NATURAL OEDEEb. 283 



nate, pinnate. Flowers monoecious. Staminate flowers in 

 aments. Calyx adherent to a scale-like bract, irregular, mem- 

 braneous. Stmnens indefinite. Pistillate flowers in loose ter- 

 minal clusters or loose racemes. Calyx adherent to the ovary, 

 limb 3-5-parted. Corolla usually wanting, sometimes with mi- 

 nute petals. Ovai'y 2-4-celled; ovule solitary. Fruit drupa- 

 ceous, endocarp bony. Seed erect, without albumen ; ernhryo 

 large. Cotyledons fleshy, oily, sinuous. 



a. Properties: nuts edible, oily; the bark is often acrid. 

 Genera. — Juglans, Carya. 



522. CupuLiFEE^, the Gale Tribe. — Trees or sTirubs. Leaver 

 simple, alternate, often straight-veined, with deciduous stipules. 

 Flowers monoecious. Staminate flowers amentaceous. Calyx 

 scale-like. Stamens 5-20, inserted into the base of the calyx. 

 Pistillate flowers solitary or clustered. Ovary surrounded by 

 an involucre which incloses the fruit, or forms a cupule at its 

 base, 2-6-celled, with one or two pendulous ovules in each cell. 

 Fimit a 1-celled, 1-seeded nut. Seeds exalbuminous ; emlryo 

 large, with fleshy cotyledons. 



^ ' . * Fig. 205. 



Genera. — Carpinus, Ostrya, Corylus, Fagus, 

 Castanea, Quercus. 



Fig. 205, a, Pistillate flo-w"er of Corylus 

 avellana (hazel-nut), cut lengthwise to show 

 the two cells of the ovary, with a pendulous 

 ovule in each ; h, flower more advanced ; p, 

 perianth ; s, styles ; /, ripe fruit enveloped in 

 its involucre i ; c, seed separated ; t, integu- 

 ment, half of which is removed to show the exalbuminous embryo. 



523. Myeicace^, tTie Gale Tribe. — Shrubs or small trees. 

 Leaves simple, alternate, aromatic, covered with resinous glands 

 and dots. Flowers monoecious or dioecious. Stamens 2 to 8, 

 generally in the axil of a scale-like bract. Gvary 1-celled, sur- 

 rounded by hypogynous scales ; ovule solitary, erect. Fruit a 

 drupe, often covered with waxy secretions. Seed solitary ; em 

 hryo without albumen. 



Genera. — Myrica, Comptonia. 



?)'^A. Betulace^, the Birch Tribe. — Trees or shrubs. Leaves 

 alternate, simple, the primary veins often running straight 

 from the midrib to the margin ; stipules deciduous. Flowers 

 monoecious, amentaceous, with small scales for their calyx. 

 Stamens distinct, opposite the calycine scales. Gvary 2-celled ; 

 ovule solitary, pendulous. Fruit membraneous, indehiscent, 

 combined with the scales into a strobile. Seeds pendulous, ex- 

 albuminous ; embryo straight. 



a. Properties : the bark is sometimes astringent, that of the Birch is aromatic 

 Genera. — Betula, Alnus. 



