248 OF THE AMENTUM. 



ing this part with peculiar attention in 

 order to reform the genera of these plants, 

 see Tracts relating to Js atural Hihtory, 

 p. 215, found reason to contrive any new 

 appellation. My learned friends Willde- 

 now and Swartz have judged otherwise, 

 calling this membrane the intiusiuw, or 

 coverinp'; which seems to me altogether 

 superfluous. See its various forms in Engl. 

 Bot. t. 1458—60, 1150, 1159, 1160, &c. 



3. Amentum. Catkin, denominated by au- 

 thors before Linnaeus julus, nucamentum, 

 or catulus ; consists of a common recep- 

 tacle of a cylindrical form beset with nu- 

 merous scales, each of which is accom- 

 panied by one or more stamens or pistils, 

 so that the whole forms an aggregate 

 flower. The receptacle itself and the bases 

 of the scales are firmly united, and the 

 whole catkin fails off entire, except that 

 in some instances the upper part of each 

 scale withers away, as in the Willow genus, 

 SalLr, Eng. Bot. t. 1388—90, 1402—4, 

 &G. 5 the seed-vessels in that genus being 

 quite distinct from the scales. In others, 



