IfOXOECIA POLYANDRIA 539 



M uamose cluster. Perianth obsolete. Stigma* 2. J\ u/ bony, round- 

 jih-ovoicl, obtuse, subcompressed, embraced by the coriaceous lacerate- 

 dentate involucre. 

 Shrubs. -leaves alternate, stipular, roundish-cordate, orobovate; amenta aud 

 • illaie buds aubterminal. Nat. Ord. 82. Lindl. Cupulifbrjb. 



I C. ibceRICAXa, Walt. Leaves roundish-cordate, acuminate ; invo- 

 lucre* globose-campanulate, with the border compressed, dilated, many- 

 cleft. Beck, Bot. p. 332. 

 Ambrica* Cortlcs. Vulgd— Hazel-nut. Wild Filbert. 



Stem 4 to Gfeet high, slender, branching, the young branches virgate, pubescent 

 0d glandular-hispid. Leaves 3 to 6 inches long, and 2 to 4 inches wide, varying 

 from mundish-cordate to ovate and obovate, acuminate, dentate-serrate, pubes- 

 cent; petioles 1 fourth of an inch to an inch long; stipules ovate-lanceolate 



. ...... ^o^nrniifl Amenta nrecedin? the Ipkvos l iaQ i~,k._ «^__ 



umerous, 

 lucres of the 

 subglo- 



fcsiiicui. v»-~7 ' • • -• -j ~~»wi*jg mu jaier 



Pistillate flowers in capitate pedunculate squamose clusters, the scales ni 

 lanceolate, unequal, finally enlarging, uniting, and forming the involucre 

 nuts. Nut about 2 thirds of an inch long, and 3 fourths of an inch wide, subglo- 

 bow, somewhat compressed, hard and bony, finely pubescent, pale brown, em- 

 braced by the large 2-parted involucre, which is twice as long as the nut, veutri- 

 coseat base, glandular-hispid externally, with the border compressed, dilated 

 and irregularly lacerate-dentate. 



Jiab. Borders of thickets; fence-rows, &c. frequent. Fl. March— April, Ft. Sept. 

 Obs. This shrub is well known for its e3culent nuts. There is one other 

 ipeciei in the U. States. 



432. BETULA. L. JVutt. Gen. 755. 

 [Supposed from Betu, the Celtic name for the Birch.] 



Stamiicatf. Fr.. intents long, cylindric ; scales ternate, the middle 

 one bearing the stamens. Pistillate Fl. Aments ovoid-oblong; 

 uales trifid, 3-flowered. Styles 2. Nuts compressed, with a mem- 

 branaceous margin, 1 -seeded. 



Trees, or rarely shrubs, with the bark often exfoliating in thin plates: leaves 

 alternate, stipular, ovate and serrate ; amenta axillary. Nat. Ord. 82. Lindi 



BBTI'LINBJB. 



1. B. iugra, L. Leaves rhomboid-ovate, acute, doubly serrate, entire 

 at base, pubescent beneath ; pistillate aments elliptic-oblong, the scales 

 villose, with the segments sublinear and obtuse. Beck, Bot. p 325 

 B. lanulosa. Mx. Jim. 2. p. 181. Also, Pers. Sy?i. 2. p. 572 ' 

 B. rubra. Mx.f. Sylva, 2. p. 99 (Icon, tab. 72.). Eat. Man. p. 53. 

 Black Bktula. Vulgo— Red Birch. Black Birch. 



Stem 40 to 60 or 70 feet high, and 1 to 2 feet diameter, branched, with a smooth 

 bark, the outer layers exfoliating in broad thin revolute lamime, or sheets- yonmr 

 branches virgate, slender, pubescent. Leaves \ to 4 inches long, and dtoMrths 

 of an inch to 3 inches wide, varying from roundish-ovate to deltoid- and rhomboid. 

 oTau, acute, doubly serrate, smoothish abore, more or less pubescent beneath i 

 fittoUs 1 fourth to 3 fourths of an inch long, pubescent ; stijmles small, lance-' 

 •Wong, membranous, caducous. Staminate amsnts 2 to 3 inchss long, slender, 



