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HAZELNUT. 

 Corylus americana, Walter. 



GENUS DESCRIPTION The Hazlenuts comprise about 7 known species, of which number 

 about 3 species are native to North America and 2 to Pennsylvania. The members of this 

 genus are usually shrubs, rarely trees, found in the northern hemisphere. They do not pro- 

 duce wood of any commercial importance, but their fruit, which is a nut, is very common in our 

 markets. The nuts are sold under the name Hazelnuts or Filberts. 



FORM A shrub or small tree reaching a height of 3-8 feet. Occurs in clumps and often 

 forms thickets. 



BARK Rather smooth, thin, dark brown, sometimes roughened with shallow longitudinal 

 fissures. 



TWIGS Smooth but marked with a few scattered lenticels, and covered with numerous 

 pinkish hairs which usually stand at right angles to the twigs; gray to russet-brown in color. 



BUDS Alternate, ovate to globular, reddish-brown, somewhat hairy, covered with about 

 3-6 scales with hairy and slightly glandular margins. 



LEAVES Alternate, simple, ovate, obtuse or heart-shaped at base, acute at apex, serrate on 

 margin, smooth on uppei surface and slightly hairy on lower surface. 



LEAF-SCARS Alternate, semi-circular to globular, raised, with scattered bundle-scars usually 

 5-10 in number. 



FLOWERS Appear in April or May before the leaves. Staminate occur in catkins which 

 usually appear before the leaves at the end of the twigs of the previous season's growth and 

 are from 3-4 inches long. Pistillate small, develop from short scaly buds, with long, slender, 

 projecting, crimson stigmas. 



FRTTIT A pale brown ovoid nut about $ of an inch long, slightly flattened, somewhat roughened 

 at base where the involucre is attached. Involucre consists of two leafy bractlets which are 

 distinct in the Common Hazelnnt and united into a tubular beak in the Beaked Hazelnut. 

 Ripens in July and August. Kernel sweet and edible. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS The Hazelnut, also known as American Hazel 

 and Filbert, can be recognized by its characteristic fruit, which consists of a nut with a 

 leafy involucre of 2 distinct bracts. The closely related Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus rostrata, Ait.) 

 has its bracts united and much prolonged into a narrow tubular beak. The young twigs 

 are covered with numerous somewhat glandular pinkish hairs. The staminate flowers, occurring 

 in catkins which develop somewhat in autumn and then remain dormant over winter, are 

 characteristic. The partially developed staminate aments are often abnormal and twisted 

 due to the attack of some organic agent. 



RANGE Maine and Ontario, south to Florida and Kansas. The Beaked Hazelnut ranges 

 from Quebec to British Columbia, south to Georgia and Missouri. 



DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA Both species are found locally throughout the State. 



HABITAT Both species frequent the border of woodlands, hillsides, thickets, and loose 

 stone fences. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES -These shrubs do not produce any wood of commercial 

 importance, but yield valuable and greatly prized nuts. The nuts are common on our 

 Both species are very attractive and planted extensively for ornamental purposes. 



