196 



ORDER CXn. MTRICAOE^ BAYBEKRY-TRIBE. 



shallow, saucer- shaped, much shorter than the oblong-ovate acorn. A tall, 

 handsome tree, very common in forests every where. The wood is reddish antl 

 coarse-grained, chiefly valuable for fuel. The leaves turn red in autumn. May, 



6. Q. coccinea. Scarlet Oalc. 



Leaves oblong or oval in outline, smooth, deeply and sinnately 5 — 9-lobed, 

 bright-green on both sides, on long petioles ; lobes divaricate, sparingly toothed, 

 with broad, open, deep sinuses, which extend two-thirds to the mid-vein, or 

 further ; cups very scaly, somewhat turbinate, inclosing about ^ of the round- 

 ovate, acorn. A very large and handsome tree, of symmetrical growth, dis- 

 tinguished from the last especially by the smaller, bright-green leaves, which 

 are much more deeply lobed, and turn crimson in autumn. Mat/. 



7. Q. tinetciria. Black Oak. 



Leaves obovate or oblong-ovate, pubescent with rusty down beneath, at 

 length nearly smooth, sinnately lobedi lobes somewhat dentate, with shallow, 

 sometimes deep sinuses between ; cup deep, very scaly, inclosing about ^ of the 

 nearly globular acorn. A large tree, common in forests, distinguished by the 

 nearly black color of the bark, and by its yellow inner bark, which furnishes the 

 Quercitron of dyers. The leaves turn to a brownish-yellow iu autumn. May. 



8. Q. ilicifolia. Scrub Oak. 



Shrubby ; leaves obovate, cuneate at base, with S — 5 angular lobes, white- 

 downy beneath, on long petioles; cup turbinate, flattish ; acorn small, ovoid. 

 A shrub 4 — 8 ft high, of irregular, straggling growth, common in dry, sandy 

 soils. The barren flowers are of a reddish color. 3fat/. 



2. castAnea. 

 Barren floorers in separate clustei's, arranged in long, cylindri- 

 cal aments; calyx 5 — 6 -parted ; perfect stamens 8 — 15. Fertile 

 flowers 2 — 3 together, inclosed in a prickly, 4-lobed involucre ; 

 calyx-border 5 — 6-lobed ; ovary 3 — 6-celled, with 10 — 15 ovules ; 

 styles 3 — 6 capillary ; nuts 2 — -3 together, inclosed in the en- 

 larged, thick, coriaceous involucre. Oltiejly trees. 



1. C. vesca. Chestnut. 



Leaves oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, marked with very prominent, straight 

 vein6, and coarse, mucronate teeth, smooth and green on both sides; sterile 

 aments long, pendulous, axillary at the extremities of the branches, with the 

 fertile flowers at base, yellowish-white, very abundant, appearing after the leaves 

 are full-grown ; nuts 2 — 3 together, of a peculiar, rich brown, hairy above, 

 flattened on the sides, inclosed in a green, very prickly, 4-parted involucre. A 

 very common forest tree, of large size and handsome growth. Thewoodishght 

 and elastic, but coarse-grained. July. 



3. FAGUS. 

 Barren flowers in small, globose heads, on nodding peduncles ; 

 calyx campanulate, 5 — 6-cleft; stamens 5 — 12. Fertile flowers 

 mostly 2 together, inclosed within a prickly involucre, bracted at 

 base ; calyx with 4 — 5 subulate lobes ; ovary 3-ceUed ; cells 2- 

 ovuled ; styles 3, filiform. Kuts 1-seeded, acutely triangular, 2 

 together in the prickly, 4-lobed involucre. Trees. 



1. F. ferruglnea. Beech. 



Leaves oblong-ovate, acuminata, with distinct teeth, thin, marked by the 

 straight, prominent veins, softly pubescent and ciliate when young, at length 

 nearly or quite smooth, light green, withering and mostly persistent in the 

 winter; flowers appearing with the leaves; barren yellowish, soft-pubescent, 

 in little, globular clusters, on slender peduncles, 2' long; nuts usnally 2 to- 

 gether, dark brown, with an oily, sweet kernel. A handsome and very common 

 forest tree, distinguished by its smooth, undivided, light gray bark, and the 

 young shoots more or less pubescent with soft hairs. May. 



4. C6ETLU3. 

 Barren flowers in long, drooping, cylindrical aments, each fur- 

 nished with a concave bract and a 2-parted caljrx, forming a 3- 

 lobed scale, to which the 8 stamens are afiixed ; anthers 1-celled. 

 Fertile flowers several together, in terminal and lateral heads ; 

 calyx none ; ovaries several, 2-celled ; cells 1-ovuled ; stigmas 2, 

 fiiliform. Nut bony, ovoid, surrounded by the enlarged, leafy, 

 coriaceous involucre, consisting of 2 — 3 enlarged bracts, united 

 and tubular at base, more or less lobed or fringed at summit. 

