376 VARIOUS PLANT GROUPS 
The family consists of woody plants without oil reservoirs 
or resinous excretions; but with simple, stipulate leaves; and 
monecious inflorescences, the staminate mostly amentaceous, 
the pistillate more or less enclosed in a cupule, which bears dis- 
tinct, scaly, or spiny bracts; and the pistils of three or more 
carpels with axile placente. 
124. The beech order (Fagales) comprises only the birch 
and the beech families. These agree in having monecious 
inflorescences with the staminate flowers mostly in aments, 
and the pistillate in spikes or heads; the flowers hypogynous or 
epigynous; the perianth leaves and stamens distinct and alternate; 
and the ovary with axile placente, and more or less completely 
divided into two or more cavities, all but one of which becomes 
obliterated in the fruit. 
See pages 414, 415 for the formula of Fagales. 
125. The walnut family (Juglandacez). Examples: wal- 
nut (Fig. 27, page 39), butternut (Fig. 28, page 40), pecan 
(Fig. 29, page 40), hickory (Fig. 30, page 41), and black 
walnut (Fig. 246, page 260). 
Formulas of Juglans, Carya, and Juglandacee are given on 
pages 414, 415. 
In general appearance the inflorescences of the walnut 
family resemble those of the beech and the birch, families, 
but there is a curious adherence between the bracts, Fractlens 
and perianth leaves, unlike anything we have seen. Those 
which belong to each flower are all more or less united to 
form what at first sight might be mistaken for perianth 
alone. 
The fruit is mostly a drupaceous nut recalling the almond, 
but with the tough fleshy part dehiscing into four valves and 
differing also in having the epigynous torus as a component 
part. 
The walnut family may be distinguished as consisting of 
trees with scented, pinnately compound, exstipulate leaves; and 
monecious inflorescences, the staminate amentaceous, the pis- 
tillate in heads; each pistil of two carpels; and the fruit a de- 
hiscent drupe with a nut-like stone. , 
126. The walnut order (Juglandales), contains only the 
