ALTINGIACEAE 509 



mm. long, dense above, looser below: hypanthium downy: filaments 11-15 mm. long: 

 capsules 11-13 mm. long. 



On mountain slopes, North and South Carolina to Alabama. 



2. HAMAMELIS L. 



Slightly aromatic shrubs or small trees, with a scaly bark and flexuous terete 

 branchlets. Leaves alternate: blades simple, slightly leathery, crenate, inequilateral 

 at the base: stipules acute, deciduous. Flowers perfect or polygamous, appearing in 

 fall or winter, in terminal 3-flowered clusters, on short lateral bracted peduncles, each 

 flower subtended by bractlets. Hypanthium campanulate, persistent. Sepals 4, re- 

 flexed. Petals 4, ribbon-like, persistent, or wanting in fertile flowers. Stamens 4, 

 opposite the sepals, alternating with 4 strap-shaped staminodia: filaments subulate, 

 each prolonged into a stout connective, shorter than the calyx: anther-sacs separated 

 by the connective, opening by persistent valves attached on the outer edge. Ovary of 

 2, 1-celled carpels united at the base: styles 2, subulate: stigma terminal, minute. 

 Ovules 1-2 in each cavity, suspended. Capsule woody, 2-beaked, opening loculicidally 

 by two valves at the top and elastically discharging the seeds. Seeds solitary in each 

 cavity, elongated, with a crustaceous shining testa. Endosperm fleshy. Witch 

 Hazel. "Witch Elm. 



1. Hamamelis Virgini^na L. A shrub or small tree, reaching a maximum height 

 of 10 m., with a trunk diameter of about 1 dm. Leaf-blades rather leathery, sub- 

 orbicular, oval, elliptic or obovate, 4-15 cm. long, acute or obtuse, coarsely crenate, 

 truncate or cordate at the very oblique base, glabrous or sometimes pubescent above, 

 more or less pubescent beneath : sepals triangular, spreading or recurved : petals linear, 

 strap-like, bright yellow, more or less crisped, much exserted: stamens included: fila- 

 ments subulate: ovary villous: capsules ovoid or subglobose, 12-15 cm. long, densely 

 tomeutulose: seeds oblong or elliptic, 7-9 mm. long, beetle-like, nearly black, smooth 

 and shining. 



In low woods or on moist hillsides, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to Ontario and 

 Nebraska, south to Florida and Texas. Flowers in the fall and matures its fruit during 

 the next summer. 



Family 8a. ALTINGIACEAE Hayne. Sweet Gum Family. 



Shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate; blades toothed or palmately lobed. 

 Flowers usually monoecious, borne in heads. Calyx and corolla wanting. 

 Androecium of numerous stamens intersi^ersed with scales. Gynoecium of 2 

 partially united cari^els. Stigmas introrse. Fruit a head of many concreted 

 capsules. 



1. LIQUIDAMBAR L. 



Usually monoecious trees, with a balsamic sap, a soft scaly bark, terete and often 

 corky-winged branchlets. Leaves alternate : blades palmately lobed, thickish, long- 

 petioled, the lobes glandular-serrate: stipules acute, caducous. Flowers monoecious 

 or rarely perfect, in peduncled heads subtended by 4 deciduous bracts. Perianth 

 wanting. Staminate flowers in terminal racemed heads: stamens numerous, accom- 

 panied by numerous minute scales: filaments slender, shorter than the anthers. Pistil- 

 late flowers in solitary long-peduncled axillary heads: staminodia 4. Ovary of 2 

 united 1-celled carpels, partly immersed in the receptacle, surmounted by 2 stout 

 styles, stigmatose on the inner faces. Ovules numerous, pendulous, anatropous. Cap- 

 sules armed with the accrescent, incurved, horn-like styles, united into a globose head, 

 septicidally 2-valved at the apex. Seeds 1 or 2, flattened, with a crustaceous testa 

 which is produced into an obovate wing. Endosperm fleshy, 



1. Liquidatnbar Styraciflua L. A forest tree, reaching a maximum height of 

 45 m. and a trunk diameter of 1.5 m. Bark with broad ridges and deep fissures, the 



