258 SUB-ALPINE PLANTS 



catkins 1-2 inches, several in a raceme ; female heads sessile, 

 crimson. 



Woods, thickets, hedges, etc., from the plains up to about 5000 

 feet in Switzerland, though the maximum limit varies considerably. 



Distribution. — Europe, Western Asia, N. Africa. 



Fagus L. 



Fruit usually in pairs, enclosed in the hardened or coriaceous 

 involucre. Species 15. 

 Fagus sylvatica L. Beech. 



Tall trees with smooth bark. Leaves oblong-ovate, acuminate, 

 obscurely toothed, shortly petioled, silky when young. Fruit 

 usually in pairs, and enclosed in the hardened coriaceous scaly 

 involucre (beech-mast). Male flowers capitate, pendulous ; female 

 flowers on shorter peduncles. 



''■-Woods, up to 1680 m. in French Switzerland, and 1500 m. in 

 Tessin, and 1350 m. in N. Switzerland, fide Schinz. 



Distribution. — Temperate Europe, Asia Minor, Caucasus, Persia, 

 Japan. 



QuERCus L. Oak. 



Fruit an acorn, seated in a smooth or spiny cup. About 300 

 species. Distributed throughout the northern hemisphere. 

 Quercus Cerris L. Turkey Oak. 



Scales of cups long, linear-subulate, spreading and twisted. 

 Leaves sinuate or pinnatifid, oblong. 



Mountain woods in Tessin. April. 



Distribution. — Southern and Eastern Europe, Western Asia. 

 Quercus pubescens Willd. Q. lanuginosa Thuill. 



A small tree, the leaves petioled, oboval, sinuate or lobed, 

 pubescent beneath. Twigs pubescent. 



Dry hills and woods, extending to about 1450 m. in Switzerland, 

 fide Schinz (Poschiavo, Jura, Rhone Valley, etc.). 



Distribution. — Central and Southern Europe, Western Asia. 

 Quercus Robur L. Common Oak. 



Leaves sinuate-lobed, very shortly petioled, glabrous like the 

 twigs. Acorns on long peduncles. 



According to Keller and Schinz, this extends to 1000 metres 

 in the Oberland of St. Gall., 800 m. in Swiss Jura, and 1250 m. in the 

 Valais. 



Distribution. — Europe, Asia Minor, Caucasus, Morocco. 

 Quercus sessiliflora Salisb. 



Leaves with longish petioles, very short peduncles, and acoms 

 nearly sessile. Leaves pubescent below ; twigs glabrous. 



