GROUP V. ANGI08PERlt : DICOTYLEDOXES. 



521 



the pendulous <J catkin are closely packed : they have a perianth of 4-7 

 segments, and 8-12 stamens. The erect $ catkin consists of two flowers 

 only, which are invested by a tetramerous cupule. The cupule is covered 

 Avith hard bristles, and when ripe splits into four valves to allow the two 

 triquetrous fruits to escape ; each fruit bears at its apex a brush-like rem- 

 nant of the perianth. The ovules are suspended. The ? inflorescences 

 are borne on erect axes in the axils of the leaves of the apical shoot of the 

 same year, the <? on pendulous axes springing from the axils of the lower 

 leaves of the shoot. Leaves distichous, approaching each other on the 

 under surfaces of the shoots, their axillary buds approaching each 

 other on the upper surface : the winter-buds are elongated and pointed. 

 The epigean cotyledons escape from the seed on germination. Fa gun 

 sylvatica is the common Beech : varieties with tinted leaves, such as the 

 Purple Beech and the Copper B^ech, are commonly cultivated. 



In Castanea, the edible or Spanish Chestnut, some of the catkins consist 

 at their lower part of ? flowers and at their upper of <J flowers, whilst 

 others have only <J flowers. In the axil of each bract there are usually 

 either seven <? or three ? flowers : the latter are invested by the 

 bracteoles a and /3, and by a cupule formed by the other four bracteoles ; 

 the cupule, which is covered with prickles, completely encloses the fruit 

 until it is ripe, when it splits into four valves. Both kinds of catkins are 

 formed in the axils of leaves of shoots of the same year, the mixed catkins 

 being nearer to the apex than the <J ones. The ovules are suspended. The 

 leaves are arranged spirally on vigorous shoots ; they are distichous on the 

 less vigorous lateral shoots. C. vulyaris, from Southern Europe, is culti- 

 vated in parks ; it has undivided toothed leaves. 



Order 4. JUGLAXDACE^E. Flowers monoecious, the two kinds of 

 flowers being contained in distinct catkins. Each bract bears in 

 its axil a single flower with 

 two bracteoles. The ? 

 flower has usually a peri- 

 anth : the inferior ovary is 

 dimerous, and encloses a 

 single erect orthotropous 

 ovule. The <$ flowers are 

 usually borne on the bract ; 



, , Fig. 33*.^ Bract of the <J catkin of Jugian* 



they may or may not have a nigra bearing a flower . p perianth and bract- 

 perianth, and the Stamens eole* ; stamens ; * axis of the catkin. B $ 

 j -A /!? QQ/4 A\ flower of the ssme plant: I bracteoles; e peri- 



are indefinite (Fig. 334,1). anth; ngtigmata (magnifle d). 



The fruit is drupaceous ; the 



leaves are pinnate, and, like the flowers, they are aromatic. 



In Juglans the $ catkins are borne on the apices of the leafless shoots of 

 the previous year, and the few-flowered ? catkins on the apices of the 

 leafy shoots of the same year. The bracteoles of the ? flowers (Fig. 8*4 /) 



