200 



CUPULIFER^. 



[part I. 



THE GENUS CORYLUS. 



The Hazel Nut (Corylus Avellana) has the 

 male and female flowers on the same tree ; the 

 male being in long catkins and the female ones 

 in little oval buds, something like those of the 

 Oak, (see a mjig. 90.) which are so small that 

 they would hardly be seen on the tree, if it 

 were not for their bright red stigmas. The 



male flowers {fig. 

 91) have each three 

 bracts, one behind 

 the two others, to 

 the inner ones of 

 which are attached 

 eiarht stamens. As 

 the buds containing 

 the female flowers 

 expand, two or three small leaves make their 

 appearance between the scales {h mfig. 90), so 

 that gradually the bud becomes a 

 little branch, bearing the female 

 flowers at its tip. Each flower has 

 two long stigmas, and the ovary is 

 enclosed in a closely-fitting calyx {c) 

 toothed at the upper part, the whole 

 being enveloped in a deeply cut in- 1^^« 

 volucre (c?), which afterwards becomes 

 the husk of the ripe nut. This in- 



FiG. 90.— The Hazel (Corylus 

 Avellana). 



91— Male 

 flower of the 

 Hazel. 



