IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 
177 
and Miller, Proc. Davenport Acad, of Nat. Sciences, Vol. 8, 
p. 256; MacMillan, Met. Minn. Valley, p. 186. 
THE FAGACEAE OF IOWA. 
BY T. J. AND M. F. L. FITZPATRICK. 
FAGACEAE Drude, Phan, 409, 1879. 
OAK OR BEECH FAMILY. 
The oak family comprises five genera and 375 species. 
The family is of wide geographical distribution, and from 
an economic point of view, of very great value. Four 
genera occur in the United States, namely, Fagus (the 
Beech), Castanea (the Chestnut), Quercus (the Oak), and 
Castanopsis. The number of species and varieties recog- 
nized is 87. Of this number 82 belong to the genus Quer- 
cus, one each to Fagus and Castanopsis, and three to 
Castanea. The only genus indigenous to Iowa is Quercus, 
the oak, and the number of species recognized is 15. The 
chestnut, Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh. has been 
planted in some communities and seems to thrive. A fine 
grove of this species may be seen in the southern part of 
Johnson county and solitary or few trees that are 
hardy, ornamental, and useful are infrequently observed 
near dwellings. As the species ranges from Maine to 
Michigan, south to Tennessee, Iowa may be said to occupy 
a geographical position suited to chestnut raising. The 
wood of the species is coarse-grained and very durable. 
The beech, Fagus awericana Sweet, ranges from Nova 
Scotia to Florida, westward to Wisconsin and Texas, but 
occurs nowhere in Iowa, yet the species might very nat- 
urally be expected. The beech belongs to a rather numer- 
ous class of species that may be found to the north, east, 
or south of Iowa, yet refuses to enter within our limits, or 
if at all, only in very restricted localities in the north- 
eastern or eastern portions of the state. 
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