DICOTYLEDONES— MONOCHLAMYDE^ 255 



Distribution and Numbers. — Natives of the temperate parts 

 of Europe and North America, and of the tropical regions of 

 South America, India, and the Cape of Good Hope. Illustra- 

 tive Oenera : — Myrica, Linn. ; Comptonia, Banks. There are 

 about 20 species. 



Properties and Uses. — The plants of this order are chiefly 

 remarkable for aromatic and astringent properties. 



Order 40. CASUAElNACEiE, the Beef- wood Order. — Charac- 

 ter. — Trees with pendulous, jointed, striated branches, without 

 evident leaves, but' sometimes having short toothed sheaths, re- 

 presenting whorls of leaves, at the nodes. Flowers in bracteate 

 spikes or heads, unisexual. Male flowers with 2 sepals united at 

 their points, and 2 alternating bracts ; 1 stamen, and a 2-celled 

 anther. Female flowers in dense spikes or heads, naked, but 

 each having 2 bracts ; ovary 1-ceUed or rarely 2-oeUed, with 1 — 2 

 ascending ovules, and 2 styles. Fruits winged, indehiscent. 



Fig. 1014. Fig. 1015. Fig. 1016. 



Fig. 1014. Male flower of a species of Oak {Qitercus), Fig.lO\^. Female 



flower of the same. Fig. 1016. Trausversc section of the female flower. 



collected together into a cone-shaped body hidden under the 

 thickened bracts. Seeds exalbuminous ; radicle superior. 



Distribution and Numbers. — These plants are principally 

 natives of Australia. They are called Beef- wood trees from the 

 colour of their timber somewhat resembling that of raw beef. 

 In general appearance they much resemble the branched 

 Equisetinse. Casuarina, Linn., is the only genus ; it contains 

 about 32 species. 



Properties and Uses. — The species of Casuarina yield very 

 hard and heavy timber, and the bark of some is said to be tonic 

 and astringent. 



Order 41. CoeylaoejE or Cupulifee*;, the Oak Order. — 

 Character. — Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, usually feather- 

 veined, simple, with deciduous stipules. Flowers monoecious. 

 Male flowers clustered or in amenta, and with or without bracts ; 

 stamens 5 — 20, inserted into the base of a membranous calyx, 

 or of scales or bracts. Female flowers solitary or amentaceous. 



