CHAP. CV 



CORYLA*CEiE. QUF/RCUS. 



1 94.'J 



of New Spain, near Moran. It was only found by Humboldt on the mountain Cerro de las Nahajas, 

 at an elevation of 48(H) ft. (800 toises). It is on this mountain that the stones (obsidians) are found, in 

 great quantities, of which the Mexican Indians make the heads of their arrows ; and they are said, 

 also, to make razors and knives of them. The wood is very hard, and much esteemed by the Mexicans. 

 O. Siderdxyla Humb. et Bonp. PI. iEquin., t. 85., and our fig. I860., Michx. N. Amer. Syl., 1. 

 p. 109. Leaves wedge-shaped, oblong ; obtuse at the base ; mucronate and dentate towards the tip ; 

 white with down beneath. Fruit sessile. {Humb. et Bonp.) A lofty tree, with thick rugged bark, 

 and very hard wood. Leaves crowded, on short footstalks ; li in. long, rigidly coriaceous ; glabrous 

 above. Female flowers generally twin, upon very short footstalks, in the axils of the leaves. Cups 

 globose, closely imbricated. Scales membranaceous, round ish-oval, obtuse ; covered externally with 

 powdery down ; scarious and naked on the margin. Nut ovate, twice as long as the cup. A native 

 of the temperate regions of New Spain, near Villalpando, in dry and arid places, at an elevation of 

 8600 ft. (1440 toises). This is one of the most valuable species of oaks furnished by New Spain. It 

 attains a great height ; its wood is very compact, and capable of taking a fine polish ; and it has 

 another property, as rare as valuable, viz. that of hardening when exposed to moisture, or entirely 

 plunged in water, and never decaying in such a situation. For this reason, it is preferred for subter- 

 raneous works, by the miners, to every other. 



Q. mexicana Humb. et Bonp. PI. iEquin., t. 82., and our fig. 1861., Michx. N. Amer. Syl., 1. 

 p. 107. Leaves oblong, blunt, with a very minute point ; somewhat wavy on the margin ; 

 downy beneath. Acorns slightly stipitate. A tree, from 18 ft. to 20 ft. high. Younger branches 

 downy. Leaves about 2 in. long; white beneath with stellate down, glaucous above, shining, 

 leathery ; younger ones lanceolate, downy on both sides, quite entire. Male flowers inferior, in 

 axillary aggregate catkins ; female nearly sessile, in the axils of the leaves, almost solitary. Male 

 flower : one concave roundish scale, instead of a calyx ; stamens constantly 7, very short. Cup 

 goblet-shaped. Scales oval, obtuse, flat, membranaceous ; covered externally with a powder-like 

 down. Nut ovate, terminated by the persistent style. Very common in Mexico. The wood is 

 white, and neither strong nor compact ; but it is much sought after for making charcoal. The young 

 leaves have all the characters of Q. microphylla. (Nees.) 



Q. crdssipes angustifolia Humb. et Bonp. PI. iEquin., t. 84., and our fig. 1859., differs from Q. cras- 

 sipes, in the leaves being narrowed, and more diminished towards the point. Found, along with 

 Q. criissipes, near Ario, in the interior of Valladolid. 



Q. crdssipes Humb. et Bonp. PI. /Equin., t. 83., and our fig. 1862., Michx. N. Amer. Syl, 1. 



