434 



ORDERS RELATED TO FAGALES 



order, but at maturity the outer part of the wall of the ovary 

 becomes transformed into a fleshy rind and the inner portion 

 forms a hard shell. In the walnut this pulpy, aromatic rind 

 about the nut is finally destroyed by decay, while in the hickories 



Fig. 299. Fig. 300. 



Fig. 299. ' The Beech family, order Fagales: A, inflorescence of oak {Quer- 

 cus)—s, staminate ament; p, pistillate inflorescence. B, staminate flower 

 surrounded by a perianth of slightly united bracts. C, pistillate flowers 

 with numerous bracts surrounding base of ovary. D, section of flower, the 

 pistil being composed of three carpels and the inner bracts adnate to the 

 ovary. E, fruit of oak, the cup consisting of the modified outer bracts shown 

 in C and D and the nut has developed from the ovary and one of its ovules. 



Fig. 300. Flower and fruit of the beech (Fagus), order Fagales: A, pis- 

 tillate inflorescence, the three-lobed stigmas projecting beyond the bracts. 

 B, section of the inflorescence — pr, inner bracts or perianth surrounded by 

 an outer spiny set. C, the fruit, the outer bracts of B have become hard 

 and spiny and are splitting into four valves, exposing the three-angled nuts. 



the rind becomes leathery and splits into valves, freeing the nut 

 (Fig. 301, Q. 

 The order of the nettles, Urticales, also has many points in 



