SAPINDACEjE. 31 



coloured. These burst in autumn and display a scarlet pulpy 

 aril, presenting a highly ornamental appearance. Twining over 

 bushes on river-banks and in thickets. 



ORDER XXIX. SAPLNDA'CEJE. (SOAPBERRY FAMILY.) 



Trees or shrubs, with compound or lobed leaves, and usually 

 unsymmetrical and often irregular flowers. Sepals and petals 

 4-5, both imbricated in the bud. Stamens 5-10, inserted on a 

 fleshy disk which fills the bottom of the calyx-tube. Ovary 2-3- 

 celled, with 1 or 2 ovules in each cell. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



1. Staphyle'a. Flowers perfect. Lobes of the coloured calyx, the petals, and 



the stamens, each 5. Fruit a 3-celled, 3-lobed, inflated pod. Leaves 

 pinnately compound. 



2. Acer. Flowers polygamous. Leaves simple, variously lobed, opposite. 



Calyx coloured, usually 5-lobed. Petals none, or as many as the sepals. 

 Stamens 3-12. Fruit ttoo 1-seeded samaras joined together, at length 

 separating. 



1. STAPHYI*E'A, L. BLADDER-NUT. 



S. trifolia, L. (AMERICAN BLADDER-NUT.) Shrub, 4-6 feet 

 high. Leaflets 3, ovate, pointed. Flowers white, in drooping 

 racemes, at the ends of the branchlets. Thickets arid hill-sides. 



2. ACER, Tourn. MAPLE. 



1. A. Pennsylva'nicum, L. (STRIPED MAPLE.) A small 

 tree, 10-20 feet high, with light-green bark striped with dark 

 lines. Leaves 3-lobed at the apex, finely and sharply doubly- 

 serrate, the lobes taper-pointed. Flowers greenish, in terminal 

 racemes, appearing after the leaves. Samaras large, with diver- 

 gent wings. Rich woods. 



2. A. spica'tum, Lam. (MOUNTAIN MAPLE.) A shrub or 

 small tree, 4-8 feet high, growing in clumps in low grounds. 

 Leaves 3-lobed, coarsely serrate, the lobes taper-pointed. Flowers 

 greenish, appearing after the leaves, in dense upright racemes. 

 Fruit with small widely-diverging wings. 



3. A. sacchari'num, Wang. (SUGAR MAPLE.) A fine tree, 

 with 3-5-lobed leaves, a paler green underneath, the sinuses 

 rounded, and the lobes sparingly sinuate-toothed. Flowers greenish- 



