Corylaceæ, or Cupulifere

[Gr. korus, a helmet, the calyx enwrapping the fruit. ( Bot.) The Oak family, an ord. of plants, alliance Quern a les. DIAG. 2 or more cells in the ovary, and pendulous or pellate ovules. They are trees or shrubs, with alternate leaves, usually feather-veined and simple, with deciduous stipules. The flowers are monœcio us, the male being clustered or in amenta, with from five to twenty stamens into the base IMG:content-0383.png:[ocr errors][subsumed] of a membranous valvate calyx, or of scales; the female solitary or clustered, surrounded by an involucre of bracts, which ultimately form a cupule around the ovary. The fruit is a glans or nut. The plants of this order abound in the forests of temperate regions, and a few occur in the highlands of tropical climates. They are of great importance as timber-trees; many yield edible seeds, and some have astringent barks and cupules. There are 265 known species, which have been arranged into 8 genera, the most noteworthy being Quercus (the Oak), Corylus (the Hazel), Tagus (the Beech), Castanea (the Chestnut), and Corp in us (the Hornbeam). Corylus, n . [Gr. korus , a helmet.] ( Bot .) A genus of plants, order Corylaceæ ; the HAZEL, q. v. Cor'ymb, n. [Lat. corymb us ; Gr. korymbos , from korys , a helmet, the head.] ( Bot .) The name given to a particular form of inflorescence. It is a kind of raceme , in which the peduncles (flowers talks) become gradually shorter as they approach the top, so that all the flowers about on a level. It occurs in some species of Cerasus , in the hawthorn, and many familiar plants. When the stalks or secondary axes of a C., instead of bearing flowers immediately, divide and form tertiary axes, a compound C. is produced, as in some species of Pyrus . are Fig . 699. CORYMB. Corym'biate, Corym'biated, a . Garnished with clusters of berries, or blo oms in the form of corymbs. Corymb i feræ, n . pl . [Lat. corymb us, and fero, I bear.] ( Bot .) A sub-order of plants, order Asteraceæ, consisting of plants having florets all tubular and perfect, or having tubular and perfect florets in the disc, and tubular and pistil lifer ous, or ligulate, florets in the ray. The genus Chrysanthemum may be taken as an example. In our gardens a number of beautiful varieties of the species C. indicum , Sinense, and others, are cultivated. They are hardy plants, and are remarkable for the number and the varied colors of their flowers, which appear late in autumn. Corymb i fer ous, a. Bearing fruits or berries in bunches; as, a corymb i fer ous plant. Corymbose, Corym'bous, a. Relating to, or like a corymb. Corymbosely, a In corymbs. Corym'bulous, a . ( Bot .) Having little corymbs. Corypha, ( ko - ri'fa ,) n. [Gr. kory - phe , summit.] ( Bot .) A genus of plants, order Palmacea . They are tropical Fan-leaved Palms, one of which, the Talipot palm, C. umbraculifera , found in Ceylon and Malabar, grows to the height of sixty or seventy feet. Fans made of the leaves are carried before people of rank by the Cingalese. The leaves are also used as umbrellas, and for tents; and by the natives as a substitute for paper.