208 



THE WHITE OAK. 



blossoms and frnit of any Oak will, however, serve for this 

 lesson. 



Analysis (generic). — The Oaks put forth two kinds of 

 flowers on the same tree. The sterile or staminate ( <^ ) are 



Fig. LVI.— Quercus alba. 



disposed in long, slender, pendulous clusters called aments 

 or cathins, several from one bud. They consist merely of a 

 5-8-1 obed calyx Avith 5-8 stamens. The fertile or pistillate 

 (?) are solitary, or few together — each an ovary with 3 

 stigmas invested with a scaly involucre. The ovary is 

 3-celled, with 2 pendulous, anatropous ovules in ea^h cell. 



