26 HOUGH'S AMERICAN WOODS. 



axile placenta. Fruit a woody 2-beaked capsule dehiscent at the summit; seeds 1 

 or several with large straight embryo and scant albumen. 



The Witch-Hazel family consists of trees and shrubs of about eighteen genera 

 and thirty-five species of eastern North America, Asia, Madagascar and South 

 Africa. Three of the genera, two of which are arborescent, are represented in 

 North America. 



GENUS HAMAMELIS, L. 



Leaves obovate to oblong, undulate-crenate, inequilateral at base, involute in 

 the bud, with veins conspicuous beneath; stipules infolding the bud. Flowers 

 appear in autumn in the American species in 3-flowered clusters from the axils 

 of the leaves, perfect, each sub-tended Ity 2-3 acute bracts; calyx 4-parted, per- 

 sistent and adnate to base of the ovary; petals 4, strap-shaped, spirally involute 

 in the bud, hypogenous, alternate with the sepals; stamens 8 in 2 rows on margin 

 of receptacle, those opposite the calyx-lobes fertile, the others small and abortive; 

 filaments very short; anthers oblong, opening by valves; ovary 2-celled, each 

 containing a single ovule; styles 2, subulate, spreading, stigmatic at apex. Fruit 

 a woody capsule, 2-4-lobed at apex, loculicidually dehiscent and when ripe forcibly 

 discharging its seeds which are lustrous brown, oblong, pointed, cotyledons 

 foliaceous. 



Small ti'ees and shrubs of three species, one of eastern United States, one of 

 central China and one of China and Japan. The name is from two Greek words 

 alluding to the flowering of the tree at the same time as the ripening of the 

 fruit of the previous season. 



281. HAMAMELIS VIRGINIANA, L. 



WITCH-HAZEL. 



Ger., Zauberstrauch; Fr., Noisetler des sorcieres; Sp., Bruxa- 



avellano. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: Leaves oval to obovate, short-petiolate, rounded or 

 subcordate and very unequal at base, from rounded to acute or acuminate at 

 apex, undulate crenate, membraneaceous, smooth dark green above, lighter and 

 pubescent on veins beneath. Flowers nearly sessile; petals bright yellow, decidu- 

 ous; calyx pubescent, persistent. Fruit capsules dull brown, opening elastically. 



The Witch-Hazel is ordinarily only a tall shrub but on the slopes 

 of the Allegany mountains it becomes a tree 30 to 40 ft. (10 m.) in 

 height, with rather wide top of crooked branches. Its trunk is some- 

 times 8 to 10 in. (0.20 m.) in diameter and is vested in a thin and 

 rather smooth grayish bark. 



HABITAT. As a tree the Witch-Hazel is limited in distribution to 

 the Allegany mountains, but as a shrub is of wide distribution, being 

 found throughout eastern North America generally from Nova Scotia 

 to the Gulf States and westward to the treeless plains of the middle 

 west. It grows in moist, loose loam along the courses of streams and 

 low-lands which are of a more or less sandy nature. 



PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. Wood rather heavy, hard, compact, with 



