipulate 
leaves, and regular perfect flowers in terminal or axillary clusters. Sepals, 
petals and stamens usually 5. Carpels mostly 3. Disk large, the stamens in- 
serted at its base without. Anthers introrse, 2-celled. Fruit a dehiscent blad- 
dery capsule in the following genus, indehiscent in some others. Seeds solitary 
or few in each carpel; testa hard; endosperm fleshy; embryo straight. 
About 5 genera, and 22 species, widely distributed. 
1. STAPHYLEA L.,. Sp. Pl. 270. 1753. 
Shrubs, with opposite 3-foliolate or pinnate leaves, and axillary drooping racemes or 
panicles of white flowers. Pedicels jointed. Sepalsimbricated. Petals the same number as 
the sepals and about equalling them. Ovary 2-3-parted, the lobes 1-celled; ovules numerous 
in each cavity, anatropous. Capsule 2-3-lobed, 2-3-celled. Seeds globose. [Greek, cluster. ] 
About 6 species, of the north temperate zone. S. Bolanderi A. Gray, occurs in California. 
1, Staphylea trifolia L. American 
Bladder-nut. (Fig. 2371.) 
Staphylea trifolia I, Sp. Pl. 270. 1753. 
A branching shrub, 6°-15° high, with smooth 
striped bark. Young leaves and petioles pubes- 
cent; mature foliage glabrate; leaves 3-foliolate 
(rarely 4-foliolate); stipules linear, 4’’-6’’ long, 
caducous; leaflets ovate or oval, 14’-214’ long, 
acuminate at the apex, obtuse or somewhat cune- 
ate at the base, finely and sharply serrate, the 
lateral ones sessile or nearly so, the terminal one 
stalked; stipels subulate; flowers campanulate, 
racemed, about 4/’ long; pedicels bracted at the 
base, slightly longer than the flowers; capsule 
about 2’ long, 1/ wide, much inflated, the 3 (rarely 
4) carpels separate at the summit and dehiscent 
along the inner side. 
In moist woods and thickets, Quebec and Ontario to 
Minnesota, south to South Carolina and Missouri 
April-May. 
Family 67. ACERACEAE St. Hil. Expos. Fam. 2: 15. 1805. 
MAPLE FAMILY. 
Trees or shrubs, with watery often saccharine sap, opposite simple and 
palmately lobed (rarely entire) or pinnate leaves, and axillary or terminal 
cymose or racemose regular polygamous or dioecious flowers. Calyx generally 
