298 



THE FLORA. 



| Leaves undivided. Fertile aments ovoid. Drupes gobular, coated with 



wax or resinous grains. Shrubs growing along shores. MTBICA 



* M. cerife'ra. Bayberry. Lvs. oblanceolaie. Drupes coated with 



white wax. 



* M. Gale. Sweet Gale. Lvs. wedge-oblong. Drupes winged, reddish. 



ORDER CXXI. BETULACEJE. The Birchworts. 



Trees or shrubs, with deciduous stipules, with the alternate 

 leaves simple, having the veinlets running straight to the margin ; 

 flowers mono3cious, both kinds contained in scaly 

 catkins, 2 or 8 under each bract ; calyx and corolla hardly any ; 

 ovary 2-celled and 2-ovuled, but becoming in 



fruit a 1-celled and 1-seeded nut, by the suppression of the other seen 

 and cell. 



Analysis of the Genera. 



& bracts with 12 stam. each ; $ bracts with mostly 3 ovaries. Birch. BET'ULA. 1 

 g bracts with 4r-8 stam. each ; ? bracts with 2 ova. or fls. each. Alder. ALNUS 



BET'ULA. Birch. 

 $ in a cylindrical cat- 

 kin, bracts each with 3 

 tetrandrous flowers be- 

 neath it. $ in an oblong 

 or egg - shaped catkin, 

 bracts 3 lobed, each with 3 2-styled ova- 

 ries or flowers, with no calyx. Samara 

 flattened, broadly winged. Trees and 

 shrubs, mostly with the outer bark in thin 

 layers with horizontal fibres. Catkins ap- 

 pearing in early spring before the leaves. 



$ Trees with a yellowish bark, and heart-ovate, 

 serrate leaves 1 



Trees with reddish-brown bark, aud ovate, 

 doubly serrate leaves 2, 3 



5 Trees with white bark and long-stalked, long- 

 pointed leaves. . . .4, 5 



i Shrubs with brownish bark, and roundish, 

 leaves . . 6, 7 



rf 



Fig. 632. Sweet Black Birch (Bftu^i 

 lfnUi\ with staininate and pistillate 

 catkins : a, a scale with staminate 

 flowers; &, with pistillate flowers. Fig. 

 633. a, A winged SHinara nut length- 

 wise, showing its fertile aud abortivi 

 cell : b the same cnt across. 



