HAMAMELlDACE^— WITCH-HAZEL 



FAMILY 



WITCH HAZEL 



Hama melts Virginica 



A small tree or stout shrub found in low, rich 

 soil; one of the underwood trees of the forest. 

 Blooms in one autumn and its fruit ripens the 

 next. Nova Scotia to Nebraska and south to 

 Florida and eastern Texas. Bark, twigs, and 

 leaves used in making extract for bathing 

 bruises. 



Bark. — Light brown, scaly or smooth. 



Leaves. — Alternate, oval or obovate, wavy-margined 

 or coarsely serrate. 



Flowers. — Yellow, in axillary clusters, surrounded by 

 a scale-like, three-leaved involucre. Calyx four-parted, 

 with two or three bractlets at base. Corolla with four 

 strap-shaped petals, long and narrow, spirally involute 

 in bud. Stamens eight, very short, four anther-bear- 

 ing, the others imperfect. Styles two, short. Pod en- 



III 



