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Trees deciduous. Bark smooth. Winter buds elongated, reddish brown, apex acute. Leaves alternate, 2-ranked, plicate in bud; secondary veins ± parallel. Male inflorescence in leaf axils toward base of branchlets, a lax pedunculate head; flowers many; perianth 4-7-lobed; stamens 8-16; rudimentary ovary pubescent. Female inflorescences in axils of leaves; flowers usually 2, subtended by a single (3-or)4-parted cupule and surrounded by numerous bracts; styles 3, recurved. Cupules woody, (3 or)4-valved; bracts leaflike or filiform to short, triangular. Nuts (1 or)2(or 3), ovoid to 3-sided. Germination epigeal; cotyledons plicate.
Staminate fls in small heads on drooping peduncles, the bracts caducous, the stamens 8–16; pistillate fls usually paired on a short peduncle, concealed by the numerous subulate bracts; ovary 3-locular; fr a sharply 3-angled nut; 1-seeded, borne normally in pairs within the accrescent, 4-valved involucre; trees with straight-veined lvs, a vein running to each tooth; fls appearing with the lvs, the staminate from the lower axils, the pistillate from the upper. 10, N. Temp.
