358 The Neiv York State CoUege of Forestry 



3. Leaves deltoid or ovate and rounded at the base; strobiles cylindrical, ripening 



in the autumn 4 



4. Leaves triangular, taper pointed, lateral lobes of ament scales short and 



divergent B. populifoha 167 



4. Leaves ovate, acute; lateral lobes of ament scales ascending 



B. alba, var. papyrifera 169 



THE BEECH FAMILY. FAGACEAE 

 Trees and shrubs with watery juice, slender terete branchlets, 

 alternate stalked stipulate leaves, and monoecious flowers. The 

 Fagaceae number some four hundred odd species arranged in six 

 genera and are of wide distribution, mainly in the northern hemi- 

 sphere. Five genera are found in the United States of which 

 one is of general distribution, two are confined to the eastern 

 states, and the remaining two are found on the Pacific slope. 



Leaves alternate, simple, piiiniveined ; stipules linear, caducous. Flowers 

 monoecious, small; starainate flowers in aments or capitate; calyx 4-8 lobed; 

 stamens 4-20 -vA-ith slender filaments and elongated 2-celled anthers; pistillate 

 flowers solitary or in few-flowered clusters or spikes subtended by a scaly, 

 persistent involucre; calyx 4-8 lobed, adnate; pistil consisting of a 3-7 celled 

 ovary surmounted by a like number of linear styles. Fruit a 1-seeded nut 

 subtended or enveloped by a persistent, accrescent involucre; seed exalbumi- 

 uous, A\dth fleshy cotyledons. 



KEY TO THE GENERA page 



1. Staminate flowers capitate; nut trigonous Fagus 358 



1. Staminate flowers in slender aments: nut rounded 2 



2. Pistillate flowers 2-5 in each involucre; involucre becoming a prickly burr 



in fruit Castanea 35 ) 



2. Pistillate flowers 1 in each involucre; involucre forming a subtending cup 



in fruit Quercus 359 



THE BEECHES. Genus FAGUS (Tourn.) L. 

 A genus of about six species characterized by smooth gray bark, 

 slender wiry branchlets, ehestnut-broAvn lanceolate buds, and hard, 

 close-grained wood. The beeches are widely distributed through 

 Europe, Asia and eastern North America. But one species, Fagus 

 grandifolia Ehrh. is found in the United States and this is con- 

 fined to regions east of the Great Plains. 



Leaves alternate, simple, firm, deciduous, strongly straight-veined, plicate 

 in the bud, short-petioled ; stipules linear-lanceolate. Flowers monoecious, 

 expanding vnth or soon after the leaves; staminate flowers in capitate many- 

 flowered drooping heads borne on long 2-bracted peduncles; pedicels short; 

 calyx-tube campanulate, 4—8 lobed, greenish yellow; stamens 8-16, exserted, 

 inserted on the calyx-tube; pistillate flowers in sessile or stalked clusters of 

 5^-4 arising in the axils of the upper leaves, (•;k1i subtended by numerous awl- 

 shaped bracts, the lower of which are bright red and deciduous, the upper 

 united to form a 4-lobed burr; calyx 4- or 5-lobed, villous, adnate to the 



