324 THE MAPLE FAMILY. 



that of the goosefoot maple, and its leaves are smaller and more coarsely 

 serrate. In similar, although erect racemes, it bears its flowers.and on both 

 species they bloom after the leaves have unfolded. The samaras have 

 slightly divergent wings and are really fascinating, as indeed are all the 

 young seeds of the maples. Early in the autumn the leaves show often on 

 their surfaces a mottling of deep green and wine colour. 



ASH=LEAVED MAPLE. BOX ELDER. 



Acer Negujido. 



FAMILY SHAPE HEIGHT RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Maple. Wide-spreading. 20-^0 feet Texas a7zd Florida April. 



or iitofe. northward. Fruit: July September. 



Bark of bra7ichlets : greenish brown ; ridged. Leaves : compound, with long 

 slender stalks ; odd-pinnate, with three, five or rarely seven, ovate leaflets taper- 

 pointed at the apex and pointed, rounded or wedge-shaped at the base; coarsely 

 and remotely toothed, often entire at the base; deep green above, pale under- 

 neath, y^/^j-; distinct; slightly pubescent. Flowers: yellowish green ; dioecious; 

 apetalous ; growing from the sides of the branches in drooping clusters and ap- 

 pearing mostly before the leaves. The fertile ones in racemes of from six to 

 eight inches long. Samaras : large ; yellowish green, the wings well veined. 



In many places the ash-leaved maple is a common tree through the 

 forest, and prefers to grow near moisture, often along the stream's bank. 

 Through the bright, cheerful colouring of its foliage it is especially attrac- 

 tive. Its connection with the maples is established by its double, winged 

 samaras which, however, are more finely veined than theirs, and often be- 

 come in the late season tinted with pink, or pale purple. Its foliage is 

 more nearly like one of the ashes, in fact " stinking ash " is the tree's 

 familiar appellation in South Carolina ; for its bark is rather disagreeably 

 scented. Of this the people become aware when collecting it for 

 officinal use. In cultivation the tree is much seen and is desirable on ac- 

 count of its beauty and ability to withstand dry weather. It is, however, 

 not long lived and becomes when old very scraggly. 



THE BUCKEYE FAMILY. 



HippocastaiiacecE, 



Includiftg forest trees, or shrubs with opposite, three to 7iine foliate 

 leaves and irregular flowers which grow in laroe, terminal panicles. 



