242 



The Hop Hornbeams 



base of each scale, subtended by a bract and veiy minute bractlets; the calyx is 

 toothed, crowning the 2-cellod ovar)', which is surmounted by 2 elongated, nar- 

 row stigmas. The scales fall away early, and the fruiting catkins are composed 

 of the persistent bracts which become very much enlarged, about 2.5 cm. long, 

 leaf-hke, and 3-lobed, the middle lobe much longer than the lateral ones and 

 toothed on one edge, all three strongly veined; the nut is ovoid, somewhat flat- 

 tened, ribbed, and about 4 mm. long. 



Fig. 198. American Hornbeam, New York Botanical Garden. 



The tree is of slow growth but very ornamental; its leaves turn orange and 

 scarlet in the autumn. The wood is dense, hard, and very difficult to work, so 

 that its uses are of httle importance; it is light brown, and has a specific gravity of 

 about 0.73. 



n. THE HOP HORNBEAMS 



GENUS OSTRYA [MICHELI] SCOPOLI 



STRYA is the ancient appellation of the European hop hornbeam 

 Ostrya Ostrya (Linnaeus) AlacMillan. Six species are known, the 

 three here described, one in Mexico, the typical European one, 

 which extends into western Asia, the sixth a native of Japan. They 

 are all small trees, with hard wood and scalv bark. 



