Dicotyledons with Incomplete Flowers — Cupulifercz. 103 
(C. vescct) is much planted for ornament in England, where it ripens its fruit in favourable seasons. It 
is the only Chestnut native in Europe, extending from Belgium and Portugal eastward to the Levant. 
Diagnosis of the Genus. —Involucre (cupule) splitting into valves, usually wholly inclosing 3 or 
more nuts. Staminate flowers in erect axillary, interrupted spikes. Ovary usually 5-7-celled. 
Leaves deciduous, coarsely and acutely serrate. 
FLOWERS of Spanish Chestnut monoecious : staminate with a simple perianth and 8-12 free stamens ; pistillate 
in 3-4-flowered involucres, sessile near the base of the lower spikes bearing staminate flowers ; each pistillate flower 
with the limb of the perianth reduced to minute teeth, a few minute rudimentary stamens (staminodes), and ovary 
surrounded by as many slender styles (5-7) as cells. 
Fruit in Spanish Chestnut a nut, usually, three together in one coarsely-spinose involucre, opening when ripe 
in 4 valves. Embryo with large fleshy cotyledons more or less coherent by their waved inner faces. 
USES, &c. — Spanish Chestnut is one of the noblest indigenous trees of Europe, occasionally attaining an 
enormous size ; though from the reckless freedom with which the principal boughs are given off, and the great 
weight and resistance to the wind of the beautiful summer foliage, the older specimens are generally ruined by 
storms. The fruits (chestnuts) are collected for food. The wood is said to be brittle, and of no great value for 
purposes of construction. 
III. GENUS BEECH ( Fagus ).—Including about twelve to fifteen species, of which but one is 
European. Several species abound along the South-Western coast of South America from Chili to 
Cape Horn, and four species are peculiar to New Zealand. Common Beech (F. sylvatica) is probably 
indigenous in Britain, where it is very extensively planted. It extends eastward through Europe as 
far as the borders of Asia. 
