126 



THE OAK. 



lization soon afterwards ; in July the young acorns can 

 be made out peeping from the cupules in which they had 

 hitherto been inclosed. The acorn reaches its full size 

 towards the end of September, and ripens and falls in 



FIG. 34. Female flower in section. To the left three transverse sections 

 through the young ovary; the lower one showing the three placentas, 

 each with two ovules. To the right, three longitudinal median sec- 

 tions through the whole flower at successive periods: a, stigma-, ft, 

 carpal ; c, perianth ; d, cavity of ovary with ovules ; m, the cupule. 

 (Th. Hartig.) 



October. When ripe the acorn is, as we have seen, an 

 ovoid, smooth, olive-brown nut, with the broad end in- 

 serted into the cupule, and the narrower, somewhat 

 tapering end projecting free. 



