550 



FABIANA FAGUS 



pure white flower. ' Corolla f to f in. long, tubular, but narrowing 

 towards the base, with the rounded shallow lobes at fhe apex reflexed ; 

 calyx bell-shaped, T V rh. long. 



Native of Chile; introduced in 1838. This 

 beautiful shrub is unfortunately rather tender, 

 and at Kew, although it occasionally survives 

 the winter, has never been a success in the open. 

 In milder and more upland localities it is a shrub 

 o'f great beauty, flowering freely and transforming 

 each branch into a slender raceme of blossom. 

 It likes a light soil, and can be increased easily 

 by late summer cuttings in gentle heat. 



FAGUS. BEECH. CUPULIFER.E. 



The beeches of the southern hemisphere are 

 now generally regarded as forming a genus by 

 themselves, and are here treated as such (see 

 NOTHOFAGUS). The true beeches are confined 

 to the northern hemisphere, where they are 

 found on all three continents. They form a very 

 homogeneous group of usually large trees with 

 smooth grey trunks; about seven species are 

 usually recognised. Of these, F. orientalis from 

 Asia Minor, the Caucasus, etc., and F. Sieboldii 

 from Japan are very near F. sylvatica, both being 

 distinguished by leaflike appendages at the base 

 of the husk. F. orientalis is further, distinguished 

 by large, more or less obovate leaves. 



They are deciduous, with large, flat, alternate, 

 parallel-ribbed leaves. Flowers unisexual ; the 

 males crowded and numerous on slender-stalked, 

 globose heads ; each flower consisting of a four- 

 to six-lobed calyx, surrounding a cluster of eight 

 to twelve stamens. Female flowers two or three 

 in a cluster ; the fruit a triangular nut with sharp 

 edges, two nuts being entirely or partially en- 

 closed in a four-lobed, woody husk (involucre). 



All the beeches are quite hardy and thrive 

 in a loamy soil, especially if situated on a lime- 

 stone foundation. They should be increased 

 by seeds, but the varieties distinguished by 

 coloured foliage or by peculiarities of growth have to be grafted in spring. 



FABIANA IMBKICATA. 



F. FERRUGINEA, Aiton. AMERICAN BEECH. 

 (F. americana, Sweet.') 



A deciduous tree, 70 to 80 ft. high, occasionally more, with a thin, smooth, 

 grey bark ; spreading by means of root suckers, so that one tree will form of 



