WITCH HAZEL FAMILY 



by two or three ovate bracts, slightly united at base to form an in 

 volucre. Bracts and bractlets coated with rusty hairs. The clus- 

 ters of flower buds appear in August, developed from the axils of 

 the leaves of the year. 



Calyx. Deeply four-parted, very downy, orange brown within, 

 imbricate in bud, persistent, cohering with the base of the ovary. 

 Two or three bractlets appear at base. 



Corolla. Petals four, inserted on the receptacle, yellow, strap- 

 shaped, narrow, one-half to two-thirds of an inch long, alternate 

 with the calyx lobes, involute in bud. 



Stamens. Eight, inserted in the receptacle, very short, the four 

 which are alternate with the petals, anther-bearing, the others im- 

 perfect and scale-like. Filaments short, connective thickened and 

 prolonged ; anthers, introrse, two-celled ; cells opening at the side 

 from within by persistent valves. 



Pistil. Ovary of two carpels, free at their apex, inserted at the 

 bottom of the cup-like receptacle, partly superior ; styles two, awl- 

 shaped, spreading, persistent, stigmatic at apex ; ovules one or two 

 in each cell. 



Fruit. A yellow brown, two-celled, woody pod, each cell con- 

 taining one black shining seed. Each cell bursts open when ripe 

 and projects the little nut from five to fifteen feet. Ripens in Oc- 

 tober when the flowers are expanding. 



Through the gray and sombre wood 



Against the dusk of fir and pine 

 Last of their floral sisterhood 



The hazel's yellow blossoms shine. 



JOHN G. WHITTIER. 



This shrubby little tree is one of the most curious and in- 

 teresting plants in our northern flora. When all other trees 

 are making ready for winter, when its own leaves are yellow 

 and falling, it bursts forth into abundant bloom. The clus- 

 ters of tiny yellow flowers crowd upon a branch already laden 

 with the ripe nutlets of last year's blossoms, and wave in 

 beauty throughout the entire month of November. This 

 peculiarity, together with the suggestive name "witch, "is 

 doubtless an explanation of the fact that those persons who 

 profess to be able to indicate the position of hidden springs 

 of water prefer, as divining rods, the forked twigs of Witch 

 Hazel. 



Although the flowers appear in October no growth takes 

 place in the ovary until the following spring, the calyx lobes 

 158 



