Minnesota Plant Life. 285 



sembling- the hazel in some respects, hut with bright yellow 

 flowers in the axils of the leaves. The flowers are remarkable 

 for blooming during the autumn of the year as the leaves 

 are falling. The petals are very slender and elongated, and 

 there are four perfect and four imperfect stamens, while the 

 capsule opens by two valves. The witch-hazel is much used in 

 the production of an extract reputed to have healing virtues 

 similar to those of arnica, but by some believed to have no 

 medicinal value whatever. 



Sycamores. Sycamore trees scarcely occur spontaneously in 

 Minnesota, the state being too far north for their development. 



