CUPULIFERJ3. 



343 



14. Q. ILICIFO'lIA. JVilld. Q- Bannisteri. Mx. 



Leaves on long petioles, obovate-cuneate, 3— 5-lobed, entire on the margin, 

 whitish-downy beneath; cup subturbinate ; acflr^t subglobose. A shrub, com- 

 mon throughout the U. S., growingonly on gravely hills and barrens which it 

 occupies exclusively in large tracts. Stem 3 — 4 feet high, divided into 

 numerous, straggling branches. Acorns small and abundant, and said to be 

 greedily eaten by bears, deer, and swine. May. Shrub ur Scrub Oak. Bear Oak. 



2. CASTA'NEA. 

 Slcrihjl. in a long, cylindric ament ; calyx G-cIeft ; stamens 

 10 — 12. Fertile Jl. 3, within a 4-lobed, densely niuricated 

 involucie ; calyx 5— G-lobed ; stamens 10 — 12 abortive rudi- 

 ments ; styles 6; nut mostly 1-seeded, invested wiih the 

 enlarged, echinate involucre or cupule. 



From Castanea, a town in Thessaly, where this tree still grows to magnifi- 

 cent dimensions. Trees and shrubs. 



C. VESCA. /3. Americana. Mx. Fagus Castanea. L. 



Leaves oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, mucronately serrate, smooth both 

 sides. Abundant in particular districts throughout the U. S. It is a lofty 

 tree, with a large, straight trunk. Leaves quite large (6—9 inches long and 

 i as wide), with large, uniform teeth, niucronate with the prolonged, 

 straight veins. Amcnts as lonof as the leaves and so numerous as to impart 

 their yellowish hue to the whole tree when in blossom. The nuts are about 

 3 together, of a peculiar brown, villous above, enclosed in the enlarged 

 cupule or burr which is beset on all sides with strong, compound, acute 

 spines. Timber coarse-grained, strong, elastic, light and very diirable, 

 hence much used for posts, &c. July. The nuts are smaller, but sweeter 

 than those of the European variety (the Spanish chestnut). Chestnut. 



3. FAGUS. 

 Sierile fl. in a globose ament ; calyx G-cleft, campanulate; 

 stamens 5— 12. Fcrlilf fi. 2, witliin a 4-lobed, prickly invol- 

 ucre ; calyx single, with 4—5 minute lobes ; styles 3; nut 

 l-seeded, enclosed within the enlarged, spiny involucre or 

 cupule. 



Gr. (Pnyoi, the beech ; it also signifies something eatable. Trees. 



1. F. ferrugi'nea. Jit. 



Leaves ovate-oblong, acuminate, pubescent beneath, coarsely dentate, 

 obtuse at base and oblique-subcordate ; nh't ovate, acutely triangular and very 

 acute at apex. A common forest tree, most abundant in N. England and the 

 British Provinces. Trunk tall and straight in forests, but like other trees, 

 with a more expansive top in open situations. Bark light gray and sn)oolh. 

 Branches irregular and crooked. Leaves with very regular, straight veins, 

 often persistent through the winter in their withered state. Nuts small, 2 

 together, invested with the burr-like cupule, oily, sweet and nutritious. 

 Timber of a daik reddish color, fine-grained, much used in turnery, mill- 

 gearing and in making joiners tools. Also extensively used tor fuel. May. 



Red Beech. 



2. F. SYLVA'tICA. L. S. sylvestris. Mx. 

 Leaves ovate, acuminate, slightly dentate, ciliate at the margin, acute at 



the base ; nuts ovate-triangular, obtuse-mucronate. Native of the forests of 



