320 amentacEjE. [Quercus. 



3- rarely 4-celled, with 2 pendulous ovules in each cell. Styles (or style- 

 branches) as many as ovary-cells, entire. Nut 1-seeded, either protruding 

 from a cup formed of the enlarged scales, or enclosed in the enlarged involucre, 

 which is then not prickly, and bursts irregularly when ripe. Cotyledons thick and 

 fleshy, entire or sometimes much corrugated, lobed, or crumpled. — Trees or 

 shrubs. Leaves entire, toothed, or lobed. Male catkins slender and inter- 

 rupted. Female involucres solitary, clustered or in spikes. 



A large genus, confined to the northern hemisphere both in the New and the Old World, 

 most abundant in temperate regions or in mountainous districts within the tropics. 



Sect. 1. Castaneopsis. — Involucre entirely enclosing the young nut, sometimes split- 

 ting open when ripe. Spikes usually erect, paniculate, with a glabrous rachis. 



Leaves 6 or 8 in. long, lepidote underneath 1. G.fissa. 



Leaves 2 to 4 in. long, green and glabrous on both sides 2. G. Eyrei. 



Sect. 2. Gyrolecana. — Cup surrounding the nut, the scales forming entire concentric 

 rings. Male spikes usually tomentose, slender, pendulous. 



Leaves lanceolate, glabrous . 3. G. salicina. 



Leaves obovate or oblong, obtuse, tomentose or lepidote underneath . . 4. Q. Championi. 



Sect. 3. Lepidobalanus. — Cup surrounding the nut, the scales imbricate, the tips 

 more or less prominent or distinct. Male spikes (in the Hongkong species) tomentose, erect, 

 paniculate. 



Leaves glaucous or lepidote underneath. Young branches tomentose . 5. G. thalassica. 

 Leaves green and glabrous on both sides. Branches glabrous. 



Nut brown and shining, very prominent above the cup. Leaves entire, 

 or scarcely sinuate. 

 Leaves usually oblong, 5 in. or more. Minor veins mostly trans- 

 verse. Flowers (always ?) dioecious 6. G. Harlandi. 



Leaves rather broad, 4 in. or less. Minor veins much reticulate. 



Flowers monoecious 7. G. Hancei. 



Nut very broad, slightly convex on the top and scarcely prominent 



above the cup. Leaves slightly ciliate-toothed 8. G. cornea. 



1. Q. fissa, Champ, in Kew Journ. Bot. vi. 114.; Seem. Bot. Her. t. 92. 

 A tree, young branches tomentose. Leaves stalked, elliptical or oblong, 

 shortly acuminate, 6 to 8 in. long, entire or slightly serrate, coriaceous, 

 glabrous and shining above, glaucous, silvery, or yellowish underneath with a 

 minute tomentum. Spikes erect, 4 to 6 in. long, in a terminal panicle ; the males 

 usually numerous, with 1 terminal female or androgynous one, and 1 or more 

 female spikes solitary in the lower axils. Rachis glabrous. Stamens 10 to 12. 

 Styles 3, very short. Involucre ovoid, 6 to 8 lines long, enclosing the nut 

 when young, afterwards bursting irregularly, slightly tomentose outside, silky 

 inside; the scales scarcely prominent and irregularly zoned. Nut ovoid. 

 Cotyledons intricately crumpled. 



In the Happy Valley woods, Champion, and at Little Hongkong, Wilford; also Wright. 

 Not known out of the island. 



2. Q. Eyrei, Benth. in Kew Journ. Bot. vi. 114. A glabrous tree. 

 Leaves stalked, ovate-lanceolate, long-acuminate, entire or with a few coarse 

 serratures, 2 to 3 or rarely 4 in. long, coriaceous, shining, green and glabrous 

 on both sides. Spikes \\ to 2 in. long, the males numerous in a terminal 

 panicle, the females simple and rather shorter, all quite glabrous except the 

 disk of the male flowers. Stamens 10 to 12. Styles 2 or 3, prominent, 

 obtuse, spreading. 



