194 



CUPULIFER.E. 



QUERCUS. 



A shrub 3-6 feet high, with numerous slender branches. Leaves 3-4 inches long and 

 1 i — 2 J inches wide, the teeth obtuse or somewhat acute, smooth and light green above, 

 whitish or with a glaucous tinge underneath : petioles 3-5 lines long. Acorns numerous, 

 large for the size of the plant ; the cup thin, closely imbricated with minute obtuse scales : 

 nut rather obtuse ; the kernel sweetish, white. 



Sandy woods : Long Island, and between Albany and Schenectady. Fl. May. Fr. End 

 of September. This species, which is often called Dwarf Chestnut Oak, grows in large 

 patches, but is too small to be applied to any use. The acorns are devoured by squirrels and 

 other animals, so that it is rare to find them lying on the ground. 



5. FAGUS. Tourn. ; Endl. gen. 1847. BEECH. 

 [ From the Greek word phago, to eat ; because the nuts were formerly used as food.] 



Sterile fl. capitate, on a long drooping peduncle, with small deciduous bracts. Calyx 

 campanulate, 5 - 6-cleft. Stamens 8-12, exserted. Fertile fl. two or more together 

 in an urceolate somewhat 4-lobed involucre, which consists of numerous subulate scales 

 grown together at their bases. Limb of the calyx produced above the ovary, and 4 - 5-cleft. 

 Ovary triquetrous, 3-celled : styles 3, filiform. Involucre finally coriaceous, muricated 

 with subulate points, and deeply 4-parted. Nuts triquetrous, 1 - 2 in each involucre. — 

 Trees with a smooth grayish bark, and stipular feather-veined toothed leaves. 



1. Fagus ferruginea, Ait. (Plate CX.) Beech. 



Leaves elliptical-ovate, acuminate, conspicuously toothed, ciliate on the margin ; nut acute. 

 — Ait. Kew. (ed. 1.) 3. p. 362 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 624 ; Beck, hot. p. 333 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. 

 p. 538. F. sylvatica, var. Americana, Nutt. gen. 2. p. 216? ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 613 ; Bigel. 

 fl. Bost. p. 348. F. sylvestris, Michx. fl. 2. p. 194 ; Michx. fl. sylv. t. 107. 



A beautiful tree, often 50 - 60 feet high and 2 feet or more in diameter ; the trunk clothed 

 with a thick smooth gray bark. Leaves 3-5 inches long and 1 i - 2\ inches wide, strongly 

 and remotely toothed, bright green and shining above, silky underneath when young, but 

 finally almost smooth : petioles pubescent, 3-5 lines long. Sterile heads roundish or ovoid, 

 consisting of 20 - 30 flowers : peduncle filiform, about two inches long, slightly silky- 

 pubescent. Calyx tubular-campanulate, light brown, villous, mostly 5-cleft ; the segments 

 oblong. Stamens 10 - 12 : anthers oblong. Fertile flowers 2 - 3 on a stout peduncle, which 

 is 5 - 6 lines long. Ovary acutely triangular : styles elongated, stigmatose on the inside. 

 Nuts nearly three-fourths of an inch long when mature, sharply 3-angled, with the sides a 

 little concave, mostly acute but sometimes rather obtuse, with a small abrupt acumination. 

 Involucre finally coriaceous and splitting nearly to the base into four lobes or valves, clothed 

 with soft prickles which are mostly spreading or recurved. 



Fertile woods ; common in most parts of the State, but forming the greater parts of extensive 



