Angiosp: Dicot : Monoclilamydeae — Cupuliferae. &c. 



XIV. 



CUPULIFERAE {Gai. Plant., 1880), include families of Monochlamydeous 

 series witli reduced flowers (tending to trimery, dimery, dicliny, and anemophily), with 

 inflorescences more or less of catkin-habit and characteristic protective investments 

 of the developing fruit as ' cupulas ', &c. (Fagaceae, Betulaceae). With these may be 

 associated other stray residual series distinguished by different modes of ovary- 

 organization (superior or inferior, with axile, parietal, or basal placentation)— 

 Juglandaceae, Salicaceae— all with representatives in the British Flora, as also tropical 

 Casuarinaccae. Any evidence of a former petaloid state is wholly wanting. 



I. Betulaceae, flowers in catkins, monoecious, dimerous ; carpeIlary°flower with 

 ovary of 2 carpels, each loculus i ovule : fruit a nut with i seed, retaining traces of 

 endosperm, and storing fat : subtending bracts and prophylls more or less retained as 

 protective investment of fruit; cf. Bclula, Alntis, Coiylus, Car pin us, Ostvya of 

 N. Temp., with representative sp. in Himalya at 2 miles elevation— ^t/«A7 utUis at 

 the hmit of trees ; Alniis ni/ida, a large tree at lower elevations, and Carpinus viminca 

 near streams. 



Corylus Colurna, a moderate-sized deciduous tree of N\V. Himalya, often 

 gregarious ; staminate catkins abundant, pendulous, 4 in. ; fruits in large clusters 

 with lacini.ite cupule-involucre, enclosing small nuts with thick shells. 



II. Fagaceae : Flowers monoecious, trimerous ; carpellary flower with 3 (6) 

 carpels, axile placentation, 2 ovules per loculus; fruit a nut, i-seeded, without endo- 

 sperm, cotyledons store starch— cf. Qucrcus, Fagus, CaHanea of N. Temp, flora. 

 Fagt(s does not occur, and Castanea only as introduction. Quercus is at its optimum 

 in Hill-forest, 37 sp. ; cf. N\V. Himalyan types:— 



Quercus ineana, White Oak, Ban, gregarious in NW. Himalya at 4,000- 

 8,000 ft. (Simla level), with Rhododendron, Deodar and Pinus. A large evergreen 

 tree, 60-80 ft., dull-green leaves, coriaceous, serrated, and white below, 3-6" in. ; 

 Acorns solitary or in pairs, i in. long, ovoid, conical, pointed, in small rough woody 

 cupule, fruiting 15 months from flowering, and so borne on previous season's wood. 



Q. dilatata, Green Oak, IMoru, at elevations of 7,000-9,000 ft. (English level), 

 semi-gregarious, in ravines with Pu-m Morinda, &c. ; Leaves coriaceous, shining! 

 serrations jagged and pointed, nearly evergreen. Fruits, pointed, i in., nearly sessile', 

 in normal cupule, i in. diam. ; Fruiting 15-17 months after flowering. 



Q. semecarpifolia, Brown Oak, Kharshu, more deciduous ; older leaves 

 entire, 2-4 in., coriaceous, brown underneath, gregarious in upper zone of 8,000- 

 12,000 ft. (Alpine level) with Birch, Yew, &c. ; staminate catkins in bunches, 2-6 in. 

 long ; fruits solitary, taking 15 months, i in. diam., black, with rounded end, in thin 

 shallow cups with pointed scales. Cf. also of special interest :— 



Q. lamellosa, Buk, of E. Himalya (Darjeeling), 100-120 ft.; acorns 2-3 in. 

 diam., almost immersed in woody cupule, witl; about 10 concentric lamellar ring- 

 growths. 



Q. Griffithii of Assam and Burma, a large deciduous and gregarious tree, acorn 

 more cylindrical, on short spikes; also with remarkable scaly galls, to li in. 



Q. spicata, Pasania-ly^^t, a large evergreen tree, with shining leaves of 

 Caslanea-\)-\)t ; staminate catkins erect, in long panicled systems, to 8 in. ; carpellary 

 systems with many triads (30); in fruit to a foot long, with to 100 shining acorns, 

 cup \-\ in. diam. As extreme case cf. : — 



Q. magnifica, in evergreen forest of Shan States, woody cupule \ in. thick, and 

 acorn woody, \ in. thick wall, and lobed cotyledons. 



Castanopsis tribuloides, evergreen tree of E. Himalya and Hill-forest, more 

 or less gregarious; leaves coriaceous, entire; staminate catkins erect, in terminal 

 systems, in the manner of Castanea ; carpellary catkin with numerous triads, each 

 with spinous cupule o^ Castama type; in fruit to 10 in. long, with many burr-cupules, 



42 



