HIPPOCASTANACEAE 



The Buckeyes and Horsechestnuts 

 Characteristics of the Genus Aesculus L. 



HABIT. Handsome shrubs to medium-sized trees with dense, 

 rounded crowns; commonly planted as ornamentals for their 

 flowers or foliage. 



LEAVES. Opposite; palmately compound with 5-9 serrate 

 leaflets arising at the end of a long stem; deciduous; stipules 

 absent. 



FLOWERS. Regular; polygamo-monoecious; bell-shaped; 

 in many-flowered, showy, upright panicles; yellow, red, or 

 white; flowers near base of panicles perfect and fertile; calyx 

 5-lobed (rarely 2-lobed); petals 4-5; stamens 5-8, inserted on 

 the disc; ovules 3-valved, 2 in each cell; appearing after the 

 leaves. 



FRUIT. A large, leathery, smooth to spiny capsule, con- 

 taining one or more large, lustrous, brown, leathery-coated 

 seeds marked by a large light colored hilum which gives the 

 name of buckeye to this genus. 



TWIGS. Stout; round; marked by conspicuous triangular 

 leaf scars; pith large, circular, light-colored. Winter buds: 

 terminal present, large, scaly, resin-covered in some species. 



BARK. Intermediate in thickness; fissured and scaly; bitter. 



WOOD. Moderately important; fine textured; diffuse-porous; 

 creamy white; used for containers, novelties, furniture, etc. 



SILVICAL CHARACTERS. Moderately tolerant; varied 

 sites; fast-growing; short-lived; in mixed hardwood stands. 



GENERAL. This genus contains about 20 species scattered 

 over the Northern Hemisphere, with 7 species native to the 

 United States; the European horsechestnut, A. hippocastanum 

 L., is widely planted and has escaped from cultivation in the 

 northern states; the red buckeye, x A. carnea Hayne, is a hybrid 

 of A. hippocastanum and A. pavia often planted for its red flowers. 



* * * 



TAMARICACEAE 



Tamarix. Tamarisk 

 Tamarix-gallica L. 



A large shrub or small tree introduced from Europe but 

 more or less naturalized in the south and central parts of the 

 west. Characterized by alternate, scalelike, feathery, sparse 

 leaves (resembling those of conifers); showy, pink flowers; and 

 3-5 valved, capsular fruit containing many minute seeds. 



[308] 



