DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS 49 



15. MYRICACE^. Bayberry Family. 



Shrubs with alternate, simple, resinous-dotted leaves ; 

 monoecious or dioecious. Flowers in short, bracted catkins, 

 perianth none. Staminate flowers 2-10, stamens inserted on 

 the receptacle. Pistillate flowers surrounded by 2-6 scales. 

 Ovary 1-celled, style short, stigmas 2. 



I. MYRICA, L. 



Shrubs or small trees with the branches clustered at the 

 end of the growth of the previous season. Leaves short- 

 petioled, entire, lobed or toothed, the margin usually revo- 

 lute, without stipules. Perianth none. Staminate flowers in 

 oblong or cylindrical catkins, stamens 2-10, with the fila- 

 ments united below. Pistillate flowers surrounded by a cup 

 of 2-6 scales, ovary solitary, becoming a 1-celled, roundish 

 stone-fruit or nut, often covered with waxy grains. Whole 

 plant usually fragrant."* 



1. M. cerifera, L. Waxberry, Bayberry. A spreading shrub or 

 small tree ; young brandies downy. Leaves lanceolate or oblong- 

 lanceolate, entire or sometimes serrate near the mostly obtuse apex, 

 smooth or downy on the veins beneath, tapering into a short petiole. 

 Flovv'ers mostly dioecious. Staminate catkins numerous, stamens 4. 

 Pistillate catkins small, bracts slightly 3-lobed, scales of the ovary 4, 

 fringed with hairs ; stigmas 2. Fruit very abundant, incrusted with 

 white wax, i-i in. in diameter, sometimes persistent for 2 or 3 years. 

 Common on wet soils, especially near the coast.* 



2. M. asplenifolia, EndL Sweet Fern. A shrub 2 ft. or less in 

 height, with brown twigs. Leaves fern-like, linear-lanceolate, 20-30- 

 lobed, 3-5 in. long and very fragrant. Often monoecious. Staminate 

 catkins cylindrical. Pistillate catkins globular. Ovary surrounded 

 by 8 long, linear, awl-shaped, hairy and glandular scales which en- 

 circle the ripened fruit. Nut nearly ovoid, smooth, smaU, but eaten 

 by children. 



16. JUGLANDACE^. Walnut Family. 



Trees with alternate, odd-pinnate leaves without stipules. 

 Flowers monoecious, the staminate in long and drooping 

 catkins^ stamens few or many. Calyx 2-6-parted. Fertile 



