DICOTYLEDONES— DISCIFLOEiE 325 



principle, from which its common name is derived. Many are 

 poisonous in all their parts ; but it is more frequently the case 

 that, while the root, leaves, and branches are dangerous, the 

 fruits are innocuous, or even palatable. It sometimes happens, 

 as in the Litchi and Longan fruits, that while the pericarp is 

 wholesome, the seeds are dangerous. Some plants of the order 

 are astringent and aromatic ; others are diaphoretic, diuretic, 

 and aperient ; and some are valuable timber trees. 



Order 113. Aceraoe*, the Maple Order. — Character. — 

 Trees. Leaves opposite, simple, without stipules ; venation 

 usually radiate, rarely pinnate. Flowers often polygamous, 

 racemose or corymbose, regular. Calyx with an imbricate 

 aestivation, usually 5-partite, occasionally 4- or 9-partite. Petals 

 imbricate, without appendages at their base ; corresponding in 

 number to the divisions of the calyx, or altogether absent. 

 Stamens usually 8, inserted on a fleshy hypogynous disc, or 

 rarely the disc is absent. Ovary superior, 2-lobed, S-celled ; 

 stigmas 2 ; ovules in pau-s. Fruit a samara, 2-celled. Seeds 

 1 or 2 in each cell, ascending, without an aril, exalbuminous ; 

 embryo curved, with leafy wrinkled cotyledons, and an inferior 

 radicle. This order is jjlaced by Bentham and HooTcer in 

 Sapindacece, tribe Acerinece. 



Diagnosis, — Trees with opposite simple exstipulate leaves. 

 Flowers often ijolygamous, and usually regular. Sepals and 

 petals imbricate, the latter without any appendages on their in- 

 side. Stamens hypogynous, usually on a fleshy disc ; anthers 

 bursting longitudinally ; ovary superior, 2-celled. Fruit a 

 samara, 2-celled, each cell containing 1 or 2 seeds. Seeds as- 

 cending, without an aril, exalbuminous ; embryo curved, with 

 an inferior radicle. 



Distribution and Numbers. — The plants of this order are 

 natives of the temperate parts of Europe, Asia, and North 

 America. None have been found in Africa and the soiithern 

 hemisphere. Illustrative Genera : — Acer, Linn. ; Negundo, 

 Mbnch. There are about 50 species. 



Properties and Uses. — These plants are chiefly remarkable 

 for their saccharine sap. Their light and handsome timber is 

 also much used for certain parts of musical instruments ; their 

 bark is astringent, and is employed in different districts by the dyer 

 in the production of yellow, reddish-brown, and blue colours. 



Order 114. — Staphyleaceje, the Bladder-nut Order. — Cha- 

 racter. — Shrubs, with opposite or rarely alternate pinnate 

 leaves, which are furnished with deciduous stipules and stipels. 



