MYBICA 



SWEET GALE ORDER 



MYRICA 793 



none. Stamens 2-16, often 4-6, in the axil of each bract. Ovary sessile, 

 1-celled. Fruit a small round or ovoid drupe, often covered with waxy 

 papillae or small raised dots. 



MYRICA (Candlebbrky Myrtle). — 

 This is the only genus of the order, and 

 its essential characters are given above. 



M. asplenifolia {Gomptonia aspleni- 

 foUa). — Sweet Fern. — A distinct North 

 American shrub 3-4 ft. high, remarkable 

 for its deciduous, fragrant. Fern-like leaves, 

 which are lance-shaped and pinnately cut 

 and toothed, and sprinkled with yellowish 

 resinous dots. Stipules half heart-shaped. 

 Flowers in March and April, whitish. 

 Male catkins lateral, cylindrical ; female 

 ones ovate. 



Culture a/nd Propagation. — This 

 species grows freely in moist peaty soil, 

 and prefers a somewhat shaded situation. 

 It may be increased by layers and offsets 

 or suckers in autumn ; and by seeds sown 

 in cold frames as soon as ripe. It may be 

 grown in peaty borders with Heaths, 

 Azaleas, Bhododendrons, Ealmias, and 

 other Ericaceous plants. 



M. californica. — A Califoruian species 

 said to attain a height of 30-40 ft. in its 

 native state. Leaves oblanceolate acute, 



thick, slightly woolly beneath, 2-4 in. long, 

 and somewhat toothed. Flowers greenish, 

 monoecious, succeeded by purple fruits 

 thinly coated with greyish-wlute waxy 

 papHlse. 



Culture dc. as above. May be grown 

 like M. asplenifoUa. 



M. cerifera (Com/mon Ca/ndleherry 

 Myrtle). — A Canadian evergreen shrub, 

 5-12 ft. high, with flat shining green lance- 

 shaped pointed serrate leaves. Flowers 

 in May, reddish, succeeded by waxy fruits. 



Culture dc. as above. 



M. Gale (Sweet Gale; Bog Myrtle). — 

 A beautiful fragrant bush 2-4 ft. high, 

 native of the bogs and moors in the 

 British Islands. Leaves 2-8 in. long, 

 narrowly wedge-shaped obovate or lance- 

 shaped serrate, shortly stalked, and often 

 downy beneath. Flowers from May to 

 July, brownish-green, the female ones 

 having red styles, the male ones 4 

 stamens. 



Culture do. as above. 



CVIII. CUPULIFER^E— Oak, Beech, and Birch Order 



An important order of trees or shrubs with alternate feather-veined, serrate, 

 dentate, or entire, rarely lobed, never compound leaves, which are deciduous 

 in most of the hardy species. Stipules free, often fugacious. Mowers 

 monoecious ; the male ones solitary, crowded, or in spikes, with or without 

 an irregular perianth of 5 or more segments. Stamens 2-4, or numerous. 

 Eemale flowers with or without an adnate perianth. Ovary inferior or naked, 

 more or less perfectly 2-3- (rarely 4-6-) celled after fertilisation. Fruit an 

 indehiscent glans or nut, seated on, or enclosed by, the cup-like involucre 

 formed of the hardened accrescent bracts. 



As may be seen below, most of our hardy native trees, like the Birch, 

 Alder, Hazel, Oak, Beech, belong to this natural order, as well as many fine 

 exotic ones. 



BETULA (Birch). — A genus of orna- 

 mental trees and shrubs, with alternate, 

 toothed or serrate, rarely incised, feather- 

 veined leaves. Flowers monoecious, in 

 axillary or terminal spikes appearing at 

 the same time as the leaves. Male cat- 

 kins cylindrical, loose, imbricated with 

 temate concave scales, the middle one 

 largest, ovate ; perianth sessile, mem- 



branous, with 4 segments, or fewer by 

 abortion, stamens 2. Female catkins 

 similar, but more dense and compact ; 

 perianth none. Ovary 2-ceUed ; styles 2. 

 Nut small, flattened, narrowly or broadly 

 2 -winged. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 Birches are graceful and ornamental trees 

 that never fail to secure the admiration 



