Acer. | XXI, ACERACEA. 97 
number of trees or shrubs from the northern hemisphere. The Bladder-nut 
of our shrubberies (Staphylea pinnata, Linn.), from central and eastern 
Kurope, is the type of the third tribe or Sapindacee, in which, as in 
Aceracee and Hippocastanee, the leaves are always opposite, whilst in 
the true Sapindacee they are generally alternate. 
I. ACER. MAPLE. 
Trees, with opposite, palmately-veined and lobed leaves, no stipules, and 
small, greenish flowers, in axillary corymbs or racemes. Sepals usually 5, 
overlapping each other in the bud, and more or less united at the base. 
Petals 5, or sometimes 4, or entirely wanting. Stamens about 8, inserted 
on a thick disk below the ovary. Ovary 2-lobed or rarely 3-lobed, each 
lobe enclosing one cell with 2 ovules suspended from the inner angle. Styles 
2, rarely 3, often united at the base. Fruit separating when ripe into 2, 
rarely 3, indehiscent carpels or nuts, produced into a wing at the top, and 
called keys or samaras. Seeds 1 or 2 in each carpel, without albumen. 
A genus not numerous in species, but extending over Europe, Russian 
and central Asia, the Himalaya, and North America.. It differs from all 
British trees, except the Ash, by its opposite leaves, and from that genus by 
the flowers, and by the palmate not pinnate leaves, 
Flowers on short, loose, erect corymbs. Wings of the car- 
pels diverging horizontally ; ‘ ; : ; - 
Flowers in pendulous racemes. Wings of the carpels erect, 
or slightly diverging . 5 4 4 , - - 
1. A. campestre. 
2. A, Pseudo-platanus. 
The Norway Maple, A. platanoides, and A. monspessulanum from 
eastern or southern Europe, the sugar Maple (A. saccharatum) from 
North America, and some other exotic true Maples, besides the ash-leaved 
Maple, forming the genus Vegundo, from North America, may be met with 
in our parks and plantations. 
1, 4.campestre, Linn, (fig. 220). Common Maple.—When full- 
grown, a rather handsome, round-headed, though not very tall tree, with a 
dense, dark-green foliage, but, as it is of slow growth and flowers when 
- young, it is often seen as a small scraggy tree, or mere bush, in our hedges. 
_ Leaves on slender stalks, 2 to 3 inches broad, divided to about the middle 
into 5 broad, usually obtuse lobes, entire or sinuate, glabrous above, often 
downy underneath. Flowers few, on slender pedicels, in loose, erect 
corymbs, shorter than the leaves. Carpels downy or rarely glabrous, the 
wings spreading horizontally, so as to form together one straight line. 
In European woods, extending eastward to the Caucasus, and northward 
to southern Sweden. In Britain, abundant in southern England, and 
apparently truly indigenous as far north as Cheshire and the Tyne, rare in 
the wild state in Ireland. FV. spring. 
2. 4. Psuedo-platanus, Linn. (fig. 221). Sycamore Maple.—A much 
handsomer and freer-growing tree than A. campestre, the leaves larger, with 
more pointed and toothed lobes, not unlike those ofa Plane-tree. Flowers 
in loose, oblong, hanging racemes. Wings of the carpels nearly parallel, or 
diverging so as to form aright angle, not spreading into one straight line. 
A native of the mountains of central Europe and western Asia, extensively 
planted in Britain, and in many places sows itself so readily that it may 
almost be considered as naturalized, FU, spring. 
H 
