274 



THK HORNBEAM. 



centre ot each lobe runs a strong rib, giving off at right angles branch- 

 ribs which pucker the sheath between them. The nuts, each one 

 with its two enfolding sheaths, are supported on short pedicels and 

 arrantjed in pairs. These pedicels are connected with others, given 

 off at intervals along the main pendent pedicel of the catkin. 



The female catkins remain on the tree till autumn, when the seed 

 is ripe. All through the summer, bv their size and their vivid green, 

 thev y;ive to the houghs the appearance ot being densely covered with 

 foliage, while the male catkins do their part earlier in the year by 

 lendinjr colour to the bare branches. 



If- 



Illi; \A..\\\ \\I\(,S nl IHl-; CATKIN WITH 1 KLIT. 



THE SEEDLING . 



The Seedling of the Hornbeam is a striking example o{ the 

 dissimilarity which so often exists between the seed-leaves ot a tree 

 and the true leaves which are afterwards produced . In this case the 

 seed leaves have a disc-like form, a flat surface, a straight uncut edge ; 

 while the blades of the true leaves are fluted and their outlines are 

 notched. In making the comparison many points must be taken into 

 consideration. For example, some cotyledons (seed-leaves) have no 



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