406 THE CATKIN FAMILY, [Carpinus. 
tufts of hairs. Female catkins slender, the fruiting ones often several 
inches long, and conspicuous for their long, leaf-like bracts ; the central 
lobe lanceolate, 1 to 14 inches long. Nut small, ovoid, with prominent 
ribs. 
In central and south-eastern Europe, extending eastward to the Cau- : 
casus and northwards to southern Sweden. In Britain it is everywhere : 
planted, and is indigenous only in Wales, and central and southern 
England. #1. spring, as the leaves come out. ‘ 
V. CORYLUS. HAZEL. 
Flowers monececious, the males in cylindrical catkins, with broad, sessile — 
scales, each with 2 small lobes or adherent scales inside. Stamens about 
8, irregularly inserted on the scale itself, without any perianth; the 
anther-cells distinct, on very short, forked filaments. Female catkins 
very small, forming a sessile bud, with closely packed, narrow scales, 
the outer ones empty. Flowers 2 within each scale, crowded in the 
upper part of the catkin, each one enclosed in a minute jagged inner 
scale. Perianth combined with the ovary at the base, with a minute 
toothed border. Ovary 2-celled, with a pendulous ovule in each cell. 
Styles 2. Fruits usually clustered, each consisting of a hard nut, 
nearly enclosed in a leafy involucre, unequally lobed and jagged, formed 
of the very much enlarged inner scales of the catkin. 
A genus of but very few species, spread over the temperate regions 
of the northern hemisphere. 
1. ©. Avellana, Linn. (fig. 915). Common H. or Nut.—A shrub, or 
sometimes a small tree. Leaves broadly obovate or orbicular, doubly 
toothed or slightly lobed, coarse and downy on both sides. Male cat- 
kins drooping, 14 to 2 inches long; the females resembling small leaf- 
buds, with shortly protruding, red stigmas. After flowering the minute 
inner bracts enlarge very rapidly, so as to form the leafy involucre 
commonly called the husk of the nut. 
In woods and thickets, throughout Europe and central and Russian 
Asia, except the extreme north. Abundantin Britain. Vl. early spring, 
before the leaves are out. 
VI. FAGUS. BEECH. 
Flowers moncecious, the males in globular, pendulous catkins; the 
scales small, and falling off very early. Perianth campanulate, shortly 
stalked, 4- to 6-lobed (formed of the inner scales within each catkin- 
scale), containing 8 to 12 stamens, with long protruding filaments and 
small anthers. Female catkins globular, almost sessile, the scales 
linear, with numerous, closely packed filiform inner scales, all empty 
except the uppermost, and forming an involucre round 2 or 3 flowers, 
sessile in the centre of the catkin. Perianth combined with the ovary 
at its base, bordered by 4 or 5 short lobes. Ovary 3-celled, with 2 
pendulous ovules in each cell. Styles 3. Nuts 2 or 3, enclosed in a 
hard, prickly involucre, composed of the combined outer and inner 
scales of the catkin, and opening in 4 valves. 
Besides the single northern species, the genus comprises several from 
Chili, Fuegia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. 1G 