 Shrubs, 



1. C. Americana. Hazelnut. 



Young branches glandular-pubescent* leaves cordate, rounded, acuminate, I 



coarsely serrate ; aments appearing before the leaves ; stigmas of the fertiU 

 buds red, forming a little tuft at the top of the bud ; involucre somewhat cam- 

 panulate below, dilated, coarsely toothed and compressed above, glandnlar -pu- 

 bescent, twice as long as the globular nut. A very common shrub, 3 — S fL 



high, growing in thickets, well-known fur its fine-flavored kernel. April. 



2. C. rostrata. 



Beaked Hazelnut. 



Young branches smooth ; leaves ovate or oblong-ovate, somewhat cordate 

 at base, acuminate, coarsely and unequally serrate ; flowers as in the last; in- 

 volucre-tube campanulate, contracted above the globular nut, and prolonged in- 

 to a strong, curved, tubular beak, which is 2-parted, fringed and covered with 

 stifi' bristles. A shrub resembling the last, but most obviously distinguished by 

 the involucres of the fruit, and the yonng branches, which are smooth. Stem 

 2—3 ft. high. Not uncommon along streams and moist thickets. May. 



5. 6STEYA. 

 Barren flowers in drooping, cylindrical aments; stamens 8 — 

 12, furnished, with a roundish, ciliate bract, instead of a calyx; 

 anthers bearded at apex. Fertile flowers numerous, with small, 

 deciduous bracts in loose aments, each inclosed in an inflated, 

 membranous, sac-like involucre, which at length enlarging, 

 contains the ripened nut. Ovary 2-celled, 2-ovuled. 



1, 0. Virginica. Iron-wood. 



Leaves ovate or oblong-ovate, acuminate, sheathing and unequally serrate, 

 petiolate, somewhat pubescent; fertile aments pendulous, whitish, much re- 

 sembling a cluster of Hops; involucre-scales bristly at base. A small, slen- 

 der tree, with a finely furrowed bark, and very compact, tough wood. The 

 fertile aments when full grown are about 2' long, and quite showy. Common 

 in rich, moist woods. April — May. 



6. CARFtNUS. 

 Barren flowers in drooping, cylindrical aments ; stamens 8 — 

 12, furnished with a roundish, entire, ciliate bract instead of a 

 calyx; filaments very short ; anthers bearded at apex. Fertile 

 flowers mostly in twos, each pair with a small, deciduous bract, 

 contained in a large, 3-lobed involucre, all arranged in a loose 

 ament, each flower with a 2-celled, 2-ovuled ovary, terminating 

 in 2 filiform stigmas. Kuts small, ovoid, furrowed, pedicellate, 

 each furnished with an enlai'ged, open, and leaf-like scale as an in- 

 volucre. Trees. 



1. C. Americana. Hornbeam. 



Leaves oval or oblong-ovate, acuminate, acutely and unequally serrate, pe- 

 tiolate; fruiting aments drooping, long, loose, with the dark-brown nuts ar- 

 ranged by twos, each with a large, S-lobed, light-green involucre ; middle seg- 

 ment of the involucre the longest. A small tree with smooth, light-gi*een hark, 

 and very compact, fine-grained, tough wood. Common along streams and in 

 low thickets. April — May. 



Order CXII. Myricacese. — -Bayherry -tribe. 



1. M'^EICA. 

 Flowers diceciotis. Barren on oblong, closely imbricated 

 aments, destitute of calyx, each contained in a scale-like bract; 

 stamens 2 — 8. Fertile flowers in ovoid aments, destitute of calyx, 

 each contained in a scale-like bract. Ovary solitary, with 2 fili- 

 form stigmas. Fruit a globular nut, covered with resinous scales. 

 Shrubs. 



1. M. Gale. Sweet-gale. 



Leaves lanceolate, cuneate at base, serrate near the apex, on very short 

 petioles, appearing long after the fiowers. Barren aments clustered ; scales 

 ovate, cordate, acuminate, ciliate; fruit in dense, oblong heads. A low shrub 

 with a dark-brownish bark. The dark-green leaves, and the fruit when 

 crushed, have a pleasant, spicy odor. Shrub 3 — 1 ft. high. April. 



2. M. cerifera. Bayherry. 



Leaves smooth, oblong, tapering at base, entire, or with a very few remote 

 teeth toward the apex, petiolate, paler beneath, Phining green above, punctate 

 with resinous dots, just preceding the flowers; sterile aments scattered; nuts 

 more or less clustered, covered with wax. A low aftd very bi'anching shrub, 

 8— 7 ft. high, common in dry, sandy soils, in districts near the coast. The 

 leaves are fragrant, and the hard, globose fruit is covered with a coating of wax. 

 May. 



