CUPULIFER^. 344 



N. England, and of many districts in the Middle States. It is a tree of large 

 dimensions, often arising to the hight of 70 or 80 feet. It is distinguishable 

 from the red beech by the size, the lighter color of the bark and wood. The 

 wood is also of more difficult cleavage, of greater compactness and strength, 

 and preferable, both as timber and fuel. May. White Beech, 



4. CO'RYLUS. 



Sterile fl. in a cylindric ament ; calyx scale 3-cleft ; stamens 

 8; anthers 1-celled. Fertile Ji. — Calyx obsolete; ovaries 

 several; stigmas 2; nut ovoid, surrounded with the enlarged, 

 coriaceous, lacerated involucre (cupule). 



Gr. xogvs, a bonnet; to which the cupule enwrapping the nut may well be 

 compared. The English name hazel comes from the Saxon hacsel, a head- 

 dress. Shrubs. Aments and capitate fertile clusters subterniinal. 



1. C. America'na. 



Leaves roundish, cordate, acuminate ; involucre roundish-campanulate, 

 much larger than the roundish nut, its border dilated and coarsely serrate. 

 Shrub 5—6 feet high, growing in thickets and borders of fields. Leaves 3 — 6 

 inches long and f'as wide. ^From the ends of the branches hang the long, 

 pendulous "aments of barren flowers in April. The nuts are remarkably 

 distinguished by the large, bell-shaped involucre in which each one is envel- 

 oped." They are a well-flavored fruit, though somewhat inferior to the 

 European hazel or filbert. Hazel. 



2. C. rostra'ta. j}:t. 



Leaves oblong-ovate, acuminate ; stipules linear-lanceolate ; invohicrt 

 campanulate-tubular, longer than the nut, 2-parted, with dentate segments. 

 Tills species is found in the satne localities as the former, is a rather smaller 

 shrub, and chiefly differs from it in the involucre, which is covered with 

 short, stiff hairs, and contracted at the top into a long (1 — 1} inch) narrow 

 neck like a bottle. Nuts as in C. Americana. May. Bealced Hazel. 



5 . O' S T R Y A . 



Sterile fl. in a cylindric ament ; calyx scale roundish-ovate, 

 ciliate, 1-flovvered ; anthers conspicuously bearded at the 

 summit. Fertile Jl. geminate, in a loose, linear ament; calyx 

 0; flowers enclosed each in an inflated membranous sac, 

 which, at length, enlarged, contains the matured nut. 



Gr. oa-TQioVj a scale ; in allusion to the conspicuous sacs (not scales) of the 

 fertile aments. Small trees. 



0. Virgi'nica. 



ie«r<>A ovate, acuminate, serrate ; fertile amrnt oblong, pendulous; Ijiids 

 rather acute. A small tree disseminated throughout the U. S..2r)— 30 feet in 

 hioht. Its bark is remarkable for its fine, narrow, longitudinal divisions. 

 Leaves about twice as long as wide. The fruit is similar in appearance to 

 hops, suspended from the ends of the branches, consisting of membianous, 

 imbricated sacs, (cups ?) containing each a flower. The wood is very white, 

 hard and strong, much used for levers, &c. Apr. May. 



H(ip Hornbeam. Iron-wood. Lever-icood. 



