60 ACERACE.E. 



3. ELODEA. Adans. Elodea. 

 (From the Greek eXw^s, growing in marshy places.) 

 Sepals 5, somewhat united at base. Petals 5, deciduous,, 

 equilateral. Stamens 9, (rarely 12 15,) united into three 

 parcels which alternate with 3 hypogynous glands. Styles 3, 

 distinct. Capsule oblong, membranaceous, 3-celled. 



E. Virginica Nutt. : leaves sessile, clasping ; stamens united below the 

 middle. E. campanulata Pursh. Hypericum Virginicum Linn. 



Bogs and meadows. Can. to Flor. and Louis. July Sept. 1J-. Stem 12 18 

 inches high, tinged with purple. Leaves 1 2 inches long, paler beneath. Fkno- 

 ers few, in terminal and axillary cymes, reddish-yellow, half an inch in diameter. 



Virginian Elodea. 



ORDER XXV. ACERACE^E. MAPLES. 



Calyx 5, or rarely 4 9-parted, with an imbricate aestivation. 

 Petals as many as the lobes of the calyx and alternate with them, 

 inserted round a hypogynous disk. Stamens usually 8, some- 

 times 3 12, distinct. Ovary 2-lobed, 2 - celled ; style 1 ; stig- 

 mas 2. Fruit of 2 indehiscent winged carpels, (samarce,) each 

 1-celled, 1 2 7 seeded. Seeds with little or no albumen. Trees, 

 with opposite, palmately lobed, rarely pinnate, leaves. Flowers 

 small, often polygamous, in racemes, corymbs or fascicles. 



1. ACER. Linn. Maple. 



(From the Latin acer, sharp ; the wood having been used for pikes, or lances.) 

 Flowers mostly polygamous. Calyx 5-lobed, sometimes 5- 

 parted. Stamens rarely 5, often V 10. Samarse 3, winged, 

 united at base, by abortion 1 -seeded. 



* Flmoers in corymbs or fascicles. 



1. A. rubrumLinn.: leaves 3 5-lobed, cordate at the base, unequally 

 and incisely toothed, glaucous beneath ; the sinuses acute, the lobes acute 

 or acuminate; flowers aggregated in about fives, on rather long pedicels; 

 fruit smooth ; the wings slightly falcate, at length spreading. 



Moist woods. Can. to Flor. April. A tree from 20 50 feet high. Leaves 

 pubescent when young. Flowers appearing before the leaves, in sessile fascicles, 

 red or yellowish. Pedicels of the flowers, half an inch long, of the fruit 23 

 inches. Red Maple. 



2. A. eriocarpum Mich. : leaves palmately 5-lobed, truncate at the base, 

 smooth and whitish-glaucous beneath ; sinuses obtuse ; lobes acuminate, 

 incisely toothed ; flowers aggregated, on short pedicels ; fruit woolly when 

 young, nearly smooth when old, with large dilated wings. A dasycarpum 



Willd. 



