THE BEECH. 



63 



3. Simple and palmate, as in the maple, sycamore, 



and plane. 



4. Digitate, as in the horse-chestnut. 



5. Pinnate, as in the walnut and ash. 



Two or three of those in the second class have the 

 blade rather larger upon one side of the midrib than 

 upon the other. This is the case with the beech, the 

 margin of which is at the same time quite free 



Leaf of Beech-tree. 



from notches or incisions, and by these two simple 

 characters it may thus, under any circumstances, 

 be identified. In general figure the leaf is ovate, or 

 of the shape of the vertical section of an egg, but 

 pointed at the extremity ; the stalk is very short ; the 

 primary veins proceed towards the margin in 

 parallel and nearly equidistant lines ; and the sur- 

 face is quite smooth. 



