MONCECIA. POLY AND. 273 



a purplish colour. Berries crowded into an oblong spike, of a bright 

 scarlet colour. 



15. POTEUIUM. 



1. P. Sanguisorba (common Burnet), thorns none, stem some- 

 what angular, stamens much longer than the cal. E. B, t. 860. 



HAB. Dry pastures, occasionally. Sandy banks near the Clyde at 

 Dalbeith, Hoph. Daldowie, Dr. Brown. Road-side between Dun- 

 fermline and Saline : and Eildon hills, near Montrose, Maugh. 

 Fl. July. U . 



Stems 1 2 feet" high. Leaves pinnate. Leaflets ovate, serrated. 

 Flowers on longish terminal stalks, in round heads of a dull purplish 

 colour. Sterile jl. mostly at the base ; fertile ones mostly at the 

 extremity. Style much exserted, with a large radiated stigma. 



16. QUERCUS. 



1. Q. Robur (common British Oak), leaves deciduous dilated 

 towards the extremity, obovato-oblong sinuatecl and lobed their 

 sinuses rather acute their lobes obtuse, fruitstalks elongated. 

 Light/, p. 581. E. B. t. 1342. 



HAB. In the Lowlands, frequent ; in the Highlands very dwarfish, sel- 

 dom attaining to a trunk, except in sheltered situations near gen- 

 tlemen's houses, Lightf. FL May. ^ 



The uses of the wood and the bark of this most invaluable tree are 

 too generally known to require that I should speak of them here. 

 The acorns were formerly the food of our British ancestors ; but are 

 now left to hogs and squirrels. 



2. Q. sessiliflora (sessile-fruited Oak), leaves deciduous petiolate 

 oblong sinuated and lobed the sinuses rather acute the lobes 

 obtuse, fruit sessile. E. B. t. 184,5. 



HAB. Rosslyn woods, Maugh. Edge of Birnam Wood, near Dunkeld, 

 and it is probably not uncommon, Hook. Fl. May. P? . 



This species is well distinguished from Q. Robur by its sessile fruit : 

 its wood also is said to be very inferior to that of the common oak. 



17. CASTANEA. 



1. C. vulgaris (Spanish Cliesnut Tree), leaves oblongo-lanceo- 

 late acuminate mucronato -serrate glabrous on each side. L)e- 

 cand. Fl. Gall. Syn. p. 181. E. B. t. 886 (Fagus Castanea). 



HAB. This occurs in plantations, but is not indigenous, Lightf. FL 

 May. I? . 



Surely a distinct genus from Fagus, although the learned and excel- 

 lent author of E. Bot. is of a different opinion, and condemns Gsert- 

 ner for separating it. This beautiful' tree is now much cultivated 

 in plantations for its timber. Evelyn tells us " it hath formerly 

 built a good part of our ancient houses in the city of London. I had 

 once a very large barn near the city entirely framed of it." It af- 

 fords excellent stakes for pallisades and props for vines and hops. 

 It is good for mill timber and for water-works ; but if water touch 

 the roots of the growing tree it spoils both the fruit and timber. 



T 



