MONOECIA POLYANDRIA. 
613 
FAGUS. Gen. Pl. 1448. 
Masculi. Calyx 5- 
fidus, campanulatus. 
Corolla 0. Stamina 
circiter 12. 
Foeminei. Calyx 4- 
dentatus, setosus. Co- 
rolla 0. Germina 2. 
Nuces 2, calyce echi- 
nato, coriaceo, quadri- 
fido inclusae. 
Sterile Jlorets. Ca- 
lyx 5-cleft, campanu- 
late. Corolla 0. Sta- 
mens about 12. 
Fertile Jlorets. Ca- 
lyx 4-toothed, bristly. 
Corolla 0. Germs 2. 
Nuts 2, inclosed in an 
echinate, coriaceous, 4- 
cleft calyx. 
1. Sylvatica. Lin. 
Var. Americana. 
F. foliis ovatis, acu- 
minatis, leviter denta- 
tis, margine ciliatis, 
basi acutis; nucibus 
ovato triquetris, obtu- 
sis cum mucrone. 
Leaves ovate, acu- 
minate, slightly tooth- 
ed, fringed along the 
margin, acute at base; 
nuts ovate-triquetrous, 
obtuse but mucronate. 
Sp. pl. 4. p. 459. Walt. p. 233. Pursh, 2. p. 624. Nutt. 2. p. 216 . 
F. Sylvestris, Mich. 2. p. 194. 
Icon. Mich. arb. for. 2. p. 170. 
A large and beautiful tree, growing sometimes from 50 to 60 feet in height, 
and 2 to 3 in diameter. The trunk covered with a smooth white bark, 
branches numerous, and forming a very compact handsome head. Leaves 
alternate on short petioles, oval, lanceolate, acuminate, ribbed, serrate. Am- 
ents or Spikes of sterile florets, somewhat terminal or on short peduncles, 
fertile florets axillary, very small. Calyx persistent, somewhat like those of 
the chinquapin, but 4-cleft, and the spines weak and flexible. Seeds gene- 
rally triquetrous. 
This is one of the handsomest of our forest trees. The verdure of its 
leaves in the Spring surpasses in delicacy and beauty that of any other of our 
trees. The grain of its wood is fine and close, yet it is but little used, as the 
dog wood (Cornus Florida) and some other of our close grained trees, sur- 
pass it much in strength and durability. \ 
It grows in damp and rich soils, and where the substratum is cla} r , the 
soil is generally as durable as it is fertile. Where the substratum however 
is as is frequently the case in the low country of white sand, no soil is more 
speedily exhausted. 
Flowers March — April. 
