250 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



The total number of species in this family is estimated at about 

 four hundred and twenty-five. The series Quercinece itself comprises 

 three hundred and fifteen. The Gorylece are twenty in number ; the 

 Betulece, twenty-eight; the Myricem, thirty-five. All the genera 

 composing these groups are common to both worlds. On the other 

 hand, Leitneria is confined to a very limited portion of America, and 

 Didymeles to Madagascar. Balanops has been observed only in 

 New Caledonia. In the south of South America, as also in Australia 

 and New Zealand, the family is represented by those curious species 

 of Beech which belong to the section Nothofagus, or by Fagus 

 antarctica, which grows as far as Cape Horn. In North America 

 F. ferruginea inhabits nearly the same regions as F. sylvatiea in 

 Europe, the latter ascending in Norway as far as the 60th degree. 

 The common Chestnut extends over a vast area of the Mediterranean 

 region and central Asia, from Portugal to Japan ; in America it is 

 replaced by Gastanea pumila. The Oaks grow in all the northern 

 hemisphere, and between the tropics. The Hornbeams ascend in 

 Europe to Sweden, and in America to Newfoundland and Canada ; 

 Gorylus Avellana, in Norway as far as 66° ; and G. Americana, to 

 Canada, and in Asia to the river Amour. In Europe the Birches 

 are found as far as Ireland, and Cape North, in Lat. 71° ; whilst in 

 Norway the Beech scarcely exceeds 60°, 3, the Oak 60°, 5, and the 

 Blackthorn 65°,3.' In the submarine forests on many European 

 shores, Oaks, Blackthorns, and Birches^ are observed in great 

 number. The most cosmopolitan genus of this family is, doubtless, 

 Myrica, since it is seen in Europe from Lapland to Portugal; in 

 Africa from the Azores and Canaries to the Cape of Good Hope ; 

 and, in the East, in Abyssinia and Madagascar ; whilst it is equally 

 represented in America, from Labrador to Mexico, in Columbia and 

 Peru ; in Japan, in India, in Java and New Caledonia. 



Uses. — It is for their wood^ chiefly that the Castaneacece are 

 prized ; and it is unnecessary to insist upon the qualities of that of 



1 A. DOi Geogir. Bot. Zais. 279, 305, 311, 328, Carpinites, Fagites, Fegonium, Quercimum, Qmr- 

 473, 630, 616, 807, 1064. cites. (See Endl. Gen. Suppl. iv. p. ii. 30). 



2 Among the fossil genera, atundant in recent » Generally it is that which has heen most 

 strata, are especially cited those established by studied histologically, and it is that which has 

 Ungbr {C/ilor. Protog.), under the names of often served as type for the general descriptions 



