26 



BOTANY. 



CASTANEA CHRYSOPHYLLA, Dougl. The western chinquapin. 

 C. CHRYSOPHYLLA, Dougl. Hook. Flor. Bor.-Amer. 2, p. 159. 

 C. SEMPER VIRENS, Kelloyg. Proc, Col. Acad. Sc. 1, p. . 



Fig. 4. 



Fig. 4. Branch, leaves, male flowers, and fruit of C. chrysophylla, natural size. 

 Fig. 4of. Nut of C. chrysophylla, natural size. 



Description. An evergreen shrub or tree of California and Oregon. Leaves broad-lanceolate, 

 acute, thick, entire, glabrous, dark green above ; below covered with a golden-yellow powder ; 

 aments clustered at the ends of branches, two inches long, usually with a few female flowers at 

 the base ; nuts triangular, pointed ; testa hard, of a light-brown color ; each nut enclosed in a 

 very spinous burr ; fruit agglomerated ; kernel eatable. 



We found the chinquapin growing in great abundance in the mountains of California and 

 Oregon. It usually forms a low shrub, fruiting freely when not more than three feet in height. 

 In the Cascade mountains of Oregon, however, it forms a handsome tree thirty feet in height, 

 having a grayish-green smooth bark, very much like that of the young chestnut. It is said 

 sometimes to attain the height of sixty feet. The contrast of color between the upper and lower 

 surfaces of the leaves has a fine effect, making the plant well worthy of cultivation for orna 

 ment. The nut contains a kernel which has an agreeable taste, and is much sought by the 



