662 THE WHITE POPLAR. 



THE CATKINS. 



Some trees produce male flowers only, others only female flowers ; 

 the two are never found together on the same tree. The male 

 catkins are about three inches long, and of similar construction to 

 the catkins of the Aspen. They appear before the fertile catkins, 

 usually early in April. The stamens ot each little floret on the 

 hanging axis number from six to ten, and are subtended by a hairy 

 bract : the pollen sacs are a purple red and the scales are notched. 



The female catkins are so short as to appear nearly oval, and 

 are sometimes erect, sometimes drooping. They have two pistils, 

 each divided into two, which at a hasty glance suggests there being 

 four pistils. The seeds are attached to white cotton tufts, which, 

 after they ripen, cover the catkins and the ground beneath the trees. 

 The scale-bracts of the female flowers are also furnished with long hairs. 





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