184 CUPULIFER^. Ostrta. 



Order XCIX. CUPULIFERiE. Rich. . The Nut Tribe. 



Flowers usually moncecious. Sterile fl. in aments, with a scale-like or regular 

 calyx, and the stamens equal in number to its lobes, or 2 — 3 times as many. 

 Fertile fl. solitary, 2-3 together or clustered, seated in an involucre which 

 is usually echinate or scaly externally, and encloses the fruit at maturity, or 

 forms a cup at its base. Calyx adherent to the ovary, the summit of which is 

 crowned with its minute toothed limb. Ovary 2-3- (rarely 6-) celled, with 

 1-2 pendulous ovules in each cell, becoming in fruit a one-celled one-seeded 

 nut Albumen none. Embryo with thick fleshy cotyledons, and a short often 

 retracted radicle. — Trees or shrubs, with alternate simple feather -veined 

 leaves and deciduous stipules. 



CONSPECTUS OF THE GENERA. 



1. Ostrta. Sterile flowers in cylindrical aments, without bracts; each flower consisting of a fringed scale and about 



12 stamens : filaments branched. Fertile flowers in close strobiles. Involucral scales in pairs, growing together 

 at th''ir opposite edges, and forming an inflated covering to the fruit. 



2. Cabpinhs. Sterile flowers in cylindrical aments, without bracts ; each flower consisting of a scale and about 12 



stamens : filaments simple. Fertile flowers in loose strobiles. Involucral scales in pairs, free, 3-lobed, finally 

 large and foliaceous. 



3. CoRYLUS. Sterile flowers in cylindrical aments ; the scales 3-lobed, each consisting of a bract and two sepals. 



Stamens 8. Fertile flowers in a terminal scaly bud. Nut finally enclosed in a lacerated involucre. 



4. ftuERcns, Sterile flowers in slender pendulous aments. Calyx 6 - 8-parted. Stamens 5 - 10. Fertile flowers in 



axillary buds, or sessile on a rachis. Involucre of numerous imbricated scales, at length forming an indurated cup 

 which surrounds the base or sides of the nut. 



5. Fagcs. Sterile flowers in a loose pedunculate pendulous head, with minute bracts. Calyx campanulate, 5 - G-cIeft. 



Stamens about 8. Fertile flowers 2, in a 4-lobed involucre, which in fruit is echinate with soft simple spines. 



6. Castanea. Sterile flowers glomerate, in very long cylindrical bracteate aments. Calyx 5 - 6-parted. Stamens 



5 - 20. Fertile flowers about 3, in a 4-valved involucre, which in fruit is covered with branching rigid prickles. 



1. OSTRYA. Michel. ; Endl. gen. \M2. HOP HORNBEAM. 



[ So named from the Greek, ostreon, a scale or shell ; in allusion to the fruit.] 



Sterile fl. Ament cylindrical, without bracts. Calyx consisting of a fringed scale. Stamens 

 8 - 10 or more : filaments branched : anthers 1-celled. Fertile fl. in a loose bracteate 

 ament ; the bracts small and deciduous. Each flower enclosed in a membranaceous sac- 

 like involucre. Ovary 2-celled, crowned with the small entire fringed limb of the calyx : 

 style short : stigmas 2, filiform. Nut oblong, included in the bladdery involucre. — Small 

 trees, with ovate or oblong leaves, and the fruit in pendulous hop-like strobiles. 



