( 193 .) 
A' L N U S *. 
Linncan Class and Order. Monckcia f, Tetra'ndria. 
Natural Order. Betuli'nete, Rich, by Macgilliv. p. 544. — 
Lindl. Introd. to Nat. Syst. of Bot. p. 98. — Amenta'ceas, Linn — 
Juss. Gen. PI. p. 407. — Sm. Gram, of Bot. p. 189. — Lindl. Syn. p. 
228. — Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 534. — Querneales ; type, Betula- 
CE/E ; Burn. Outl. of Bot. v. ii. pp. 523 & 529. 
Gen. Char. Barren Flowers (fig;. 2.) numerous, collected into 
a loose, cylindrical catkin (fig. 1.) imbricated all round. Calyx 
(see fig. 2.) a permanent, wedge-shaped scale , 3-flowered, with 
2 very minute lateral scales. Corolla (see fig. 2.) composed of 
3 equal florets, attached to the inner side of every scale, each of 1 
petal , in 4 deep, equal, egg-shaped, blunt segments. Filaments 
(see fig. 2.) 4, arising from the tube of the floret, shorter than its 
segments, and opposite to them. Anthers roundish, 2-lobed. 
Fertile Flowers (figs. 4 & 5.) fewer, collected into an egg-shaped, 
firm catkin (fig. 3.) imbricated all round. Calyx (see figs. 4 to 8.) 
a permanent, wedge-shaped, 2-Howered scale. Corolla none. 
Germen compressed, 2-celled. Styles (see fig. 5.) 2, parallel, ta- 
pering, a little prominent, deciduous. Stigma simple. Nut (see 
figs. 9 to 12.) egg-shaped, hard, compressed, angular, without 
wings, 2-celled. Kernels (see fig. 1 1.) one in each cell, egg-shaped, 
pointed. 
Distinguished from other genera, in the same class and order, 
by the permanent, 3-flowered scale ( calyx J ; and the deeply 4-cleft 
corolla ( floret] of the barren-flowered catkin; and by the perma- 
nent, 2-fiowered scale f calyx J without a corolla; the 2 styles and 
compressed nut, destitute of wings ; of the fertile-flowered catkin. 
One species British. 
A'LNUS GLUTINO'SA. Common Alder. Glutinous-leaved 
Alder. Black Alder. Owler. 
Spec. Char. Leaves roundish-wedge-shaped, wavy, serrated, 
somewhat glutinous, blunt ; downy at the branching of the nerves 
beneath. 
Hook. FI. Lond. t. 59. — Loud. Arbor. Brit. t. 229. — VVilld. Sp. PI. v. iv. p. 
334. — Sm. Engl. FI. v. iv. p 131. — With. (7th ed.) v. ii. p. 245.— Gray’s Nat. 
Arr. v. ii. p.244. — Lindl. Syn. p.229. — Hook. Brit. FI. p. 402. FI. Scot. p. 
271. — Grev. FI. Kdin. p. 201. — FI. Devon, pp. 153 & 135.— Johnst. Fl.ofBerw. 
v. ii. p.204. — Winch’s FI. of Norihumb. and Durham, p. 61. — Baxt. Lib. of 
Agricul. and Hort. knovvl. (2nd ed.) p. 9. — Loud. Encyclop. of Gard. (new ed.) 
p. 1161. parag. 6664. — Walk. Fl.ol Oxf. p. 277. — Bab. FI. Bath. p.46. — Mack. 
Catal. of PI. of Irel. p.81. — The Irish FI. p. 185. — Alnus, Ray’s Syn. p.442. — 
Fig. 1. The barren or stameniferous Catkins. — Fig. 2. A separate Flower of 
ditto, showing the Calyx, the 3 Florets, and the Stamens. — Fig. 3. The fertile or 
pistilliferous Catkins. — Figs. 4 & 5. Two separate Flowers of ditto, showing the 
Calyx, the 2 Florets, and the Pistils.— F’ig. 6. The hardened, permanent, cone- 
like Catkin, after the seeds are discharged. — Figs. 7 & 8. Separate Seales of 
ditto. — Figs. 9 & 10. Two of the Nuts or Seeds.— Fig. 11. A vertical section of 
one of the Nuts. — Fig. 12. A transverse section of ditto. — Figs. 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 
and 12, more or less magnified. 
* From the Celtic al, near ; and lan, the river-bank . Sir W. .1. IIooki r. 
T See Jiryoni a clioica, folio 83, note |\ 
