Handbook ok Trees of the XoKTHEEis^ States and Canada. 429 

 THE ALDERS. Genus ALXL'S G.ertn. 



The Aiders aie trees ami .shrubs of about twenty species with astringent bark and durable 

 wood, inhabiting the north temperate regions of both hemispheres, and ranging among the 

 mountains of the Xew World into the tropics. Nine species are natives of North Amei-ica of 

 which six are recognized as trees, five of these inhabiting the I'acific slope, and one is a local 

 species of the Atlantic states. Besides these there is also one species from the Old World 

 naturalized in localities in the Atlantic states. 



Lcdfes serrate ov dentate and falling in autumn without change of color; buds naked, 

 stipitate. Flon-rrs both kinds in eymose stalked aments Avhich appear during the previous 

 season and, remaining dormant during the winter, develop in early spring before tlie leaves, or, 

 in one American species, in late summer: staminate aments pendulous with peltate scales, 

 3-U tlowers in the axils of each scale and each subtended by minute bractlets ; calyx 4-parted ; 

 stamens usually 4, with short simple filaments; pistillate aments ovoid-oblong, erect, with 

 thick scales and in the axils of each ai'e two flowers without perianth and subtended each 

 by 2-4 minute bractlets; ovary sessile 2-celled ; styles 2. Fruit: nutlet small, compressed, 

 tipped with the remnants of the style and bearing lateral wings which are sometimes reduced 

 to a mere membranous border, 2 nutlets in the axils of each scale; scales thick woody, erose 

 or 5-toothed at apex and persistent, forming a strobile. 



Abius is the ancient Latin name of the Alder. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



Leaves oblong, lustrous bright green above ; aments expanding in autumn. ... A. maritima. 

 Leaves orbicular-obovate, dull green and glabrous; aments expanding in very early spring. 



A. glutinosa. 

 For species sec pp. 128-131. 



BEECH FAMILY. FAGACE^. 



Trees of great economic value and some shrubs of wide distribution, mainly throughout 



the northern hemisphere. There are nearly 400 known species grouped in six genera, five of 



wliicli are represented in North America. Of these one is generally distributed throughout 



the United States, two others are represented in the Atlantic states only, and the remaining 



two are confined to the Pacific slope. 



Leaves alternate, petioled, pinniveined and with narrow caducous stipules. Flowers 

 monoecious, small ; the staminate in aments or heads with 4-8-lobed calyx and 4-20 stamens 

 with slender distinct filaments and introrse 2-celled anthers opening lengthwise; pistillate 

 tlowers solitary or in fe\v-flowered clusters or spikes subtended by a scaly involucre which 

 becomes woody in the fruit ; calyx 4-8-lobed, adnate ; ovary 3-7-celled with 1-2 pendulous 

 anatropous ovules in each cell, but usually only one ovule of one of the cells maturing, and 

 as many linear styles as there are cells of the ovary. i>V«i7 a nut subtended or enveloped by an 

 involucral covering and with a coriaceous or bony exocarp. 1-celled by abortion and containing 

 a single membranous-coated seed without albumen ; cotyledons fleshy ; radicle short, superior. 



KEY TO THE GENERA. 



a Nut sharply triangular; staminate flowers in globose long-stalked heads Fagus. 



a- Nut globose and more or less flattened at base : staminate flowers in aments ; nut 



Inclosed in a prickly dehiscent burr : aments suberect Castanea. 



Subtended by a scaly, woody involucral cup "... Quercus. 



THE BEECHES. Genus FAGUS L. 



Trees with smooth gray bark, hard close-grained wood and long pointed buds. About 

 a half dozen species are known, all confined to the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere 

 and one only is found in North America. 



Leaves convex and plicate on the veins in the bud, firm, deciduous, serrate with straight 

 veins; stipules linear-lanceolate; petioles short. Floircrs expanding with or soon after the 

 leaves'; the staminate at the base of the shoots of the season in many-flowered drooping heads 

 with long 2-bracted peduncles ; pedicels short ; calyx eampanulate. greenish yellow, imbricated 

 in festivation, 4-.S-lobed ; stamens S-IG, longer than the calyx, inserted on its base and with 

 greenish anthers; pistillate in 2-4-flowered clusters from the axils of the upper leaves and 

 surrounded by numerous awl-shaped bracts of which the outermost are longer and caducous 

 and the iiiner are united so as to form a 4-lobed burr-like covering: calyx 4 or 5-lobed. villous, 

 adnate to the 3-celled and ."i-angled ovary with 2 ovules in each cell and with 3 filiform and 

 recurved .ityles. Fruit a sharply 3-angled ovoid nut, with thin lustrous brown coriaceous 

 shell and inclosed usually in pairs in a 4-valved burr; seed (with the abortive ovules) 

 suspended, oily, edible and of delicious flavor. 



Fagus is the Greek derivation alluding to the edible quality of the nuts. 

 For species sec pp. 132-13-}. 



