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CUPULIFER^E. (oak family.) 
involucre which forms a cup or covering to the l-celled 1- 
seeded nut. Ovary 2-7-celled, with 1-2 pendulous anatro* 
pous ovules in each cell; but all the cells and ovules except 
one disappearing in the fruit. Calyx adherent to the ovary, 
the minute teeth crowning its summit. Seed with no albu¬ 
men, filled with the embryo : cotyledons very thick and 
fleshy: radicle short, superior. 
Synopsis. 
* Fertile flowers scattered or few in a cluster. 
1. Quercus. Involucre 1-flowered, of many imbricated small scales, 
forming a cup around the base of the hard and rounded nut. 
2. Castanea. Involucre 2-3-flowered, forming a prickly burr in¬ 
closing 1-3 coriaceous nuts, opening at length by 4 valves. 
3. Fagus. Involucre 2-flowered, rather prickly, 4-valved, inclosing 
2 sharply 3-angled nuts. Sterile flowers in capitate clusters. 
4. Corylus. Involucre 1- 2-flowered, formed of 2-3 confluent 
scales, which become leafy-coriaceous, much enlarged and 
cut or torn at the apex, inclosing a bony nut. 
* * Fertile flowers clustered in a kind of ament. 
5. Carpinus. Involucre a separate open leaf. 
6. Ostrya. Involucre a bladdery bag, 1-flowered. 
1. 4IIEBCIIS, L. Oak. 
Sterile flowers clustered in slender and naked drooping catkins, 
without bracts: calyx 6-8-parted: stamens 6-12: anthers 2- 
celled. Fertile flowers scattered or somewhat clustered, consist¬ 
ing of a 3-celled 6-ovuled ovary with a 3-lobed stigma, inclosed by 
a scaly bud-like involucre which becomes an indurated cup (cm- 
pule) around the base of the rounded nut or acorn. Cotyledons re¬ 
maining underground in germination. — Flowers greenish or yel¬ 
lowish, the fertile inconspicuous. Aments several from the same 
scaly bud. (The classical Latin name.) All flower in April and 
May, and shed their nuts in October. 
* Fruit ripening the first year , mostly peduncled : leaves with the teeth 
or lobes not bristly-pointed. 
Leaves sinuate-lobed or pinnatifid. (White Oaks.) 
1- Q. illba, L. (White Oak.) Leaves smooth , pale or glau¬ 
cous underneath , bright green above , obovate-oblong, obliquely and 
deeply cut into 3-5 oblong or linear and obtuse mostly entire lobes; 
cup hemispherical, roughish, naked, much shorter than the ovoid cr ob - 
35* 
