CATKIN-BEARING TREES 289 



Beech 



The Beech (Fagns sylvatica) (Fig. 190) is one of the 

 largest of British trees and occurs most extensively in the 

 chalk districts of the south of England. In the north it 

 is commonly planted, but doubtfully native. It attains 

 a height of one hundred to one hundred and twenty feet ; 

 and in woods it develops a tall, straight trunk, extending 

 to the crown and having few branches below. In the open 

 it forms large branches low down on the trunk, and in 

 consequence its wide-spreading crown comes nearly to the 

 ground. From its base several massive buttresses are given 

 off, which extend into the shallow main roots. Its bark is 

 thin, very smooth and olive grey, and on the exposed side 

 of the trunk numerous shoots may develop, which serve 

 to protect it. 



Two kinds of branches are formed, and give a character- 

 istic aspect to the tree : (1) the quick-growing, slender, 

 zigzag shoots with a bud standing off at each bend (Figs. 74 

 and 191), and (2) the slow-growing dwarf shoots, the ages 

 of which may be determined by counting the sets of scale- 

 scars on them (see p. 115). 



The end bud of the long shoot sometimes dies, then 

 growth is continued by the next bud below, which gives 

 rise to a long shoot. The lower, lateral buds are displaced 

 to the upper side of the leaf-scar and form dwarf shoots. 

 Each produces three or four crowded leaves, which vary in 

 size. By the bending of the leaf-bases all the blades are 

 brought into a horizontal plane and form an excellent 

 mosaic (Fig. 191, 1). 



The lowest leaves of a shoot produce only small buds 

 in their axils, and these remain dormant ; no buds are 

 formed in the axils of the leaves of dwarf shoots, growth 

 being continued by the end bud. The buds are long, thin, 

 oval, and pointed, and covered by about twenty light-brown 



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