CORK OAK 263 



"Mossy-cupped Oak " is derived. Nut long ovoid, dark 

 brown, tomentose at the pointed end, but smooth below, 

 about 3 cm. long. Abortive seeds in the lower part of 

 the shell. 



Leaves coriaceous, persistent, entire or 

 spinose -dentate, whitish below; cup-scales 

 longer and more erect on upper parts, 

 reflexed below, soft. 



Quercus Suber, L. Cork Oak. Small evergreen tree, 

 with leathery leaves, somewhat like those of Q. Ilex, but 

 more tomentose beneath. 



Male catkins loose-flowered, numerous, tufted, up to 

 4 cm. long, the axis grey- tomentose; perianth 6-partite, on 

 long pedicels, reddish-tomentose outside, and bearing short 

 stamens with ovoid-acute anthers. Female flowers white- 

 tomentose, single or grouped, sessile on an axillary tomen- 

 tose rachis, each with 3 4 broad, linear, sessile reflexed 

 stigmatic arms. Cupular scales rather few and very hairy 

 in flower. Fruits 1/5 4 cm. long, sub-sessile, narrow, 

 cylindric oblong. Cupule hemispherical or top-shaped, 

 with loose grey-tomentose scales ; nut 2 3 times as long as 

 the cup, varying in shape, acute, polished pale brown. The 

 upper scales of the cupule may be rather long and nearly 

 subulate, erect or spreading; the lower more triangular 

 and imbricate. 



[Other plants with monoecious flowers are the Plane 

 (p. 273), the Box (p. 271), and the Fig (p. 271); but the 

 Plane has dichlamydeous flowers in capitula sessile, on 

 pendent stalks, not truly catkinate, and the inflorescences 

 of the Box and the Fig are not catkins.] 



