85 
CURRANT LEAVED MAPLE. 
ACER tripartitum ; foliis subreniformi-orbicularis trifidis tripartite ve, 
laciniis inciso-dentatis , medio cuneiformibus sublobatis , laterali sub - 
rhomboidea , racemis corymbosis ; fructibus glabris, alls b'evissimis latis 
cuneato-avalibus diver gentibus. 
Acer tripartitum ; leaves with a subreniform orbicular outline, 3-cleft or 
3-parted; segments incisely toothed; the middle one cuneiform, often 
slightly lobed, the lateral ones somewhat rhomboidal ; racemes corym- 
bose ; fruit glabrous, with very short and broad cuneate-oval diverging 
wings. Nuttall in Torrey and Gray’s Flora Bor. Am. 1, p. 247. 
This singular shrub, which we introduce into the Sylva 
of the United States, to complete the history of the Maples, 
was discovered in the Rocky Mountain range, in about the 
latitude of 40°, within the line of Upper California, in the 
narrow valleys and ravines occupying the lofty hills near 
the borders of Bear River, which passes into the lake of 
Timpanagos. It appeared to be a scarce species, confined 
to an alpine region, for we found, by observing the boiling 
point of water, that the plains themselves, stretching far 
and wide like interminable meadows or steppes, were 
elevated between 6 and 7000 feet above the level of the 
ocean. 
At a little distance, this diminutive species might have 
been taken for a currant bush both in the size of the plant 
and by its leaves. It formed small clumps on the declivities 
of the mountains, where some moisture still remained amid 
the drought which constantly prevails throughout the 
summer in this western mountain tract. From the cool 
and elevated region occupied by this species, it is certain 
that it might be cultivated in all the temperate parts of 
Europe and the United States, as a matter of curiosity, if 
not of beauty. The leaves, divided down to the base, make 
