DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. 19 
A tall shrub or slender, straggling tree, 15-30 ft. high, seldom 
growing erect, often several trunks springing from the ground 
almost in contact and slanting away from each other. 
ce. (B. niGRA), River or Rep Brrcen. Leaves ovate diamond- 
shaped, acute at both ends, twice serrate. Twigs very slender and 
drooping (Fig. 28), brownish or cinnamon-brown when young. Bark 
of the larger limbs and trunk loose, shaggy, reddish-brown. A tree 
30 to 50 ft. high. 
Il. CORYLUS, HAZELNUT. 
Staminate flowers in slender drooping catkins, each flower 
consisting of 8 stamens with 1-celled anthers. Pistillate 
flowers several, grouped in a scaly bud, each consisting of a 
single ovary in the axil of a bract and with a smaller bract at 
each side; ovary somewhat 2-celled with 2 ovules, only one 
of which matures; stigmas 2, long and slender; nut round- 
ish, hard-shelled, enclosed in a more or less fringed cup. 
Shrubs or small trees. 
a. (C. AMERICANA), HAzELNuT. Leaves roundish heart-shaped ; 
stipules acute, from a broad base ; involucre open, showing the nut. 
b. (C. ROSTRATA), BEAKED HAzeELNuT. Leaves little, if at all, 
heart-shaped ; stipules linear-lanceolate ; involucre completely cover- 
ing the nut and prolonged into a beak beyond it. (The latter 
species is not nearly as widely distributed as the former ; they can- 
not be readily ,distinguished from each other until the fruit is 
somewhat mature.) 
POLYGONACEZ, BUCKWHEAT FAMILY. 
Herbs with alternate, entire leaves and usually with 
sheathing stipules above the swollen joints of the stem. 
The apetalous flowers are generally perfect, with a 3-6-cleft 
calyx, generally colored and persistent. Fruit a compressed 
or 3-angled akene, enclosed in the calyx. Seeds with endo- 
sperm, which does not generally enclose the embryo. Stamens 
4-12, on the base of the calyx. 
I. RUMEX, DOCK, SORREL. 
Calyx of 6 nearly distinct sepals, the three inner somewhat 
colored and in fruit enclosing the akene, 1 or more of them 
