SYCAMORE FAMILY 113 



45. PLATANACE^. Sycamohk Family 



Trees, with simple, alternate, petioled leaves, with stipules ; 

 the bases of the petioles covering the buds. Flowers monoe- 

 cious, in axillary, long-peduncled, globose heads. Calyx and 

 corolla very inconspicuous, each consisting of 3-8 minute 

 scales, or wanting. Stamens as many as the sepals and oppo- 

 site them. Pistils several, inversely conical, hairy at the base ; 

 styles long. Capsules 1-seeded.* 



PLATANQS L. 



Characters of the family. 



1. P. occidentalis L. Sycamore, Buttonwood. A large tree, 

 bark light-colored, smooth, peeling off in large, thin plates. Leaves 

 large, round-heart-shaped, angularly lobed and toothed, densely 

 white-woolly when young, becoming smooth with age ; stipules 

 large, toothed. Fruit in a globular, drooping head, which remains 

 on the tree through the winter, dropping the seeds very slowly. 

 Common on river banks and in swampy woods.* 



46. ROSACEiE. Rose Family 



Herbs, shrubs, or trees. Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, 



simple or compound, with stipules. Calyx 5-lobed. Petals 5, 



rarely wanting, inserted with the stamens on the edge of a disk 



that lines the calyx tube. Stamens many, rarely 1 or few. 



Carpels 1 or more, distinct or united, superior or inferior. 



Fruit a pome, a drupe or group of drupes, or 1-several akenes 



or follicles, rarely a berry or capsule. The relation of the 



parts of the flower to each other and to the receptacle is shown 



in Fig. 19. 



A 



Rijye carpels not inclosed within the calyx tube. 

 1. Fruit dry. 



(rt) Carpels 1-5, inflated. Physocarpus, I 



(h) Pods 5-8, not inflated, 2-several-seeded. Spira}a, II 



