ORDER CXV. AMENTACEJE. 509 



Genus VIIL— OS'TRYA. Mich. 19—12. 

 (From the Greek ostruos, a scale.) 



Monoecious. Sterile florets ; anient cylindrical ; scales 1- 

 flowered ; filaments branched. Fertile florets ; anient naked. 

 Capsules inflated, imbricate, 1-seeded at the base. 



1. 0. Yirgin'ica, (Will J.) A small tree, with very compact, hard 

 wood. Leaves ovate-oblong, cordate at the base, alternate, unequally 

 serrate. Atnent oblong-ovate, erect, with inflated capsules, 1-seeded. — 

 ^ . May. In woods. 20 — 30 feet. Iron-wood. 



Scb-order IV.— PLATANA'CEJE. (Plane Tribe.) 



Genus IX.— PLAT ANUS. L. 19—12. 

 (From the Greek platus, ample, in allusion to its foliage.) 



Monoecious. Sterile florets ; anient globose. Stamens nu- 

 merous, intermixed with linear scales. Fertile florets; scales 

 spatulate. Stigma recurved. Seed clavate. 



1. P. occidenta'lis, (L.) A large tree, with nearly white branches, 

 with soft wood. Leaves 5-angled, obscurely toothed, pubescent beneath. 

 Aments axillary, on long peduncles. Seed forming a compact head. — 

 "■? . May. Banks of streams. 60 — 10 feet. 



Button-wood or Sycamore. 



Gexus X.— LIQUIDAM'BAP. L. 19—12. 

 (From liquidus, liquid, and amber, amber, in allusion to the exudation from the trees.) 



Monoecious. Sterile florets ; anient conical, with a 4-leaved 

 involucre ; perianth none. Sta?nens numerous. Fertile florets ; 

 ament globose ; perianth 2-leaved, urceolate, 2-flowered. Styles 

 2. Capsules 2, 1-celled, many-seeded. 



1. L. sttraciflu a, (L.) A large tree. Leaves alternate, palmately 

 lobed ; lobes acuminate, serrate. Sterile ament terminating the branch- 

 es. Fertile ament near the base of the sterile. — ^ . May. Damp 

 soils. 70 — 80 feet. Sweet Gum. 



Scb-order V.— CUPULIF'EP^E. (Nut Tribe.) 



Genus XL— QUER'CUS. L. 19—12. 

 (From the Celtic quer, fine, and cuez, a tree.) 



Monoecious. Sterile florets ; ament loose ; perianth mostly 

 6 — 8-cleft. Stamens 5— 7IO. Fertile florets ; capsule cup- 

 shaped, scaly ; perianth G-lobed. Ovary 3-celled, 2 of them 

 abortive. Style 1. Stir/mas 3. Acorn 1-celled, 1-seeded. 



a. Fructification biennial. Leaves usually setaceously mucronate, entire. 



1. Q. phel'los, (L.) A middle-sized tree, slender and straight 

 Leaves deciduous, linear-lanceolate, tapering at both ends, glabrous, 



