C42 ORDER 119. CUPULIFER^E. 



and a comparatively small kernel difficult of extraction. Taste inferior to the 

 Bhellbark. Wood with a small duramen, excellent (or fuel. Apr., May. 



7 C. glabra Torr. PIGXUT. Lfts. 5 or 7, ovate-lauceolate, subacuminate, serrate, 

 nearly glabrous both sides; fruit roundith-obovate ur pyriform, half 4-vnlved; nut 

 smooth and even or slightly angular, hard, thin-shelled, with a bitterish but eatable 

 kernel. Forests U. S. and Can., growing to the height of 60 lOOf. Trunk 1 to 

 2^f diam., covered with a moderately even bark. Lfts. mostly 7, often 5. some- 

 times 9, the odd one tapering to .1 short stalk. The fruit is considerably variable 

 in form and quality, often pear-shaped, then obovate or roundish, always some- 

 what bitter. Wood exceedingly tough and hard, and excellent for fuel Mar., 

 May. (Juglans, Muhl. C. porcina Nutt) 



8 C. microcarpa Nutt. Lfts. 5 or 7, oblong-lanceolate, glabrous, glandular be- 

 neath. serrate, conspicuously acuminate ; aments glabrous / fr. roundish-ovoid, 

 valves thin, united below; nut thin-shelled, small, slightly quadrangular. A large 

 tree fiO to 80f high, in moist woodlands, Penn. to Ky. and Tenn.? Trunk 1 to 

 2f diam. with an even bark. Lfts. mostly 5, often 7, 4 to 8' by 2 to 3', the under 

 surface tufted in the axils of the veinlets, and sprinkled with dark glandular dots. 

 Fruit about the size of a nutmeg. Nut with a thin shell, not mucronate, eatable. 

 May. 



ORDER CX1X. CUPULTFERJE. MASTWORTS. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple, straight-veined, with deciduous stipules. 

 Flowers monoecious, the sterile in aments which are racemed or capitate. $ Calyx 

 scale-like or regular, with 5 to 20 stamens inserted at its base. Calyx tube 

 adherent to the ovary, the toothed limb crowning its summit. Ovary 2 to 3 to 6- 

 celled, with sessile stigmas and 1 or 2 ovules in each cell. Fruit a 1 -celled, 1-seeded 

 nut, solitary or several together invested by an involucre which forms a scaly or 

 cchinate cupule. Seed destitute of albumen, filled by the embryo with its large 

 cotyledons. Illust. in figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, 71, 138, 139, 140, 202, 418, 438, 471, 472, 473, 

 474. 46. B. 



Genera. 8, species 265, constituting a, l.irge portion of the forests of the northern temperate 

 regions, find of mountainous tracts within tho tropics. 



Properties. The bark of the oak and other genera is well known for its astringent qualities. 

 The edible fruit of the hazel-nut, chestnut, beech, &c., are loo well known t<> require description. 

 Cork is the bark of Quercus Stiher. Nutt palls are produced from the petioles uf Q. infectoria of 

 Asia Minor, being caused by wounds made by insects. But the timber is of the highest quality 

 and value. 



Sterile flowers in aments fertile, solitary, or few together. (*) 



* Involucre of many scales, valveless, cup-like, partly enclosing tho 1 nut ____ QITRRCUS. 1 



* Involucre of prickly scales, 4-valved, enclosing 2 or 3 nuts ................. CASTANEA. 2 



* Involucre of soft, prickly scales, 4-val vcd, enclosing 2 nuts. . . ................. FAGUS. 3 



* Involucre of 2 or 3 large, lacerated, united scales, valveless, -with 1 2 nuts..CoRYLUS, 4 

 J Sterile flowers and fertile, both kinds in pendulous aments. (*) 



* Involucre scales in pairs, with their edges united, inflated ................... OSTKTA. 5 



* Involucre scales in pairs, distinct, 8-lobed, becoming leaf-like .............. CAEPINFS. 6 



1. QUER'CUS, L. OAK. (Celtic quer, fine, cute, tree. The Celtic 

 name is drys, lience druid.) $ Fls. in loose aments ; calyx mostly 5- 

 cleft; stamens 5 10. ? Cupule cup-shaped, scaly; ovary 3-celled, 

 6-ovuled (Fig. 418), 2 of the cells and 5 of the ovules abortive; stigmas 

 3 ; nut (acorn) coriaceous, l-celled, 1-seedcd, surrounded at the base 

 by the enlarged, cup-shaped, scaly cupule. A noble genus of trees, 

 rarely shrubs. Aments axillary, pendulous, filiform, with the flowers 

 separate, in one section, not maturing fruit until the second year (fruit 

 biennial). Timber invaluable. Fig. 420. 



