332 CUPULIFER^. 



1. C. vesca var. Aviericana Mich. : leaves oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, 

 mucronate-serrate, smooth on both sides. C. vesca Willd. 



Dry woods. N. Y. to Car. W. to 111. May, June. — A large tree, and one of 

 the most useful. Leaves 6 inches long, pubescent beneath when young. Ste- 

 rile aments or spikes as long as the leaves. Flowers yellowish, in dense brac- 

 teate clusters, giving out an unpleasant odor. Nuts generally 3, much smaller 

 than in the European chestnut. The wood is extremely durable and is highly 

 esteemed for posts and rails to construct fences. American Chestnut. 



2, C. pumila Mich. : leaves oblong, acute, mucronate-serrate, white-to- 

 mentose beneath, Fagus pumila Linn. 



Sandy fields and woods. N. Y. to Geor. May. — A shrub or small tree, at 

 the North being seldom more than 10 or 12 feet high. Leaves smaller than in 

 the preceding and white beneath. Nut ovoid, acute, very sweet, half as large 

 as that of the preceding. The wood is durable, but too small to be converted 

 to much use. Chinquapin. 



5. CORYLUS. Linn— Hazel Nut. 

 (Trora the Greek Kopvs, a helmet or cup ; in allusion to the involucrate fruit.) 

 Monoecious. Sterile Fl. Ament cylindric; scales 3 -cleft, 

 the middle lobe covering the two lateral ones. Perianth none. 

 Stamens 8. Anthers 1 -celled. Fertile Fl. numerous, in ter- 

 minal capitate scaly clusters. Perianth obsolete. Stigmas 2. 

 Nut bony, roundish-ovoid, obtuse, surrounded by the enlarged 

 coriaceous and lacerately toothed involucre. 



1. C. Americana Walt.: leaves roundish-cordate, acuminate; involucre 

 roundish-campanulate, larger than the subglobose nut; border dilated, 

 many-cleft. 



Shady woods. Can. to Flor. W. to Miss, and Ark. March, April. T^. — 

 Stem 4 — 8 feet high, with virgate branches, pubescent when young. Nut about 

 half an inch long and often a little compressed ; the kernel of a fine flavor. 



American Hazel Nut. Wild Filbert. 



2. C. rostrata Ait. : leaves oblong-ovate, acuminate, doubly serrate.; 

 stipules linear-lanceolate ; involucre tubular-campanulate, longer than the 

 nut, 2-parled, with incised segments. 



Mountain woods. Can. to Car. May. Vi- — Stem 3 — 4 feet high. Leaves 

 on short petioles, slightly cordate. Involucre terminating in a tube about 2 

 inches long, the lower part enveloping the nut and densely hairy. Easily dis- 

 tinguished from the preceding, by its narrow leaves and long beaked involucre. 



Beaked Hazel Nut. 



6. FAGUS. Lin7i,— Beech. 

 (From the Greek (payw, to eat ; in allusion to the esculent fruit.) 

 Monoecious. Sterile Fl. Ament globose, pedunculate. 

 Perianth campanulate, 6-cleft. Stamens 8 — 12. Fertile Fl. 

 2 within a 4-lobed prickly involucre. Perianth with 4 — 5 mi- 

 nute lobes. Ovaries triquetrous, 3 -celled, 2 abortive. Styles 

 3. Nuts usually 2, invested by the enlarged coriaceous muri- 

 cate 4 -cleft involucre. 



