Handbook of Trees of the Noktjikkn States and Canada. 115 



The Hornbeam in the forest sometimes at- 

 tains the heiglit of 30 or 40 ft. and a diameter 

 of trunk of ItJ in. or 2 ft. vested in a thin very 

 close and smooth bluish gray bark often mot- 

 tled with lighter or darker tints. When iso- 

 lated from other trees it develops a broad open 

 head with numerous tough branches, the larger 

 of which and the trunk are nuieli furrowed and 

 ridged, suggestive of knotted sinews, on ac- 

 count of which resemblance the Indians called 

 it " Otantahrleweh," meaning " tlic lean tree." 

 It grows on low moist bottom-lands in com- 

 pany with the Holly, Sweet Bay, Swamp Bay, 

 Gums, Red Maple, Water Locust, Prickly 

 Ash, etc. in the south Atlantic states, where 

 it is more abundant than northward and at- 

 tains its largest size. In the northern part of 

 its range it is a small tree with less sym- 

 metrical and crooked trunks or often a tall 

 shrub. Here it is commonlj' found along the 

 banks of streams over whose waters it extends 

 its many handsome sprays ol beautiful foliage 

 and curious clusters of leaf-like fruit. 



The wood of the Hornbeam is heavy, a cubic 

 foot when dry weighing 45.41 lbs., tough. 

 strong and of a light brown color with abun- 

 dant whitish sap-wood. It is used chiefly for 

 fuel though suitable for tool-handles, and 

 articles of wooden ware.i 



Leaves ovate-oblong, 2-.") In. long, acute or 

 acumiDate, rounded or subcordate at base, sharplv 

 and unequally .serrate with stout spreading teeth. 

 often ine(|uilateral, pubescent and plicate at first 

 but finally glabrous, dull green with deeply im- 

 pressed veins above, paler and with tufts of "white 

 hairs in the axils of veins beneath ; petioles 

 slender, pubescent ; winter-lnuis ovoid, acute and 

 somewhat incurved with niuncrous lii-own wliite- 

 niargined scales. Floirrrs: staniinate aments 1-1 1.', 

 in. long; pistillate 1/2-% tn. long with greeii 

 scales and scarlet styles. Fruit nuts % in. lon^ 

 with invoiucres with stout stallcs 1-1% in. long 

 with middle lobe large and seirate on one side and 

 one lateral lobe commonly wanting. - 



1. A. W., II, 42. 



2. For genus see p. 427. 



