OSTRYA 115 



congregated and overlapping in hop-like clusters, and completely enclosing 

 the nutlet, gives the trees of this genus their popular name. In Carpinus 

 this involucre remains open and does not enclose the nutlet. 



These three Ostryas should be raised from seed ; they thrive in any 

 soil of good or moderate quality, all being perfectly hardy. By some 

 authorities the three following are regarded as geographical forms of one 

 species. O. japonica, however, is very distinct from the other two. 



O. CARPINIFOLIA, Scopoli. HOP HORNBEAM. 

 (O. vulgaris, Willdenow^) 



A tree 50 to 60 ft. high, with a short, stout trunk covered with greyish, 

 ultimately rough, bark, and a rounded head of branches ; young shoots 

 covered with short hairs (not gland-tipped). Leaves ovate, sometimes 

 inclining to oval, rounded at the base, pointed and tapered at the apex ; 

 i\ to 4 ins. long, half as wide ; prettily double-toothed, dark green above, 

 with appressed hairs mostly between the ribs ; paler beneath and sparsely 

 hairy, chiefly on the midrib and veins, and in the axils of the latter ; stalk 

 about j in. long, hairy. Male catkins nodding ; 1^ to 3 ins. long, 5- in wide ; 

 scales finely and abruptly pointed. Fruit clusters i| to 2 ins. long ; the 

 nutlets (commonly called "seeds") \ in. long, stalkless, enclosed at the 

 base of an ovate, hairy, flat, bladder-like husk, \ in. long. 



Native of S. Europe and Asia Minor ; introduced early in the eighteenth 

 century. This tree has very much the aspect of the American species (q.v.), 

 but is distinguished by never having any glands on the hairs of the twigs. 

 It is pretty and rather striking when furnished with the pendent hop-like 

 fruit clusters in autumn. The timber has the same bony texture and hardness 

 as hornbeam. 



O. JAPONICA, Sargent. JAPANESE HOP HORNBEAM. 



A tree occasionally 80 ft. high in nature, trunk 18 ins. in diameter ; winter 

 buds ovoid, shining ; young shoots clothed with soft pale hairs, which persist 

 through the winter. Leaves ovate or ovate-oblong ; 3 to 5 ins. in length, 

 i|r to 2j ins. in width, on young trees ; rounded or slightly heart-shaped 

 at the base, tapered at the apex to a long slender point, coarsely, sharply, 

 and irregularly toothed ; dark green and hairy above, paler, more downy 

 and velvety to the touch beneath. Fruit clusters IT? to if ins. long, f in. wide. 



Native of Japan, where it is said to be somewhat uncommon ; introduced 

 to Kew by Prof. Sargent in 1897. It succeeds well, and is now nearly 30 ft. 

 high, being easily distinguished from the European and American species 

 by the veins each side the midrib (nine to twelve) being fewer and farther 

 apart, and by the more uniformly downy, softer, more velvety surfaces of the 

 leaves. According to Henry, the same tree is sometimes, though very rarely, 

 found in Central China. 



O. VIRGINICA, Willdenow. IRONWOOD. 



A round-headed tree, 30 to 50 ft. high, similar in habit to O. carpinifolia ; 

 young shoots furnished with gland-tipped hairs. Leaves 2 to 45- ins. long, 

 i to 2 ins. wide ; oval-lanceolate, rounded or sometimes slightly heart- 

 shaped at the base, taper-pointed, sharply toothed (not so markedly double- 

 toothed as in O. carpinifolia) ; dark green and hairy on the midrib and 

 between the veins above, paler and more downy beneath ; stalk \ in. 



