542 MONOECIA POLYANDRIA 



the nut, slightly inflated, compressed, elliptic-ovate, or oval, with a short acumin- 

 ation, imbricated, and forming altogether, at maturity, an ovoid-oblong cone, 

 which is pedunculate and rather pendulous (erect, Authors), about the size of the 

 common Hop)— to which it has considerable resemblance. Nut sealed in the 

 bottom of the sac, 3 or 4 lines in length, lance-oblong, or elliptic-lanceolate, sub- 

 acuminate, somewhat compressed, ribbed near the apex, and on each margin, 

 smooth and shining, of a pale olive color with a leaden tinge. 



Uab. Woodlands; along Brandy wine : not common. Fl. April— May. Fr. Sept. 



Obs. The wood of this slender tree is very hard and firm. It is the only species 

 in the U. States. 



435. PLATANUS. L. AW*. Gen. 758. 

 [Greek, Platys, broad ; in allusion to its wide-spreading branches and foliage.] 



Staminate Fl. minute, in globose pedunculate heads. Stamens 

 intermixed with linear scales; anthers adnate to the filaments. Pis- 

 tillate Fl. minute, in dense globose pedunculate heads. Scales 

 spatulate. Ovary filiform-clavate ; style with the stigma recurved. 

 Nuts numerous, terete, clavate, mucronate with the persistent style, in- 

 vested with pappus-like hairs at base. 



Large trees: leaves alternate, with super-axillary sheathing deciduous stipules, 

 the petioles tumid and hollow at base, covering the young buds; flowers incon- 

 spicuous, in globose pendulous heads. Nat. Ord. 85. Limit. Platank/s. 



1. P. occidentals, L. Leaves roundish-pentangular, acuminate, 

 obscurely palmatc-lobed, sinuate-dentate, pubescent beneath ; branches 

 whitish. Becky hot. p. 32Y. Icon, Mx. f. Sylva, 2. tab. 63. 



Westehn Platanus. Vulgo — Button-wood. Sycamore. 



Stem 60 to 100 feet high, and 2 to 4 or 5 feet, or more, in diameter, with large 

 spreading branches, and a smooth ish cinereous bark which exfoliates in thinnish 

 plates. Leave* 3 to 6 inches long, and -1 to 8 inches wide (larger on young plants), 

 dilated, roundish-pentagonal, the base at first truncate, finally subcordate, ob- 

 scurely palmate, or angulate-lobed, unequally sinuate-dentate, with ihe teeth 

 acuminate, loosely clothed with a hoary branching deciduous pubescence, especi- 

 ally on the under surface ; petioles 1 to 2 or 3 inches long, at first tomentose, 

 finally smoothish, with the base tumid, hollow, and covering the young bud which 

 is formed within the cavity ; stipules somewhat salver-form, sheathing the young 

 branches immediately above the petioles, the limb spreading, foliaceous, with 

 coarse unequal sinuate-dentate acuminate teeth, deciduous. Stavmiate flowers 

 minute, in small pedunculate pendulous globose heads, deciduous. Pistillate 

 flowers minute, in a dense globose head, which at maturity is about an inch in 

 diameter, pendulous on a slender terete peduncle 3 to 5 inches long, persistent. 

 Nuts about 1 third of an inch long, slender, subtcrete, clavate, mucronate, the 

 base acute and invested with tawny pappus-like hairs, which appear articulated 

 under a lens. 



Hob. Banks of streams ; roadsides, <3cc. frequent. Fl. April— May. Fr. Octo. 



Obs. This is a stately tree, and perhaps attains the largest size of any in our 

 country. It makes a noble shade in front of houses where it has room to develop* 

 itself. The wood is not much esteemed ; but is occasionally sawed into joists, and 

 other lumber. It has been considered the only species in this hemisphere ; but 

 Mr. Nut tall informs me he found another, in his late journey to the N. W. Coast. 



