1
cles Scales o f th e strobiles having the side lobes roundish (WUld.) A
deciduous tree. Nova Scotia to Pennsylvania. Height 70 ft. to 80 ft
In tro d . 1767. Flowers greenish white ; May. F ru it brownish ; ripe in October!
The young shoots and leaves, a t th e ir unfolding, a re downy. Towards the
end of suminer, when fully expanded, th e leaves are perfectly smooth, except
th e petiole, which remains covered with fine sh o rt hairs. The leaves are about
dg in. long, a n d j i i i n . b ro ad ; oval, aciiininate, and bordered with sharp
irregular teeth. The epidermis is o f a brilliant golden yellow ; and th e leaves
th e bark, and th e young shoots, have all an agreeable ta ste and smell, similar
to those o f th e pliant birch ( r t . lèn ta), tliough they lose it in drying. In its
iiuctincation, this species nearly resembles B . lenta.
¥ I I . R. l e ' n t a L . Th e pliant Bircii.
E n g r a m n g s . W a n g , B e i t r . t . 16. f. 34. j M ic h x . N . A m e r. S y l ., 2. 106. ; a n d o u r * . I.54I .
Spec Char., f r . Leaves cordate-ovate, acutely serrated, acuminate ; petioles
and nerves hairy beneath. Scales o f th e strobiles smooth, havin« th e side
lobes obtuse, equal with prominent veins. (W illd .) A deciduous tree,
Lanada to (xeorgia. Height
60 ft. to 70 ft. In tro d , 1759.
Flowers greenish w h ite ;
May and Ju n e . F ru it
brown ; ripe in November.
According to P u rsh , this
is an elegant and large tree,
th e most interesting o f its
genus, on ac count o f th e
excellence o f its wood. Michaux
strongly recommends
th e tre e for cultivation, on a
large scale, in th e north o f
France, in England, and in
Germany ; and to th e lovers
o f curious trees, " a s emin
ently adapted, from th e
beauty o f its foliage and the
agreeable o dour o f its flowers,
to figure in the ir parks
and gardens.”
a s s a t r-' - r
its thin d e lie a tl bark f u r n is h ? im s s t ‘’0? ? ^ " ' ! ' ’
which great auantitip«?-irp hmtm-kf i • flexible laminated matter, of
th e t u h t e o r h o o k r s ; ancl w S
paper, for writing upon. (WaU. Plant. As. R a r ! o n r o £ T ' 'T h " 1 ® ® t “ f
sharply serrated, taperpointed,
smooth, dotted beneath ; leaf-stalks and twigs quite smooth ; ripe
catkins very long, pendulous, cylindrical, crowded ; th e rachis, and the
bracteas, which are auricled a t th e base, downy. Found on many o f the
mountains o f Nepal, and in th e great valley o f th a t country, following th e
course o f rivers. The flowers and fruit are produced from December to
April- I t forms a very large and noble tre e, from 50 ft. to 60 ft. high, o f an
oval shape, being covered witli branches from its base. Th e wood is stated
by Dr. Wallich to be greatly esteemed by th e inhabitants, who employ it for
all sorts o f purposes where strength and durability are required. (JVa/l. Pl.
As. Rar., t. 109.) Doubtless as hardy as th e preceding species.
B. nítida. Th e shining Birch. Leaves oblong, taper-pointed, with fine
double serratures, th e twigs and leaf-stalks hairy. Female catkins pendulous,
cylindrical, crowded. Brac ts three-lobed, hairy, with tb e lengthened middle
lobe longer than th e fruit. A tree, found in Kamaon.
B. cylindrostàchya. Leaves oblong, taper-pointed, heart-shaped, with fine
double serratures ; twigs, leaf-stalks, and veins downy ; female catkins pendulous,
very long, cylindrical ; fruit deeply two-lobed ; bracts linear lanceolate,
blunt, membranous, with two te e th a t th e base, fringed with hairs. A tre e,
found in Kamaon. Most probably hardy, and, like th e preceding species, if
not already introduced it will very soon be so.
O r d e r L X X . C O R Y L A ' C E Æ , o r C U P Ü L r F E R Æ .
O r d . C h a r . Flowers unisexual.— M a le fiowers disposed in cylindrical catkins.
Perianth small, scale-formed. Filaments usually free.— Female fiower. -In-
voluci'um various. I- o r many-flowered. Perianth many-toothed, adhering
to the ovarium. Ovarium 1- o r raany-celled, containing many ovula.
Styles 2—3, o r multiplied. Stigmas distinct. The involucrum, after florescence,
becoming enlarged, and enclosing, in p a rt o r altogether, th e pericarps
which are either solitary o r many together. Acorns, or n u ts, 1-celled, l-
seeded, by abortion, ¿e’c/f pendulous. Albumen none. (G .D o n .)
Leaves simple, alternate, stipulate, deciduous or evergreen ; lobed,
serrated, or entire. Flowers in catkins, bracteate, sometimes pedunculate.—
Large trees, deciduous and evergreen ; natives o f the temperate regions of
every part o f th e world.
The hardy ligneous genera belonging to this order are six, which are thus
contradistinguished : —
Q u e ' r c u s L in Monoecious. — Male flowers in loose pendulous catkins. Stamens
5— 10. — Female fiowers within an involucrum, which is composed o f
numerous imbricate scales combined into a cup, which a t length surrounds
the acorn a t the base.
F a ' g ü s Tourn. Monoecious.— Male flowers in dense pendulous catkins. Stamens
8. — Female flowers 2, within a 4-iobed involucrum, which a t length encloses
the triangular n u t echinated with soft spurs outside.
C a s t a ' n e a Tourn. Polygamous. — Male flowers clustered in long cylindrical
catkins. Stamens 5—20, Hermaphrodite flowers about 3 within an involucrum,
which is covered outside with branchy spines, and a t length encloses
a roundish nut. Stamens 12. Stigmas penciled.
C a ' r p t n u s Tourn. Monoecious.— Male flowers in long cylindrical catkins
having tiie scales ciliated a t th e ir bases. Stamens 8— 14.— Female flowers
in loose strobiles or cones, each composed o f a .3-lobed, 2-flowered, scale-
formed involucrum. Stigmas 2. N u t bony a t th e base o f th e scale.
O ' s t r y a ilRc/a% Mo noec io u s.— Male flowers in long cylindrical catkins,
each flower consisting o f a scale and a branched filament. — Female fiowers
in strobiles, each composed o f a scale-formed imbricated involucrum.
Stigmas 2 . N u t bony, a t th e base o f th e scale.
C o ' r y l u s L in . Monoecious. — Male flowers in long cylindrical catkins, which
are composed o f 3-lobed deltoid scales. Stamens 8. Anthers 1-celled.—
I f f
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