474 



ANGIOSPERMS 



or of a number of stamens borne in the axil of a small scale or 

 bract. 



The Weeping Willow, so named because of its drooping 

 branches, is cultivated for its beauty. The growing of Basket 

 Willows for sprouts, which are woven into baskets, chairs, and 



other articles, is an industry 

 of considerable importance. 

 Willows are easily propagated, 

 taking root readily when 

 transplanted or from cuttings. 

 They grow especially well near 

 water and are often planted 

 along river banks where they 

 prevent the cutting away of 

 the banks by floods. A num- 

 ber of the Poplars, such as 

 the Aspens, Balm of Gilead, 

 and Cottonwood, are culti- 

 vated for shade. The Cot- 

 tonwood grows to be a very 

 large tree and is of some 

 value for lumber. Both Wil- 

 lows and Poplars are used in 

 making medicinal charcoal, 

 and a number of substances, 

 such as salicin, populin, 

 tannin, and a volatile oil are 

 obtained from their bark. 



Walnut Family (Juglan- 

 daceae). This family com- 

 prises the Walnuts and Hick- 

 ories. The Walnuts and 



Hickories are monoecious, and their flowers are generally apetal- 

 ous, although in some cases the pistillate flowers have petals 

 The staminate flowers are borne in catkins, while the pistillate 

 flowers are borne singly or in small clusters (Fig. 416)- 



The White Walnut (Juglans cinered), called Butternut, and the 

 Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) are the most common Walnuts in 

 the United States. The European Walnut (Juglans regia), not- 

 able for its delicately flavored nuts, is grown in California and 



FIG. 416. The flowers and fruit 

 of the Black Walnut. At the left, a 

 branch bearing a catkin of staminate 

 flowers below and two pistillate flowers 

 above (Xf). At the right, above, a 

 pistillate flower, showing the pistil 

 enclosed in bracts which form the husk 

 of the fruit; next, below, a staminate 

 flower, showing the bracts and the 

 stamens; at the bottom, a fruit 

 After Burns and Otis. 



