CHAP. CV.

coiiyla'ceas.

1715

CHAP. CV.

OF THE HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE ORDER CORYLA'CEAS,OR CUPULl'FERiE.

Qub'rcus Lin. Flowers unisexual ; those of both sexes upon one plant. —Male flowers disposed in long, slender, pendulous catkins; the catkins ingroups. Each flower consists of 8 or more stamens, and these are attendedby 6—8 bracteas, that are coherent at the base, and resemble a 6—8-parted calyx. — Female flowers borne upon erect axillary peduncles; afew upon a peduncle. Each flower consists of a pistil, whose ovary, andthe basal part of whose style, are invested with an adnate calyx, that istoothed at the tip ; and the part of this that covers the ovary is again in-vested with involucral scales, that are connate with external imbricatebracteal ones. Ovary with 3 cells (? 5 in Q. 1' lex), and 2 ovules in each,that at first are erect, soon after pendulous. Style short. Stigma 3-lobed(? 5-lobed in Q. 7'lex.), rather fleshy.— Fruit an acorn, mostly oblong orovate ; its lower part invested with an imbricate cup; its base scarred ; therest of its surface invested with the adherent, coriaceous, smooth calyx,that is separable by art; cell, by abortion, 1 ; seed, by abortion, 1, veryrarely 2. — Species numerous. Trees, chiefly large and deciduous; for thegreater part natives of the temperate zone of the northern hemispheres, butsome of them found on mountains in the torrid zone. Leaves alternate,annual, or persistent. Scales of the buds imbricated. Leaves conduplicatein the bud. (57 Fees ab Esenbeck Gen. PI. FI. Germ. Illustr.; Smith Png.FI., iv. p. 148.; and observation.)

7Vgi;s Tonrn. Flowers unisexual, those of the two sexes upon one plant.

— Male flowers in stalked drooping heads, or capitate catkins, 3 or 4 ineach, attended by minute deciduous bracteas. Each flower consists ofa 5—6-clcft bell-shaped calyx, and 8—12 stamens, that arise from thebottom of the calyx, and extend beyond its mouth. — Female flowers borne2—6 together, within a pitcher-shaped indistinctly 4-lobed involucre, con-stituted of numerous unequal bracteal scales, and interior scales growntogether. Each flower consists of a calyx, lengthened into a laciniate limb,and investing the ovary. An ovary of 3 angles, and 3 cells, and 2 pendulousovules in each. — Fruit. Nuts as many as, or fewer than, the ovaries, sur-rounded by the externally echinate involucre, that becomes 4-valved, andsomewhat woody. Nuts upright, having 3 acute corners, crowned at the tipwith the hairy lobes of the calyx : each includes 2—3 seeds, pendulous atthe tip of the partly obliterated dissepiments, where are the remains of theabortive ovules.— Species few. Trees tall in stature; natives of the colderparts of Europe and America. Leaves alternate, annual, feather-veined,plaited in the bud. (T. Nees ab Esenbeck Gen. PL FI. Germ.; Smith Eng.FL, iv. p. 150, 151.; and observation.)

Casta'nea Toum. Flowers unisexual, very rarely bisexual; those of the dis-tinct sexes upon one plant.— Male flowers each consisting of a 6-partedcalyx, and 10—15 stamens, affixed to its bottom, and extended beyond itsmouth. The flowers are sessile, anil disposed in groups along axillary stalks :each group consists of many flowers, and is involucrated by a bractea and abracteole. — The female flowers consist each of an ovary, tapered to thetip, clothed with a calyx, and crowned by. - its 6—7—8-cleft limb, and bear-ing as many styles, and having as many cells, with two pendulous ovulesin each. The flowers are disposed 2—3 or more together, within a bell-shaped, and externally bristly involucre, and the involucred groups aredisposed upon terminal stalks, that are lengthened out as the flowersadvance to the state of fruit; a few at the base of the stalks that bearthe groups of male flowers, and some solitarily in the axils of leaves.

— Fruit. The involucre is 4-valved, and includes 2—3 nuts; the restof the number of ovaries being abortive. The nuts are large, and have

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