BIRCH FAMILY 55 



the nut and partially inclosing it, glandular-hairy. Nut subglobose, 

 pointed, edible. On rich soil, borders of meadows and fields, and 

 in oak openings. 



2. C. rostrata Ait. Beaked Hazelnut. A shrub 4-8 ft. high. 

 Young twigs near ends smooth. Leaves thin, little if at all heart- 

 shaped, doubly serrate or incised, taper-pointed, stipules linear- 

 lanceolate. Involucre completely covering the nut and prolonged 

 into a beak beyond it. Common N. [The latter species is not 

 nearly as widely distributed as the former ; they cannot be readily 

 distinguished from each other until the fruit is somewhat mature. 

 The principal points of difference discernible before the fruit is 

 nearly mature are the hairy twigs of No. 1 and the smooth ones of 

 No. 2, and the fact that No. 1 has buds rounded at the apex and 

 more slender and longer staminate catkins, while No. 2 has buds 

 acute at the apex and thicker and shorter staminate catkins.] 



II. OSTRYA Scop. 



Small trees with gray bark and very hard wood. Leaves 

 open and concave in the bud and somewhat plaited on the 

 veins. Staminate flowers on slender, drooping catkins, sessile 

 at the end of the growth of the previous season ; stamens 

 3-12, subtended by a bract; filaments forked; anthers hairy. 

 Pistillate flowers surrounded by a tubular bractlet, which 

 becomes large and bladder-like at maturit3^ Fruit a small, 

 pointed, smooth nut; mature catkins hop-like.* 



1. 0. virginiana K. Koch. A small tree with brownish, furrowed 

 bark. Leaves ovate, acute, doubly serrate, often inequilateral at the 

 base, short-petioled. Staminate and fertile catkins 2-3 in. long. In 

 rich woods. Often known as " ironwood " and " leverwood." * 



III. CARPINUS L. 



Trees with thin, straight-veined leaves, which are folded 

 in the bud. Flowers appearing before the leaves. Staminate 

 flowers in slender, drooping catkins, sessile at the end of the 

 growth of the previous season ; stamens 3-12, subtended by a 

 bract ; filaments forked ; anthers hairy. Pistillate catkins 

 spike-like, each pair of flowers subtended by a deciduous bract, 

 and each flower by a persistent bractlet, which becomes large 

 and leaf-like in fruit ; ovary 2-celled, 2-ovuled ; stigmas 2, 

 thread-like. Fruit a small, angular nut.* 



