756 



THE CATKIN FAMILY. 



rianth. Female flowers solitary or clustered, each one surrounded by 

 an involucre of small imbricated scales. Perianth adherent to the 

 ovary at its base, with a short, toothed border. Ovary 3-celled, with 

 2 pendulous ovules in each cell. Style 3-lobed. Nut or acorn oblong, 

 ovoid, or globular, protruding from a woody cup or involucre formed 

 by the enlarged scales. 



A very numerous genus, extending over nearly the whole of the 

 northern hemisphere, excepting the extreme north, but only pene- 

 trating into the tropics along the chain of the Andes or in the Moluccas. 

 Many exotic species have evergreen or entire leaves, or are mere shrubs, 

 but are all readily recognized by the fruit, in which the involucre never 

 so completely encloses the nut as in the Chestnut and Beech. Among 

 the most frequent in our plantations may be mentioned the evergreen 

 or Ilex O. (Q. Ilex), from southern Europe, the Turkey or moss-cupped 

 O. (Q. Cerris), from south-eastern Europe, the red 0. (Q. rubra), and 

 some others, from North America. 



1. British Oak. Quercus Robin*, Linn. (Eig. 909.) 



A stately tree, the longest-lived among 

 the natives of our islands. Leaves de- 

 ciduous, although in some varieties they 

 will remain through a great part of the 

 winter, usually obovate or oblong, irre- 

 gularly sinuate or almost pinnatifid ; 

 the lobes usually obtuse, glabrous or 

 (rarely in Britain) downy underneath. 

 Cup very much shorter than the acorn, 

 with short, obtuse, closely imbricated, 

 often scarcely distinct scales. 



Extends over the whole of Europe, 

 except the extreme north, penetrating 

 along the chain of the Caucasus a con- 

 siderable way into central Asia, although 

 further north it does not cross the Ural. 

 Fl. spring as the leaves are coming out. 

 It varies considerably in foliage and inflorescence, and throughout its 

 range two remarkable forms appear so definite and usually so perma- 

 nent that many of the most acute botanists regard them as distinct 

 species. The question of their specific identity has been much dis- 

 cussed, but the arguments adduced on each side are too long to be 

 here entered into, nor are they absolutely conclusive in favour of the 

 view here adopted, which is nevertheless the result of a close investi- 

 gation, carried on for many years in various parts of Europe. The 

 following are the two British races : — 



Fig, 909. 



