238 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



dorsal portion and the margins of the lobes of the involucre, for 

 towards the base we find more or less foliaceous bracts.'^ Each 

 flower is composed of an inferior, triangular ovary, with three cells 



Fagus sylvafica. 



Fig. 200. Male flower (|) 



Fig. 199. Male floriferous branch. 



Fig. 201. Long. sect, 

 of male flower. 



Fig. 202. Female flower. 



Fig. 204. Toung fruit in 

 involucre. 



Fig. 203. Long. sect, of 

 female flower. 



separated by thick partitions,*^ from the internal angle of which-'' de- 

 scend .two collateral anatropous ovules, with micropyle directed 

 upwards and outwards/ The style is divided, nearly from its base, 

 into three simple elongate slender (fig. 202, 203), or oftener 



short and thick^ (fig. 205, 206) branches,* covered within and above 



^ Transfor'ned even into small leaves on cer- 

 tain abnormal involucres of the common Beech. 



2 Their transverse section has the form of an 

 isosceles triangle with apex interior. 



' When this thickened angle separates, at a 

 certain age, from the rest of the partitions, the 

 placenta appears almost centrally free. 



* With double envelope. 



* In those of the species of the sect. Eitfagus 

 (A. DC. Trodr. 118 \—Fagus Bl. Mus. Lugd.-Bat. 

 i. 306) which inhabit the northern hemisphere 

 notably in our common Beech. 



* In the species of the same section which 

 belong to the southern hemisphere. 



