AJIENTIFERiE. 157 



Sub-Species n.— Quercus sessiliflora. SaU^h. 



Plate MCCLXXXIX. 



neich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XII. Tab. DCXLIV. Fig. 1300. 

 G. Robur, Willd. Reich. Ic. 1. c. p. 7. 



G. Robur, var. /3, sessiliflora. HooJc. & Am. Brit. Fl, cd. viii, p. 417. Hah. Man. Brit, 

 Bot. ed. vi. p. 319, Beuth. Handbk. Brit. Fl. ed. ii. p. 422. 



Leaves conspicuously stalked, regularly sinuate-pinnatifid ; lobes 

 generally divided less than half-way down to the midrib, and becoming 

 smaller towards or not extending to the apex, the sinus between them 

 commonly forming nearly a right angle or an obtuse angle. Fruit 

 peduncle shorter than the acorn, and usually shorter than the petiole. 



Var. a, genuina. 

 Q. sessiliflora, Letght. Fl. Sbrop. p. 474. 



Petioles long. Peduncle shorter than the cup of the acorn. 



Yar. /3, intermedia, 

 G. intermedia, Bon. ; LeigJit. Fl. Shrop. p. 473, 



Petioles rather short. Peduncle longer than the cup of the acorn. 



In woods, copses, hedgerows, &c. Less common than Q. 2:)edun- 

 culata, though as widely distributed. Apparently rare and local in 

 Ireland, and only known to occur in the north. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Tree. Spring. 



Generally a smaller tree than Q. pedunculata, with the leaves larger, 

 broader, flatter, and with more of the aspect of those of the sweet- 

 chestnut, the petiole longer, and the base more gradually attenuated 

 into it; besides this, the acorns are on peduncles so short as to be 

 almost sessile, at the same time the two subspecies appear to pass 

 insensibly into each other, as shown in a paper by the late Dr. 

 Greville in Trans. Bot. Soc. Edin. vol. i. p. G5. 



Sessile-fruited Oak, 



Frencb, CMiie d fruits sessiles. German, Traiiben-Eiclie. 



In comparing the wood of tlie two species of British, oak, that of Q. jiediinculata is 

 found the most easy to split, and the stifiest and easiest to break, and yet the most 

 diflicult to bend, while that of Q. sessilijlora has the advantage in toughness and 

 weight. Notwithstanding this comparison, the wood of both kinds is used indiscrimi- 

 nately for all purposes, and the remarks made on the former species are equally 

 applicable to the present one. The beauty of oak foliage is universally allowed, but 

 that of Q. sessilijlora may be said to be most admii'ed in single leaves, and that of the 

 other species in tufts of leaves. This species is known by Ihc name of Durmast, and 

 the characteristics of its wood arc said to depend on the smaller proportion of silver 



