DICOTYLEDONS: SAPINDALES. 685 



ORDER SAPINDALES. 



1176. Lesson XV. The maple family (Aceraceae). Fig. 573 

 represents a spray of the leaves and flowers of the sugar-maple 

 (Acer saccharinum), a large and handsome tree. The leaves 

 are opposite, somewhat ovate and heart-shaped, with three to 

 five lobes, which are again notched. The clusters of flowers 

 are pendulous on long hairy pedicels. The petals are wanti. 

 The calyx is bell-shaped 

 and several times lobed, 

 usually five times. The 

 stamens are variable in 

 number. The ovary is 

 two-lobed and the style 

 deeply forked. The fruit 

 forms two seeds, each with Pi g S74 



a long Wing-like CXpan- ^ds and flowen of sugar-maple. At the right is 

 a pistillate flower, in the middle a stammate flower, 

 Sion as shown in the figure. and at the left the two seeds forming a samara. 



The flowers of the maple are polygamo-dioecious, that, is the 

 male members (stamens) and female members (carpels) may 

 be in the same flower or in different flowers. 



SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDY OF THE SUGAR-MAPLE. 



1177. The sugar-maple (Acer saccharinum). (Another species may 

 be studied if desired.) 



Leaves. Determine the form and arrangement of the leaves; sketch a 

 leaf. 



Inflorescence. Describe the character of the inflorescence; sketch a 

 flower cluster. 



Flowers. Select several different flowers, some from different trees, 

 and compare them carefully to see if the members of the flower are the 

 same in all. Sketch several to show the general character. 



What parts of the flower are present ? Describe the form and character 

 of each set of members, and their relation to each other. Determine the 

 number of members in each set and their relations among themselves. 

 Study several flowers to make this out. 



The fruit. Sketch a fruit. What parts of the flower are united in the 

 fruit? 



If there is time, it will be found instructive to compare the flowers of 

 another species of maple, like the red maple, with the sugar-maple. Ex- 



