BEECH 175 



bud usually aborted, and replaced by the 

 next lateral one. Scales stipular. 



[The distichous arrangement frequently disappears 

 and runs into a spiral on erect or dwarf-shoots.] 



(a) Buds narrow and relatively long, pointed, about 

 four to six times as long as broad, exposing 

 numerous scales, imbricated in several spiral 

 series, tawny or greyish ; twigs slender, more or 

 less zig-zag. 



(i) Buds about 2 cm. long, fusiform ; twigs 

 strongly zig-zag. 



Fagus sylvatica, L. Beech (Figs. 87 and 16, 26, 43, 50 

 and 51). The long slender twigs have the buds standing 

 off at an angle of 60 70. Bud-scales stipular, numerous, 

 tawny or greyish, slightly ciliate at the tips, and imbri- 

 cated in a spiral so slight that they are nearly distichous. 

 The lateral buds are slightly displaced to one side of 

 the small leaf-scars, and the terminal bud is frequently 

 aborted. Dwarf-shoots ringed with the scales of more 

 spirally arranged leaves, with no buds in their axils. The 

 buds are thickest about one-third up. Scales pale brown 

 with darker markings or margins, thin and membranous, 

 ciliate. Leaf-scar small and nearly elliptical, with 3 minute 

 leaf-traces. Twigs smooth and polished, or nearly so, olive- 

 brown, pale greyish brown, darkening with age. Lenticels 

 numerous, more distinct on branches. Pith rounded, 

 greenish. 



In the autumn the tips of the shoots cease to form 

 leaves, but continue to develop stipules which act as 

 bud-scales. In the bud the outermost of these are broad 

 and short, pointed and membranous, but further inwards 

 we find them longer, narrower and more delicate in texture. 

 The margins are finely ciliate. The first 7 8 pairs are 



