614 



BOTANY 



PAKT II 



The inflorescences on shoots of the current year bear in some cases only male 

 flowers, in others female flowers at the base and male flowers above. Flowers 



FIG. 608. Diagrams of the female dichasia of : A, Castanea vuljaris ; B, Fagus sylvatica ; C, diagram 

 of the single flower of Qiwrcus pedunculata. b, Bract ; a ft, bracteoles ; a, ft,, a' ft', bracteoles 

 of the secondary flowers adherent to the cupule. (After EICHLF.R.) 



grouped in dichasia. Female dichasia three-flowered (Fig. 608 A\ so that three 



nuts come to be enclosed within the spiny cupule, which splits into four valves. 



The Oaks, Quercus pedunculata (Figs. 609, 610) and Quercus sessiliflora, are the 



largest deciduous trees of European woods. 

 Leaves oval, margins sinuately lobed. The 

 pendulous male inflorescences spring, at 

 the time that the new foliage is expanding, 

 from axillary buds of the shoot of the pre- 

 ceding year or from the lowest buds of the 

 shoot of the current year ; flowers solitary, 

 consisting of a perianth of 5-7 segments 

 and 6-12 short stamens. Female inflores- 

 cences erect, few-flowered, in the axils of 

 the upper leaves of the shoot of the current 

 year. Flowers solitary ; in Q. peduncu- 

 lata with long stalks, in Q. sessiliflora 

 sessile. Each flower is invested by a cupule 

 longitudinal (Fig. 608 C}, which is at first inconspicuous, 

 but is fully developed on the ripe fruit. 



The Beech yields firewood, tar, and 

 pyroligneous acid ; the Oak provides a 

 valuable timber, a bark containing tannin 



used in tanning, and cork from the Cork-oak. 



OFFICIAL. The GALLS produced on the young twigs of Quercus infectoria as a 



result of puncture by the Gall-wasp, Gynips tinctoria ; Tannic Acid is obtained 



from these. 



FIG. 609. Quercus pedunculata, 



section of the female flower. 6, The young 

 cupule; e. ovule; a, ovary; c, perigone ; 

 /.style; g, stigma. (After BERG and 

 SCHMIDT, magnified.) 



Order 3. Saliciflorae 



Family Salicaceae. Trees and shrubs with simple, alternate, stipulate leaves. 

 Flowers in dioecious catkins, usually developed before the leaves. Both male 

 and female flowers are naked arid stand in the axils of bracts. More or less 

 developed scale-like development of the disc or floral receptacle. Ovary of two 

 carpels, unilocular. Fruit, a capsule containing numerous, parietal seeds. Seeds 

 without endosperm ; seed -coat with a tuft of hairs. 



