SAPTNBACE^. 427 



sleuder exserted, stigmatose at apex simple not dilated; cells 4, 

 alternipetalous ; oviiles in each 2, collaterally descendent, incom- 

 pletely anati'opons ; micropyle extrorsely superior. Fruit capsular 

 membranous venose, inflated 4-lobed, shortly 4-winged, loculicidally 

 4-valvate ; valves septiferous. Seeds in cells 1 , 2, subreniform ; 

 testa coriaceous corrugate ; cotyledons of exalbuminous or scarcely 

 albuminous embryo foliaceous oblong ; radicle short straight supe- 

 rior. — A rigid ramose shrub ; leaves on short twigs alternate or 

 fasciculate, simple entire linear-oblong subcoriaceous, scarcely peti- 

 olate exstipulate; flowers axillary solitary or few pedunculate. 

 {South Africa.) See p. 371. 



VIII. ACEEE^. 



73. Acer T. — Flowers hermaphrodite or oftener polygamo-dioe- 

 cious ; calyx 4-1 2-, oftener 5-partite or fid, imbricate, generally 

 deciduous. Petals same in number alternate, imbricate, or 0. Sta- 

 mens equal to number of alternate petals ; filaments free variously 

 inserted more or less within or without an annular lobate thick or 

 thin, sometimes obsolete disk, filiform or sometimes capillary ; 

 anthers introrse, sometimes linear, 2-rimose. Germen central, 

 2-lobed, 2-locular (or more rarely 3-merous), contrarywise com- 

 pressed to septum (in male flower rudimentary, etfete or Oj ; style 

 inserted between lobes of germen, divided at base or more or less 

 above into 2 (or 3) linear branches, far stigmatose within and to the 

 apex. Ovules in cells 2, collaterally or subsuperposed ascendent ; 

 micropyle finally extrorsely inferior ; placenta dilated around hilum 

 in a broad (arilloid) process. Fruit 2 (more rarely 3) samarte, diva- 

 ricate, indehiscent, produced externally above to elongate obliquely 

 dilated coriaceous or membranous roticulately nerved wings. Seeds 

 ascendent compressed ; testa membranous, arillate to hilum ; endo- 

 pleura fleshy or mucoTis ; cotyledons of conduplicato embryo thin 

 irregularly plicate ; radicle rather longer inferior. — Large or small 

 trees ; juice aqu(}ous, saccharine, or milky ; leaves opposite petiolate 

 exstipulate, simple, entire, paluiately or subpedatcly 3-7-lobed, 

 sometimes {Nef/umh) pinnately S-O-foliolate ; flowers in axillary or 

 terminal compound cymiferous racemes or corymbs. — Temperate 

 Europe.^ Ami., and North America^ Java.) See p. 373. 



