OF NORTH AMERICA. 
81 
some botanists. Bark redish, branchlets terete 
sulcate dark purple, leaves subpetiolate ovato- 
blong remotely serrate acuminate, base acute 
or obtuse often obliqual, margin ciliate, young 
nerves pilose, surface rusty, pale beneath, a- 
ments on thick peduncles, nuts ovate acute with 
sharp angles — our Red Beech is found from 
New England to Missouri, the wood has a red- 
ish tinge like the bark, leaves 2 or 3 inches 
long, monoical, female flowers with many linear 
smooth bracts. A large tree 50 to 100 feet 
high. 
691. Fagus nigra Raf. Bark fuscate, branch- 
lets blackish terete sulcate, leaves subsessile 
ample ovate rhomboidal, acumin. base acute, 
margin denticulate, surface dark green glossy 
on both sides/nuts acute angles sharp — This 
tree called Black or Brown Beech is sparingly 
found with the others, 40 to 70 feet high, 
branches so dark purple as to be almost black, 
leaves very large 4 to 5 inches long. 
692. Fagus rotundifolia Raf. fl. tex. 10 
atl. J. 17 7. Bark fuscate, branchlets terete 
fuscate, leaves petiolate rounded repand acute, 
petiols margins and nerves above and beneath 
silky pilose, aments commonly geminate on 
short and thick peduncles silky like the bracts 
—A very distinct Sp. first described by me in 
1833, it appears to have an extensive range, it 
first appears in Arkanzas and Texas, extend- 
ing to Origon and Sibiria, perhaps even to Eu- 
rope, where several blended Sp. exist which I 
shall shortly notice for contrast with ours. This 
Beech tree is smaller than the others 20 to 30 
feet high, leaves 1 or 2 inches long and broad. 
It may be called the Silky Beech. 
693. Fagus sylvatxca L. &c. Branches 
