Ha^'dbook ok Tkkks ok thk XoKTiiKR.N Statks a\d Caxada. 429 

 THE ALDERS, (ii-xus AI.XLS (J.kktn. 



The Alilcrs nrc ticvs ainl sliiulis of Mlxiut Iwriily simh-Ics with astrinj^cnt bark and durablo 

 wood, iiiliabitin.i;- the iiortli tciuin'ralc regions ol' botli hciiiisplicrrs, and ransin^' anionj; the 

 mountains of tii«' -New World into thr tro|iics. Nine s|..'ci<'.s arc natives of Noi-th Amrrica of 

 whicli six are rocognizcd as 1 ifcs, live of these inhabiting the Tacitie slope, and olie is a h)cal 

 species of the Athuitic states. besides these there is also one species from the Old World 

 uatiifalized in localities in the Atlantic states. 



Leaves serrate or dentate and falling in autumn without change of color: buds naked, 

 stipitate. Floicers both kinds in cymose stalked aments which ajipear during the i)revious 

 season and. remaining dormant during the winter, develop in early spring before the leaves, or. 

 in one American species, in late summer: staminate aments pendulous with peltate scales, 

 o-(i flowers in the axils of each scale and each subtended by minute bractlets : calyx 4-par1e(l ; 

 stamens usually 4, with short simple filaments: pistillate aments ovoid-oblong, erect, with 

 thick scales and in the axils of each are two flowers without perianth and subtended each 

 by '2-i minute bractlets: ovary sessile 2-celled : styles 2. Fruit: nutlet small, compressed, 

 tipped with the remnants of the style and bearing latei-al wings which are sometimes i-educed 

 to a mere membranous border, 2 nutlets in the axils of each scale: scales thick woody, erose 

 or o-toothed at apex and persistent, forming a strobile. 



Allium is the ancient Latin name of the Alder. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 

 Leaves oblong, lustrous bright green above: aments expanding in autumn. ... A. luaritima. 

 Leaves orbicular-obovate. dull green and glabrous; aments expanding in very early si)ring. 



A. glutinosa. 



For species see pp. 128-131. 



BEECH FAMILY. FAGACE/E. 

 Trees of great economic value and some shrubs of wide distribution, mainly throughout 

 the northern hemisphere. There are nearly 400 known species grouped in six genera, five of 

 which are represented in North America. Of these one is generally distributed throughout 

 the United States, two others are represented in the Atlantic states only, and the remaining 

 two are confined to the I'acific slope. 



Leaves alternate, petioled, pinniveined and with narrow caducous stipules. Floircrs 

 monoecious, small : the staminate in aments or heads with 4-8-lobed calyx and 4-20 stamens 

 with slender distinct filaments and introrse 2-eelled anthers opening lengthwise: pistillate 

 flowers solitary or in few-flowered clusters or spikes subtended by a scaly involucre which 

 becomes woody in the fruit : calyx 4-8-lobed. adnate : ovary 3-7-celled with 1-2 pendulous 

 anatropous ovules in each cell, but usually only one ovule of one of the cells maturing, and 

 as many linear styles as there are cells of the ovary. Fruit a nut subtended or enveloped by an 

 involucral covering and with a coriaceous or bony exocarp, 1-celled by abortion and containing 

 a single membranous-coated seed without albumen : cotyledons fleshy ; radicle short, superior. 

 KEY TO THE GENERA. 



a Nut sharply triangular: staminate flowers in globose long-stalked heads Fagus. 



a= Nut gloi)ose and more or less flattened at base: staminate flowers in aments: nut 



Inclosed in a prickly dehiscent burr : aments 'suberect Castanea. 



Subtended by a scaly, woody involucral cup Quercus. 



THE BEECHES. Genus FAGUS L. 



Trees with smooth giay bark, hard close-grained wood and long pointed buds. About 

 <i half dozen species are known, all confined to the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere 

 and one only is found in North America. 



Leaves convex and plicate on the veins in the bud. firm, deciduous, serrate with straight 

 veins: stipules linear-lanceolate: petioles short. Floucrs expanding with or soon after tlie 

 leaves: the staminate at the base of the shoots of the season in many-flowered drooping heads 

 with long 2-bracted peduncles: i)edicels short; calyx campanulate. greenish yellow, imbricated 

 in aestivation. 4-S-lohed : stamens S-K!. longer than the calyx, inserted on its ba.se and with 

 greeriish anthers: pistillate in 2-4-fiowered clusters fnun tlie axils of the upper leaves and 

 surrounded by numerous awl-shajied bracts of which the outermost are longer and caducous 

 and the iimer are united so as to form a 4-lol)ed burr-like covering: calyx 4 or H-lobed. villous, 

 adnate to the ;j-celled and .".-angled ovary with 2 ovules in each cell and with 8 filiform and 

 recurved .styles. Fruit a sharply 8-angled ovoid nut. with thin lustrous brown coriaceous 

 shell and inclosed usiuilh' in i)airs in a 4-valved burr: seed (with the abortive ovules) 

 susix'uded. oily, edilile and of delicious flavor. 



/■'«.'/i(v is the Cicek derivation alluding to the edibl(> (inality of the nuts. 

 For species see jip. I.l.i-Lll. 



