244 



OCTANDRIA MOXOGYNIA 



| f Flowers mostly polygamous. 



199. DIOSPYROS. L. JVu«. Gen. 797. 

 [Greek, Dis, dios, Jupiter, and Pyros, fruit ; the application not obvious, j 



Dioicocslt poltgamocs : Calyx 4-partcd. Corolla urceolatc, 4- 

 cleft. Staminate Fl. Stamens often 16. Ovary abortive. Fertile 

 Ft. Stamens 8 to 12, mostly abortive. Ovary 4-angled ; style 4 or 

 5<left. Berry subglobosc, 8 to 12-sceded. 



Trees : leaves simple, alternate ; flowers axillary, sulscssile, fertile ones soli- 

 tary, sterile ones mostly in threes. Kat. Ord. 202. Litull. Ebenaceje. 



1. D. vinoixiAN-A, /,. Leaves oval or ovate-oblong, acuminate, en- 

 tire, reticulately veined, nearly smooth; petioles pubescent: buds 

 smooth. Beck, Bot. p. 229. Icon, Mx.f. Sylva. 2. tab. 93. 

 Virgkman Diospmos. r^o-Pcrsimmon. G«///,e-Plaqueminier. 

 Stem 20 to 40 feet high, and 8 to 12 or 15 inches in diameter, irregularly branched 

 Leaves 2 or 3 to 5 inches lon g , and 1 to 2 inches wide, subcoi iaceous, erecn above ' 

 paler or glaucous beneath, on pubescent petioles half an inch to near an inch long' 

 Calyx of the fertile flowers persistent. Corolla ochroleucous, or pale greenish 

 yellow, of a thick leathery texture, obtusely 4-angled. Berry obovoid, or roundish- 

 oval, about an inch in diameter, reddish orange when mature. Seeds lan-e, com- 

 pressed. " ' 



Hub. Rich bottom lands; Brandy wine: frequent. Fl. June. TV. Octo.-Xov. 



Obs. The ripe /rm* of this is sweet and luscious, after being subjected to the 

 action of frost; but is remarkably harsh and astringent in a green state. The 

 bark is tonic and astringent. For an interesting account of the properties of the 

 plant, see the Inaugural Thesis of the late Prof. Woodhouse, of the University of 

 Pennsylvania. Pursh enumerates one other species in the U. States.-but it is 

 probably only a variety. 



200. ACER. /„. JVm«. Gen. 366. 

 [Latin, Acer, sharp ; the wood having been used for pikes, or lances] 



Mo.voicoislt, or DioicocSET poltoamous (sometimes Dioicous) • 

 Calyx 5-cleft, or 5-partcd. Petals 5, or 0. Stamen* sometimes 6 

 7, or 9. Samara in pairs, winged, diverging, with the outer margin 

 thicker and obtuse, united at base, by abortion 1 -seeded. 



Trees, or shrubs : branches mostly opposite ; leaves opposite, palmate-lobed (or 

 rarely pinnate); flowers lateral and terminal, aggregated, or In subcorymbose pen- 

 dulous racemes. Kut. Ord. 101. Lindl. Acebinbjb. 



1. A. hobhok, L. Leaves generally 3-lobed with the sinuses acute 

 subcordate at base, unequally and incisely toothed ; flowers aggregated' 



^.J ° Dg pedice,s ; ovar y e^hroMB. Beck, Bot. p. 63. Icon' 

 Mx.f. Sylva. 1. tab. 41. r 



Reh Aceh. Kufrd— Red Maple. Swamp Maple. 



Stem 30 to 60 feet high, mostly rather slender, sometimes 2 feet or more in diam- 

 S" 1 ,^; branchcd . y ""? branches purplish. Leaves 2 to 4 inches long, and 

 about as wide as long, mostly with 3 acute spreading lobes, sometimes obscurely 

 2?*Z y ° U ?? ( pubescent benealh ' al l^gth smooth except along the nerves, 

 uLi7«? 8; 7 et '° l 1 ! ° r 2 t0 5 inCheS ,on «- **«"" ^^aring before the 



v in fi™ T; Tk 6 ( ° r ° ften yell ° Wi8h) fa8dcleB from "»»«•«• "«d«. "wi- 

 ly m fives. Calyx of the perfect flower colored, petaloid, 5-parted ; segments ovate . 



