ORDER CX. JUGLANDACE^E WALNUT-TRIBE. ORDER CXI. CUPULIFERJ2 OAK-TRIBE. 



195 



8. EiCINUS. 



Flowers monoecious. Barren flowers calyx 5-parted; sta- 

 mens numerous. Fertile flowers calyx 3-parted ; styles 3, each 

 2-parted, Capsule prickly, 3>celled, 3-seeded. An. 



1. R. communis. Castor-oil Plant. 



Herbaceous; stem erect, branching, glaucous or white, and mealy in appear- 

 ance; leaves peltate, palmate, with the lobes lanceolate, serrate, on long pe- 

 tioles; fruit prickly. A tall, stout annual, of a very peculiar, light sea-green 

 color. Cultivated for the oil expressed from its seeds. Stein 6 Sft high, with 

 very large leaves. July Aug. 



4. BtTXUS. 



Flowers monoecious. Barren flowers calyx 3-leaved ; petals 

 2 ; stamens 4, with a rudimental ovary. Fertile flowers calyx 

 4-leaved ; petals 3. Styles 3. Capsule 3-beaked, 3-celled, 2- 

 seeded. Skrubs. 



1. B. sempervirens. Box. 



Evergreen ; leaves opposite, ovate or obovate, entire, dark green, the peti- 

 oles hairy on the margin ; anthers ovate-sagittate. The leaves are sometimes 

 narrowly lanceolate. A dwarf variety used for edgings is much the most com- 

 mon. 



ORDER CX. Juglandaceae. Walnut-tribe, 



1. JtTGLANS, 



Barren flowers in long and simple anients ; calyx unequally 

 3 6-cleft; stamens 8 40, with very short filaments. Fertile 

 flowers solitary, or several together ; calyx 4-parted ; corolla 4- 

 petaled; stigmas 2. Fruit drupaceous, with a spongy, indehis- 

 cent epicarp, and a rugose, irregularly-furrowed endocarp. Threes. 



1. J. cinerea. Butternut. 



Leaves 15 19-foliate ; leaflets oblong-lanceolate, serrate, obtuse at base, acu- 

 minate, pubescent, especially beneath ; petioles and young branchlets clothed 

 with clammy hairs ; fruit oblong, about 2' in length, clothed with a clammy pu- 

 bescence, tapering to an obtuse point; nut rough, with sharp, ragged ridges. A 

 handsome forest tree, whose edible kernel is well known. It is a moderately tall 

 tree, with grayish bark, and wide-spreading branches. April May. 



2. J. nigra. Black Walnut. 



Leaflets numerous, 15 21, ovate-lanceolate, long-acuminate, serrate, some- 

 what cordate or oblique at base, smooth above, somewhat pubescent beneath, as 

 also the petioles; fruit globose, covered with rough dots; nuts marked with 

 rough ridges. A large and noble tree, with brownish bark, and deep, violet- 

 brown heart-wood, well known as a favorite material for furniture. Common 

 westward, but not in N. Eng. or Eastern N. York. May. 



2. CAEYA. 



Barren flowers in slender aments, mostly 3 on one peduncle ; 

 calyx 3-parted ; stamens 3 8, nearly destitute of filaments. Fer- 

 tile flowers 2 3 together ; calyx 4-parted ; corolla none ; stigma 

 4-lobed. Fruit globular, inclosed in a 4-valved epicarp, which is 

 at length leathery and opening, falls away when fully ripe. Nut 

 smooth, 4 6-angled. Trees. 



1. C. alba. Shagbark. 



Leaflets about 5, lanceolate-obovate or oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, serrate, 

 slightly pubescent beneath ; fruit globular, depressed at apex ; nut somewhat 

 compressed, covered with a thick epicarp, tapering abruptly at the end, thin- 

 shelled, with a large, oily, delicious kernel. A noble tree, common in woods, 

 and distinguished by the roughness of its old trunks caused by the bark scal- 

 ing off in long plates or strips, which adhere by the middle. The wood 

 makes very valuable timber and the best of fuel. May. 



2. C. tomentosa. 



Thick- shelled Walnut. 



Leaflets 79, oblong-lanceolate or obovate-lanceolate, acuminate, somewhat 

 serrate, pubescent beneath and on the petioles; aments hairy; fruit between 

 ovoid and globose ; epicarp thick and almost woody ; nut marked with about 6 

 angles, with a well-flavored kernel which is, however, small, and difficult to 

 obtain, on account of the great hardness and thickness of the shell. A tall tree, 

 distinguished from the last by the more numerous and pubescent leaflets, and 

 the 6-angled and mostly brownish nut May. 



3. C. glabra. 



Pig-nut. 



