G91) CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION 161 
1. Fagus ferruginea, Ait. (AMER- 
IcAN BEECH.) Leaves thin, oblong- 
ovate, taper-pointed, distinctly and 
often coarsely toothed; petioles and 
midrib ciliate with soft silky hairs 
when young, soon almost naked. The 
very straight veins run into the teeth. 
Prickles of the fruit mostly recurved 
or spreading. Large tree, 60 to 100 ft. 
high, with grayish-white, very smooth 
bark, and firm, light-colored, close- 
grained wood. Wild throughout, and 
frequently cultivated. 
2. Fagus sylvatica, L. (EuRo- 
PEAN BEECH.) Leaves often similar to 
those of the American Beech, but usu- 
ally shorter and broader; the border, 
often nearly entire, is wavy in some 
varieties, and in others deeply pin- 
natifid. The bark in most varieties is 
darker than in the American. This 
Beech, with its numerous varieties, is 
the one usually cultivated. Among the 
most useful varieties are atropurpurea 
(Purple Beech), with the darkest foli- 
age of any deciduous tree, and almost 
entire-margined leaves ; laciniata (Cut- 
leaved Beech), with very deeply cut leaves; and argentea variegata 
(Silver Variegated Beech), having in the spring quite distinctly va- 
riegated leaves. 
F. sylvatica, 
OrpvEeR XL. SALICACEZ. (WitLow Famity.) 
A small order of soft-wooded trees and shrubs, abun- 
dantly distributed in the northern temperate and frigid 
zones. ‘ 
Genus 91, SALIX. 
Soft-wooded trees or shrubs growing in damp places, 
with alternate, usually quite elongated, pointed, deciduous 
