' , . r 1 3 0 3 ]
A C E R Pfeudo-Platanus.
Greater Maple, or Sycamore.
P 0 L T G A M IA Momecia.
Gen.-C har. Hermaphr. Cal. 5-cleft. Petals 5.
Stamina 8. Piftillum l J Capfules 2 or 3, fingle-
feeded, terminating in- a wing.
Male. Cal. 5-cleft. Pet. 5. Siam. 8.
Spec. Char. Leaves five-lobed, unequally ferrated.
Flowers in pendent clutters.
Syn. Acer Pfeudo-Platanus. Linn. Sp. P I. 149 5. Hudf.
F I. An. 4 4 5 . With. Bot. A rr. 1 1 4 7 . Relb.
Cant. 380. Sibth. Ox. 12 7 .
A . majus. R a il Syn. 470.
R . A Y th in k s this tre e , fo common in h ed g e s, & c . about
h o u fe s, is not re ally a native o f B rita in . W e have not obferved
it in an y v e ry w ild place s. I t is faid to p re fe r a maritime fituation
and e xp o fure , but w ill g row even in a mountainous one. Being
a la rg e , v e ry handfome, quick g row in g tre e , and not injurious
to g r a fs , it w a s m u ch planted about houfes fo rm e r ly , though
E v e ly n complains that the leaves fa ll e a r ly , p u tre fy , and “ contaminate
and mar o u r w a lk s ,” fo that he w o u ld “ banifh it
from a ll curiou s gardens an d avenues.” T h e w o o d, as in all
trees o f rapid g row th , is fo ft , chie fly ufed fo r o rdin ary utenfils.
D r . W ith e r in g fays fu g a r may be obtained from the fap , which
is more remark ably the cafe w ith the Acer faccharinum o f
Am e r ic a .
T h e bark is fm ooth, afh-coloured. B ran ch e s round. B u d s
oppo fite , fo rmed o f nume rous fcale s. L e a v e s 5 -lob ed, the term
in a l lobe la rg e ft, a ll veined ftro n g ly , and u neq ua lly ferrated.
Stipulae none. C lu tte rs fo lita ry , a x illa ry , lo n g , dro op in g, branched
an d many-flowe red. F low e r s dro op in g. P e ta ls g re en , v e ry like
the caly x -fe gm en ts in fize , fo rm , and co lou r . G e rm en very
h a iry . S t igm a c lo ven , re vo lu te . F ru it pendent, fm o o th ; feed-
w in g s o ften 3, no t much divaricated. I t rip ens in A u g u ft , the
flow e rs appearing in M a y .
W e have g re a t reafon to fu fp e c t th e re are tw o varieties i f
-not d i f l in f t fp e cie s o f this tre e , in one o f w h ich the leaves are
g lau co u s beneath and their ferratu re s v e ry d ift a n t ; the filaments
o f th is are h a iry . O u r in te llig en t friend A n d r ew Caldw
e ll, E fq . o f D u b lin , firft fu g g e fted the idea o f this difference,
and the L in n s an herbarium confirms his fu fp ic ion .