OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES 



345 



In 1898, Solereder stated that the family Myricaceae included the 

 single genus, Myrica. He mentioned the following characters as pecuHar 

 to the plants of this genus: Large peltate glands; vertical transcurrence 

 of the smaller veins of the leaf; absence of a characteristic stomatal 

 apparatus; narrow medullary-rays in the wood; tendency to form scalari- 

 form perforations in the vessels which never have especially wide lumina; 

 wood prosenchyme with bordered pits; tendency to form a composite 

 and continuous ring of sclerenchyme in the pericycle; superficial forma- 

 tion of cork; oxalate of Ume in clustered and soUtary crystals; unicellular 

 hairs. (Systematic Anatomy of the Dicotyledons Vol. 2, p. 785.) 



The same year, August Chevalier discussed the vegetative organs of 

 the family. ("L'apparail vegetatif des Myricacees," in C. R. Assoc, 

 franc, pour I'avanc. d. Sc, Congres Nantes, p. 457.) 



By far the greatest work ever done on the Myricaceae was carried out 

 by August Chevalier from 1897 to 1902, whose observations are recorded 

 in a monograph appearing in Memoires de la Societe Nationale des 

 Sciences Naturelles et Mathematiques de Cherbourg, Vol. 32, p. 85-340, 

 and entitled, "Monographie des Myricacees, Anatomic et Histologie, 

 Organographie, Classification, et Description des Especes, Distribution 

 Geographique." Chevalier's monograph comprises two parts. Part 

 one deals with the general characters of the family. It includes three 

 chapters in which the vegetative apparatus, the root tubercles, and the 

 reproductive apparatus are respectively discussed. Part two embraces 

 the characters of the genera and species, the geographical distribution 

 of the species, and a s>ti thesis of his results. 



In this work he divided the Myricaceae into three genera, viz:— 

 Gale, Comptonia and Myrica, the differential characters of which I 

 translate from the French in the following table: 



Gale 

 Leaves thin, caducous, 

 entire or feebly denta- 

 ted. 



Without stipules 

 Catkins inserted on the 

 deciduous branches. 

 Dioecious plants. 



Ordinarily 4 stamens 

 Very smooth, guarded 

 by 2 entire bracteoles 

 forming aerial buoys. 



Comptonia 

 Leaves thin, caducous, 

 pinnatifid. 



With stipules. 

 Catkins inserted on the 

 deciduous branches. 

 Dioecious plants. 



Ordinarily 4 stamens. 

 Ovary smooth, guarded 

 by 2 laciniate brac- 

 teoles, provided with 

 emergences at the base 

 and developing itself in- 

 to a cupule. 



Myrica 

 Leaves coriaceous, ordin- 

 arily persistent, entire, 

 dentated or rarely mcised. 

 Without stipules. 

 Catkins inserted on the 

 growing branches. 

 Dioecious or monoecious 

 plants. 



From 4-20 stamens 

 Ovary covered with wax 

 bearing or fleshy emer- 

 gences, either no brac- 

 teoles or bracteoles non 

 accrescent. 



