80 FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS. 
Family Fagaceae. Beech Family. Contains 5 genera and about 
375 species, of very wide geographic distribution. The involucral 
bracts around the pistillate flower in this family, ripen into a ‘bur’ or 
cup, well seen in the oak and chestnut. The largest and most im- 
Fic. 65.—A Native Californian Oak (Quercus densifiora), showing fruit. Original. 
portant genus is Quercus, the oak, which is represented by numerous 
species in North America, the mountains of Mexico and South Ameri- 
ca, and in Asia, southern Europe and Africa. Oak is probably used 
for a greater variety of purposes than any other wood; it is hard and 
very durable, and different species exhibit considerable diversity in 