Leaflets 57, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, serrate, mostly smooth, acumi- 

 nate; fruit obovate or pyrform, with a thin, dry epicarp, opening not more 

 than half way ; nut small, extremely hard, with a thickish shell, and a small, 

 insipid, and sometimes bitterish kernel. A tall tree, with ridged, but scarcely- 

 scaly bark, and very tough wood. Common in woods. May. 



4. C. amdra. Hickory. 



Leaflets 711, oblong-lanceolate, serrate, acuminate, smooth ; fruit globular, 

 with a very thin and soft epicarp or husk, opening half way dowu ; nut obcor- 

 date, with a very thin shell,. capable of being crushed by the fingers; kernel 

 very bitter. A tall and graceful tree, with the bark of the trunk broken into 

 ridges, but not scaly ; smooth and unbroken above. The young branches are 

 covered with a very smooth, yellowish bark. Common in rich woods. May. 



ORDER CXI. Cupuliferse. Odk-frihe. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE GENEEA. 



* Nuts inclosed in a prickly involucre. 



2. CASTANEA. Barren flowers in cylindrical aments. Fertile flowers 8, in 

 a single involucre. Nuts somewhat ovoid, with convex or flattened sides. 



8. FAGCS. Barren flowers in a globose ament, on a long peduncle. Fertilo 

 flowers 2 in a single involucre. Nuts 3-angled. 



41 * Nuts not inclosed in a prickly involucre. 



1. QcKRCtrs. Nut ovoid-cylindrical, partly enveloped in a nearly hemis- 

 pherical, scaly cnn. 



4. CORYLUS. Nut ovoid, entirely inclosed in a thick, lacerated involucre. 

 Fertile flowers in capitate clusters. 



5. <WKYA. Fertile flowers in pairs, in loose aments, contained in a thin, in- 

 flated sac, which incloses the ripened nut 



6. CAEPiNirs. Fertile flowers in a loose ament, In alternate pairs, sessile at 

 the base of the leafy, persistent bracts, which, enlarged, bear tho naked fruit at 

 base. 



1. QUEBCUS. 



Barren flowers in loose, slender, nodding aments ; calyx 6 8- 

 parted; stamens 5 12. Fertile flowers solitary or clustered; 

 involucre or capsule cup-shaped, scaly; ovary 3-celled, with 6 

 ovules ; stigma 3-lobed. Nut 1 -celled, 1 -seeded. 



* Acorns ripening thefirstyear. Lobes of the leaves not mucronate. 



1. Q. alba. White Oak. 



Leaves oblong or oblong-ovate, smooth, paler, and glaucous beneath, and also 

 pubescent when young, light green above, deeply and smoothly 5 7-lobed ; 

 lobes oblong or oblong-linear, obtuse, nearly entire ; fruit pedunculate ; cup 

 hemispherical, much shorter than the ovate acorn ; kernel sweetish, edible. A 

 large, tall, noble forest tree, common every where. The strength and durability 

 of the timber gives it great value. 



2. Q. bicolor. 



Swamp White Oak. 



Leaves oblong-ovate, tapering and entire at base, white-downy underneath, 

 coarsely and minutely 8 12-toothed, on short petioles ; teeth unequal, acutish ; 

 fruit mostly in pairs, on long peduncles ; cup hemispherical, scarcely half as 

 long as the oblong-ovate acorn ; kernel sweet A tall, handsome tree, common 

 in swamps and low grounds, distinguished by its leaves, which are dark greon 

 above and white-downy beneath. May. 



3. Q. montana. 



Mountain Oak. 



Leaves broad-ovate, dentate, with broad, obtuse teeth nearly equal in length, 

 white-downy underneath, with short and yellowish petioles ; fruit on short pe- 

 duncles ; cup hemispherical ; acorn ovate. A middle sized tree, not uncommon 

 in rocky woods, distinguished by its leaves, which in color, texture, and the 

 evenness of their teeth, have some resemblance to those of the Chestnut May. 



4. Q. prinoides. Dwarf Chestnut Oak,. 



Shrubby; leaves obovate or oblong-lanceolate, dentate, with coarse and 

 nearly equal teeth, downy beneath, on short petioles; fruit sessile, or on very 

 short peduncles; cup hemispherical; acorn ovate; kernel sweet A dwarf 

 species, distinguished by its small size. Not uncommon in dry, sandy soils. 

 Stem 25 ft. high. May. 



* * Fruit ripening the second year, mostly sessile. Lobes of the leaves 

 mucronate. 



5. Q. rubra. Red Oak. 



Leaves smooth, oblong, paler beneath, sinuately 7 11-Iobed; lobes spread- 

 ing, entire or dentate, acute, with narrow sinuses between; cup very flat and 



