236 



NATUBAL HISTORY OF PLANTS, 



times with the remains of the perianth and styles, and inserted, to 

 the nnmber of one to three, by a large basilar surface, in the interior 

 of a closed globular accrescent involucre, covered externally with 

 bracts, which are seen in the female inflorescence, and, besides, with 

 rigid prickles, simple or ramified at the summit,^ primarily disposed 



over four equidistant 



Casta)tca vulynris. 



areas, having at first 



Fig. 192. Female 

 glomerule (f). 



Fig. 195. Compound fruit. 



nearly the form of an 

 isosceles triangle with 

 superior apex and sepa- 

 rated from each other, at 

 their bases, by groups of 

 bracts which finally con- 

 ceal them at maturity. 

 At maturity, the involu- 

 cre opens above in four 

 pannels and allows the 

 achenes to escape. Each of these contains one fertile seed,^ the 

 embryo (fig. 198) of which, destitute of albumen, has thick farina- 

 ceous cotyledons, externally waved or ruminant, sometimes deeply, 

 and a superior radicle concealing the base of the cotyledons. The 

 Chestnuts proper are trees of the northern hemisphere. There are 

 probably only two species,^ one American, the other, with numerous 

 forms and variations, spread over the temperate regions of North 

 America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. The leaves, caducous, are 

 alternate,* penninerved, dentate, plicate in vernation according to the 

 principal and lateral nervures,^ accompanied at the base of the petiole 

 by two lateral stipules which fall early. But it appears impossible 



* The lower division, longer than the others, 

 has been considered as representing a modified 

 leaf (A. DC. Prodr. 114) in the axil of which 

 shouid be placed the others shorter and variable 

 in number. 



2 Accompanied near the summit by from 

 two to twelve other seeds sterile and rudimen- 

 tary, of which one or two here and there may 

 become fertile. 



3 L. Spec. 1416 {Fagus).—1nv'SYi. Fl. Jap. 

 195 {Fagus).—T)vafM. Arbr. ed. 2, iii. 66, t. 

 19.— Loud. Arbr. 912, f. 1707, 1708.— Rafin. 

 X. Si/h: 82.— MiCHX. Arbr. Amer. i. 166, t. 7.— 



Wangexh. Nordam. Eolz. t. 47. — Catesb. Carol. 

 1, t. 9.— Ell. A Sketch, ii. 614.— Nutt. Gen. ii. 

 217.— A. Gray, Man. ed. 5, 454.— Chapm. Fl. 

 S. Unit, St. 424. -Bge EMim. n. 347, 349.— 

 Bl. Mils. Lugd.-Bat. i. 285. — Sieb. et Zucc. 

 Fl. Jap. Fam. n. 189, 710.— Bexth. Fl. Hongk. 

 319.— MiQ. A)tn. Mas. Lugd.-Bat. i. 121.— 

 Gben. et GoDR. Fl. de Fr. iii. 115. 



■* Disposed according to the fraction f, or 

 sometimes distichous (Dcell, Fl. Bad. ii. 542). 



^ Henry, N. Act. Nat. Cur. xxii. p. i. t. 28. 

 — Dcell, Zur Erklaer. d. Laubkn. Ament. 25, 

 %. 21. 



