344 CUPUL1FER&. 



tlie base. Calyx 6-7-lobed. Sta.me.ns indefinite (10 in the British s|O, 

 filaments slender exserted. FEMALE fl. solitary. Calyx 3-8-lobed. <n-nr;i 

 3-celled ; styles 3. Fruit more or less ovoid, terete, 1 -seeded ; cupule of 

 imbricating scales. Feed with the remains of the septa and undeveloped 

 ovules attached to its upper or lower part ; cotyledons included in the 

 pericarp in germination. DISTIUB. Of the Order, excl. the S. hemisphere; 

 species about 250. ETVM. The Latin name. 



1. Q. Ro'bur, L. ; leaves deciduous oblong-obovate sinuate-lobed. 

 Woods, &c. ; once the chief forest tree of England ; ascends to 1,350ft. in the 

 Highlands; fl. April-May. 7VMtt/t60tolOOft.,70ft. in girth (Cowthorpe oak, 

 Yorkshire); bark rugged; branches tortuous. Leaves 3-6 in., sessile or 

 shortly petioled, narrowed rounded or cordate at the base, young pubescent 

 beneath, plaited in bud. Catkins 1-3 in., appearing with the leaves, pen- 

 dulous ; bracts linear ; flowers small in distant clusters ; sepals pilose. 

 Acorns ij-1 in., 2-3 together ; cupule with many appressed triangular obtuse 

 imbricating scales. DISTRIB. Europe, W. Asia from the Atlas, Taurus, and 

 Syria, almost to the Arctic circle. 



VAR. 1, sessiiiflvra, Sm. (sp.) ; leaves petioled, peduncles very short. V.\u. 2, 

 peduu'culata, Ehr. (sp. ) ; leaves sessile, peduncles long. 



a. FA'GUS, Tournef. BEECH. 



Trees. Leaves deciduous or evergreen; stipules caducous. MALI: il. hmg- 

 peduncled. Sepals 5-7. Stamens 8-16, filaments slender, exserted ; 

 anthers oblong. FEMALE fl. 1-3 ; involucre of 4 bracts. Calyx 6-toothed. 

 Ooanj 3-gonous, 3-celled ; styles 3, linear ; ovules 2 in each cell, pendu- 

 lous from the top. Fruits usually 3 together, 1- rarely 2-3-seeded, com- 

 pressed 3-gonous or 2-3-winged, enclosed in a hardened or coriaceous 

 4-lobed scaly involucre. Seed pendulous, crowned with the undi'vchiprd 

 ovules ; cotyledons plaited, leafy after germination DISTIUB. Temp. 

 Ivimpe, N. Asia (excl. the Himalaya), N. and S. America, S. Australia, 

 New Zealand ; species 15. ETYM. from <p6.y<a, from the eatable seeds. 



1. F. sylvat ica, /.. ; leaves deciduous oblong-ovate obscurely toothed. 

 Woods, especially on chalk and limestone, from Cheshire southwards ; planted 



in Scotland and Ireland, and up to 1,200 ft. in Yorkshire ; fl. April-May. 



T,-nk 118 ft. (Kings beech, Ashridge), and 29 ft. girth (Bicton, Devon} ; 



head 352 ft. diam. (Knowle beech) ; bark smooth, white ; lu-aiu-hcs hori- 



zontal ; buds acute. Leaves 2-3 in., shortly petioled, acuminate, silky when 

 young; plaited parallel to the nerves in bud; stipules scarious. .!//. '/. 

 capitate, pendulous; peduncle 1-2 in. ; anthers yellow; female on barter 



peduncles. Cupule ^ in., 4-cleft, segments bristly. Fruit S-quetrous, 

 smooth. DISTRIB. A triangular area between Norway, Asia Minor, and 

 Spain ; Japan. Wood used for tools, carpentry, and fuel ; fruit yields oil. 



3. CORYL'US, Tournef. HAZEL. 



Shrubs or small trees. Leaves deciduous in bud. .MALE .v/>/Av.v slender, 

 pendulous. Bracts cuneate, with 2 bracteoles above their inner base. 

 Perianth 0. Stamens 4 with 2-celled, or 8 with. 1-celled anthers, filaments 

 short. FEMALE fl. in pairs in each bract ; bracteoles 2. Fruit woody, 

 1-celled, 1-seeded, enclosed in the greatly enlarged coriaceous more or 

 less cut bract aud bracteoles. Cotyledons included in the nut in gcrmina- 



