FAG ACE AE 
386 
of the leaves of the current year and are diclinous and anemophilous. 
They are arranged in catkins or small spikes (exc. Fagus c?). In 
general there is a close resemblance to Betulaceae, and, as in that 
order, the firs, are usually in dichasial cymes in the axils of the 
catkin-leaves ; there are often, however, more than three firs. 
Perianth bract-like, (4 — 7). $ fir. with as many to twice as many 
or 00 sta. undivided, with or without rudimentary style. ? firs, usually 
in dichasia of 3 in Castanea, 2 in Fagus, 1 in Quercus &c. G usually 
(3) with 3 styles (exc. sp. of Castanea) ; loculi 3, usually visible before 
fertilisation. Placentae axile, each bearing 2 pendulous anatropous 
ovules with 2 integuments. Fruit a 1 -seeded nut. Seeds without 
endosperm. 
The group of nuts is surrounded by a cup-like organ termed a 
cupule\ in the oak there is one nut in each cupule, in the beech two, 
in the chestnut three. About the morphology of this organ there has 
been much discussion. Eicliler (see diagram above, fig. B, and Blii - 
thendiagr.) regards it as the combined bracteoles a' ft a, ( 3 , Prantl 
(Engler’s Bot. yahrb . VIII. 1887) as an axial outgrowth. See also 
Celakovsky in Pringsheim' s yahrb. xxi. 1890, and cf. Betulaceae. 
The cupule only becomes clearly visible after fertilisation. 
Some of the F. show signs of peculiar development of the embryo- 
sac, and other interesting features (see Chalazogamae). 
The order includes several important economic plants, chiefly 
valuable for their timber, eg. oak (Quercus), beech (Fagus), chestnut 
(Castanea), &c. 
Classification and genera (after Prantl): 
1. Fageae (firs, in dichasia, rarely solitary in axils of foliage- 
leaves; lateral and single fruits 3 -angled): Fagus (inch 
Nothofagus). 
2. Castaneae ( ? firs, in dichasia or single in the axils of catkin- 
leaves ; fruit rounded at sides) : Castanea, Pasania, Quercus. 
[Bentli. -Hooker unite F. with Betulaceae, as Cupuliferae, placing 
them in Unisexuales; Warming places them in Querciflorae.] 
Fagara Linn. = Zanthoxylum Linn. * 
Fagopyrum Tourn. ex Hall. Polygonaceae (11. 4). 4 sp. As. The 
firs, resemble those of Polygonum, but are heterostyled, with long and 
short-styled forms (p. 95). F. esculentum Moench is the buckwheat, 
largely cultivated, especially in N. Am., for its fruit (seed), in which 
there is a floury endosperm. The plant is also used as green fodder, 
and is a good honey-plant. 
Fagraea Thunb. Loganiaceae. 20 sp. E. Ind. to Austr. , often epiphytic. 
Some sp. have nectaries at the outside of the base of the fir. These 
attract ants which are said to prevent bees from boring holes in the 
fir. to rob the honey (p. 92). 
Fagus (Tourn.) Linn. (incl. Nothofagus Blume). Fagaceae(i). The 
genus forms 2 sections, § Eufagus with 4 sp. N. temp, and § Nothofagus 
