HORSE-CHESTNUT FAMILY 



Calyx. — Tubular, gibbous, five-lobed ; lobes unequal, imbricate 

 in bud ; disk annular, hypogynous. 



Corolla. — Petals four, pale yellow, hairy, clawed, imbricate in bud. 

 Lateral pair oblong, superior pair oblong-spatulate, marked with red 

 stripes. 



Stamens. — Seven, inserted on the disk, exsertcd ; filaments long, 

 curved, downy ; anthers dark yellow, elliptical, introrse, two-celled ; 

 cells opening longitudinally. 



Pistil. — Ovary superior, one to three-celled, downy, echinate ; 

 style long, slender ; stigma pointed ; ovules two in each cell. 



Fruit. — Coriaceous capsule, three-celled and loculicidally three- 

 valved, the cells by abortion one-seeded. Irregularly ovate, pale 

 brown, one to two inches long, very prickly when young, smooth- 

 ish at maturity. Seeds roundish, smooth, shining, chestnut-brown 

 with large round pale scar or hilum. October. Cotyledons thick 

 and fleshy, remaining underground in germination. 



One naturally expects to find the Buckeye in Ohio. It 

 is called the Buckeye State, its inhabitants are called Buck- 

 eyes, and yet, strange to say, the Buckeye is not widely nor 

 very generally known to Ohioans. The reason for this is to 

 be sought in the character of the tree, for trees vary in so- 

 cial habits ; some are gregarious and live in communities, 

 others prefer solitude. A moment's reflection will show that 

 this is true. A maple grove is of frequent occurrence, an 

 oak forest is common enough, the beech alone often cov- 

 ers vast areas of woodland, but one never hears of an elm 

 forest ; an elm grove maybe found, but even that is unusual, 

 the elm occurs singly as do the willows and the sycamores. 

 The Buckeye, also, is a solitary tree ; though widely distrib- 

 uted it is nowhere abundant and is becoming less so from a 

 belief — well grounded it is said — on the part of farmers that 

 its nuts are poisonous to their cattle, sheep, and horses. 

 Consequently the trees have been very generally cut down 

 and are now comparatively rare. 



Two questions naturally arise. Why was the fetid Horse- 

 chestnut called the Buckeye, and how did it happen that this 

 tree gave the soubriquet to the State of Ohio ? The local 

 and picturesque name is undoubtedly a tribute of the imag- 

 ination of the early settlers. We are all f^(iiili^r with th^ 



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