426 MYRICACE^. (wax-myrtle FAMILY.) 



6. OSTRYA, Micheli. Hop-HornbeaxM. 



Sterile flowers in drooping cylindrical aments, each in the axil of a scale-like 

 bract, destitute of a calyx. Stamens with the filaments irregularly united. Fer- 

 tile flowers in a short terminal crowded spike, eacli enclosed in a membranaceous 

 involucre. Ovary 2-celled, 2-ovuled, bearded at the apex. Stigmas 2, filiform. 

 Fruiting involucre inflated, nerved, hairy or bristly at the base, enclosing the 

 solitary pointed nut. — Small trees, with ovate or oblong serrate short-petioled 

 deciduous leaves. Flowers appearing with the leaves. 



1. O. Virginica, Willd. (Hop-Hornbeam) Leaves ovate-oblong, sharp- 

 ly and simply serrate, acuminate, rounded or slightly cordate at the base, pubes- 

 cent; fertile spike cone-like, short-peduncled ; the imbricated involucres oblong, 

 mucronate, bristly at the base. — Eich woods, Florida, and northward. March. 

 — A small tree, with hard and close-grained wood. 



Order 129. MYRICACE^. (Wax-Myrtle Family.) 



Chiefly shrubs, Avith simple alternate leaves, with or without stipules, 

 and monoecious or dicEcious flowers, disposed in aments, destitute of calyx 

 or corolla, each in the a.xil of a simple bract. Stamens 2 - 10 ; the short 

 filaments free or partly united : anthers 2-celled. Ovary solitary, 1-celled, 

 surrounded at the base with a row of scales. OauIc solitary, orthoti-opous 

 or amphitropous. Involucre none. Stigmas 1-2, elongated. Fruit a dry 

 1-seedcd drupe. Albumen none. Cotyledons fleshy. Radicle superior. 



Synopsis. 



* Seed orthotropous. Plants dotted with resinous glands. 



1. MYRICA. Flowers dioecious. Filaments united below. Leaves serrate or entire. Stip- 



ules none. 



2. COMPTONIA. Flowers monoecious. Filaments forking. Leaves pinnatifid. Stipules 



half-cordate. 



* « Seed amphitropous. Plant destitute of glands. 



3. LEITNERIA. Flowers dioecious. Filaments distinct. Stigma solitary. Leaves entire. 



Stipules none. 



1. MYRICA, L. Wax-Mtrtle. Batberry. 



Flowers in short axillary aments, dioecious, each in the axil of a scale-like 

 bract. Calyx and corolla none. Stamens 2-10, with the filaments united 

 below. Ovary enclosed in a cup of 3 - 5 rounded scales. Ovule orthotropous. 

 Stigmas 2 (rarely 4), flattened on the inner face, widely spreading. Nut glo- 

 bose, covered with waxy grains. — Shrubs or small trees, dotted with minute 

 resinous and odorous glands. Branches clustered. Leaves short-petiolcd, serrate 

 or entire. Stipules none. 



1. M. cerifera, L. (Wax-Myrtle. Bayberry.) Branch lets pubescent ; 

 leaves lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, mostly obtuse, entire, or with a few sharp 



