426 MYRiCACii;^. (wax-myrtle family.) 



6. OSTRYA, Micheli. Hop-Hornbeam. 



Sterile flowers in drooping cylindrical aments, each in the axil of « scale-like 

 bract, destitute of a calyx. Stamens with the filaments irregularly united. Fer- 

 tile flowers in a short terminal crowded spike, each enclosed in a membranaceous 

 involucre. Ovary 2-cclled, 2-ovuled, bearded at the apex. Sligmas 2, filiform. 

 Fruiting involucre inflated, nerved, hairy or bristly at the base, enclosing the 

 solitary pointed nut. — Small trees, with ovate or oblong serrate shortpetioled 

 deciduous leaves. Flowers appearing with the leaves. 



1. O. Virginica, WiUd. (Hop-Hokneeam ) Leaves ovate-oblong, sharp- 

 ly and simply serrate, acuminate, rounded or slightly cordate at the base, pubes- 

 cent ; fertile spike cone-like, short-peduncled ; the imbricated involucres oblong, 

 mucronate, bristly at the base. — Rich woods, Florida, and northward. March. 

 — A small ti-ce, with liard and dose-graiiicU wood. 



Order 129. MYRICACE^. (Wax-Mtrtle Family.) 



Chiefly shrubs, with simple alternate leaves, witli or without stipules, 

 and moncecious or dioecious flowers, disposed in aments, destitute of calyx 

 or corolla, each in the axil of a simple bract. Stamens 2-10; the short 

 filaments free or partly united : anthers 2-celled. Ovary solitary, 1-celled, 

 surrounded at the base with a row of scales. Ovule solitary, orthotropous 

 or amphitropous. Involucre none. Stigmas 1-2, elongated. Fruit a dry 

 1 -seeded drupe. Albumen none. Cotyledons fleshy. Eadicle superior. 



Synopsis. 



« Seed orthotropous. Plants dotted with resinous glands. 



1. MYRICA. Flowers dioecious. Jilaments united below. Leaves serrate or entire. Stip- 



ules none. 



2. COMPTONIA. Flowers monoecious. Filaments forking. Leaves pinnatifid. Stipules 



half-cordate. 



* * Seed amphitropous. Plant destitute of glands. 



3. LEITNERIA. Flowers dioecious. Filaments distinct. Stigma solitary. Leaves entire. 



Stipules none. 



1. MYRICA, L, "Wax-Myrtle. Batberrt. 



Flowers in short axillary aments, dioecious, each in the axil of a scale-like 

 bract. Calyx and corolla none. Stamens 2 - 10, with the filaments united 

 below. Ovary enclosed in a cup of 3 - 5 rounded scales. Ovule orthotropous. 

 Stigmas 2 (rarely 4), flattened on the inner face, widely spreading. Nut glo- 

 bose, covered with waxy grains. — Shrubs or small trees, dotted with minute 

 resinous and odorous glands. Branches clustered. Leaves short-petioled, serrate 

 or entire. Stipules none. 



1. M. cerifera, L. (Wax-Mtetle. Batberrt.) Branchlets pubescent ; 

 leaves lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, mostly obtuse, entire, or with a few sharp 



