614 
MONOECIA POLYANDRIA. 
CASTANEA. Tournefort. 
'Mas cult. Amentum 
nudum. Calyx 0. Co- 
rolla 5-petala. Stami- 
na 10 — 20. 
Foeminei. Calyx 5 
— 6 phyllus, muricatus. 
Corolla 0. Germina 
3. Stigmata penicilli- 
formia. Nuces 1 — 3, 
calyce echiuato inclusae. 
Sterile Jlorets. A- 
ment naked. Calyx 0. 
Corolla five-petailed. 
Stamens 10 — 20. 
Fertile Jlorets. Ca- 
lyx 5 — 6 leaved, muri- 
cate. Corolla 0. Germs 
3. Stigmas feathered. 
Nuts 1 — 3, included in 
an echinate calyx. 
1. Vesca. Yar. Americana. 
C. foliis lanceolatis, 
acuminatis, mucronato- 
serratis, utrinque gla- 
Leaves lanceolate, 
acuminate, mucronate- 
ly serrate, glabrous on 
both surfaces. 
Sp. pi. 4. 459. Mich. 2. p. 193. Pursh, 2. p. 624. Nutt. 2. p. 217* 
Fagus Castanea, Lin. Walt. p. 233. 
Icon. Mich. arb. for. 2. p. 156. 
A very large tree, growing sometimes from 60 — 70 feet in height, and 3 
- — 5 feet in diameter, the trunk generally erect and straight, the branches of- 
ten irregular. Leaves large, oblong-lanceolate, pubescent underneath when 
young, very glabrous when old. Spikes or Aments of sterile flowers, axil- 
lary, very long, florets in small clusters, mostly dodecandrous, but varying 
from 5 — 20 stamens. Corolla 6-parted, somewhat lateral. Stamens long- 
er than the corolla. Fertile Spikes 2—3 together, short, thick. Calyx or 
Involucrum 2 — 3 flowered, solitary, squamose, at length muricate. Corolla 
tubular, irregularly 6 — 8-parted. Style 1. Stigmas numerous, rigid and 
white. Abortive stamens about 12. Nuts generally 3, enclosed in the per- 
sistent and spinous involucrum. Nuttall. 
The wood of this tree is very extensively used; it is supposed to resist vi- 
cissitudes of the weather better than that of most of our forest trees, and is 
therefore employed wherever that quality is particularly required. 
Grows very abundantly in dry, stony, gravelly ridges; not found along 
the sea-coast. 
Flowers April — May. 
