XIII. ACERA‘CER: A‘CER. 79 
Genus I. 
fall 
ACER L, Tue Marre. Lin. Syst. Polygimia Monee'cia. 
Adentifeation: Lin. Gen., No.1115.; Mcench Meth., 334.; Dec. Prod., 1. p.593.; Don’s MIL, 1. 
p. 
Synonymes. Evrable, Fr.; Ahorn, Ger. ; Acero, Ital. ; and Arce, Spanish. 
Derivation. From acer, hard or sharp, derived from ac, Celtic, a point. The name is supposed to be 
applied to this genus because the wood of some species is extremely hard, and was formerly much 
sought after for the purpose of making pikes and lances. 
Gen. Char. Sexes hermaphrodite, or moneciously polygamous. Flowers 
with a calyx and corolla, Calyx divided into 5 parts, or some number be- 
tween 4and 9. Petals the same in number. Stamens 8, or some number 
between 5 and 12. Anthers 2-lobed. Carpels 2, very rarely 3, each a 
samara; that is,a fruit which is called in Britain, vernacularly, a key. — 
Deciduous trees, natives of Europe, North America, and Asia. 
Leaves simple, opposite, exstipulate, deciduous, rarely evergreen; va- 
riously lobed, toothed. Flowers axillary, corymbose. Fruit a samara. 
Decaying leaves rich yellow in some, and red or brown in others. 
Several of the species produce useful timber; and sugar is one of the con- 
stituent parts of the sap of all of them. They all prefer a situation shel- 
tered rather than exposed; a free, deep, loamy soil, rich rather than sterile, 
and neither very wet, nor very dry. They are propagated by seeds and layers, 
or by grafting. The maturity of the seed may be proved by opening the key, 
and observing if the cotyledons are green, succulent, and fresh ; if the green 
colour of the cotyledons is wanting, the seeds are good for nothing. The 
seeds of all the species may either be sown in autumn, after they are gathered, 
or in spring : and the latter method is preferable where moles abound, as they 
are very fond of the seeds. Sown in spring, they come up in five or six weeks 
afterwards ; with the exception of those of the A. campéstre, which never 
come up till the second or third year. The seeds should not be covered with 
more than a quarter to half an inch of soil. The surface of the ground in 
which they are sown may be advantageously shaded with leaves, fronds of 
ferns, heath, or straw. 
A. Leaves simple, or only slightly or occasionally lobed. 
¥ 2 1. A. opto’ncum Wall. The oblong-/eaved Maple. 
Identification. Wall.in Litt.; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 593. ; Don’s Mill., 1. p. 648. 
Synonymes. A. laurifdlium D. Don, Prod. Fl. Nep. p.249. ; 4. Buximpala Hamilt. 
Engravings. Our figs. 121, 122., reduced to our usual scale; and the figures of the leaves, of the 
natural size, as given in the plate, p. 95. 
Spec. Char., §c. Leaves oblong- 
lanceolate, acuminated, quite en- 
tire, coriaceous, smooth, rounded 
atthe base. Racemes compound ; 
wings of fruit parallel, smooth, se- 
parated. (Don’s Mill.) A low, 
deciduous tree; in Britain, a 
rather tender shrub. Nepal. 
Height 20ft. Introduced in 1824. 
Flowers greenish yellow; February. 129, 4. ctingum. 
Keys?; ripe ?. 
This species is rather tender, and somewhat difficult to keep in the open 
ground, unless when planted against a wall. Though the leaves are generally 
entire, yet they are sometimes lobed, or show a tendency to become so. 
121. A. obléngum. 
