472 THE CATKIir FAMILY. 



1. Common Hazel. Corylus Avellana, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 723. Nttt. Hazel-nut. Cob-nut. Filbert.) 



A shrub, or sometimes a small tree. Leaves broadly obovate or orbicular, 

 doubly toothed or slightly lobed, coarse and downy on both sides. Male 

 catkins drooping, li to 2 inches long ; the females resembling small leaf- 

 buds, ■with shortly protruding, red stigmas. After flowering the minute 

 inner bracts enlarge very rapidly, so as to form the leafy involucre com- 

 jnonly called the kusl: of the nut. 



In woods and thickets, throughout Europe and central and Eussian 

 Asia, except the extreme north. Abundant in Britain. Fl. early spring, 

 before the leaves are out. 



VI. BEECH. FAaUS. 



Flowers monoecious, the males in globular, pendulous catkins ; the scales 

 small, and falling off' very early. Perianth oampanulate, shortly stalked, 4- 

 to 6-lobed (formed of the inner scales under each catkin-scale), containing 

 8 to 12 stamens, with long protruding filaments and small anthers. Female 

 catkins globular, almost sessile, the scales linear, with numerous, closely 

 packed, filiform inner scales, all empty except the uppermost, and forming 

 an involucre round 2 or 3 flowers, sessile in the centre of the catkin. Pe- 

 rianth combined with the ovary at its base, bordered by 4 or 5 short lobes. 

 Ovary 3-ceOed, with 2 pendulous ovules in each cell. Styles 3. Nuts 2 

 or 3, enclosed in a hard, prickly involucre, composed of the combined outer 

 and inner scales of the catkin, and opening in 4 valves. 



Besides the single northern genus, the species comprises several from 

 Antarctic America. 



1. Common Beech. Fa^us sylvatica, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1846.) 



A tall tree, with a straight, smooth trunk, and large, dense head. Leaves 

 shortly stalked, ovate, entire or obscurely toothed, silky when young, gla- 

 brous when full-grown. Catkins or flower-heads softly silky-hairy, the males 

 4 to 6 lines diameter, on slender, drooping peduncles 1 to 1^ inches long, 

 consisting of about a dozen flowers. Female catkins nearly as large, but 

 on a very short, erect peduncle. Fruiting catkin about f inch diameter ; 

 the prickles rather soft and sUky, containing 2 or 3 triangular nuts, com- 

 monly called mast. 



In temperate Europe, extending eastward to the Caucasus and northward 

 into southern Scandinavia, becoming rather a mountain plant in southern 

 Europe. Extensively planted in Britain, establishing itself readily as a na- 

 tiiralized tree, and beheved to be truly indigenous in the flatter cfistricts of 

 England. Fl. spring. 



VII. OAK. QUERCUS. 



Flowers monoecious, the males in slender, pendulous catkins or spikes, 

 usually interrupted, without any or with only very small catkin-scales. 

 Stamens 6 to 12, with slender filaments, surrounded by about as many nar- 

 row scales, sometimes united into an irregular perianth. Female flowers 

 solitary or clustered, each one surrounded by an involucre of small imbri- 



