60 Bulletin of the University of Texas 



shreddy on trunk and older branches, green and hairy on 

 young twigs. Leaves ovate to lanceolate, acute at the apex, 

 rounded, wedge-shaped, or heart-shaped at base, sharply, 

 doubly serrate, 2%'-4' long, thin and tough. Flowers borne 

 in catkins in early spring. Fruit hop-like, 2 to 3 times as 

 long as wide, consisting of bladder-like bracts which enclose 

 the nuts. 



Valley of the St. Lawrence, south to Florida and west to 

 Texas, Ontario, Minnesota, South Dakota and Kansas. It is 

 found principally in dry soil in thick woods. 



The wood is very hard, tough, close grained. It is used for 

 fuel, fence posts, tool handles, and mallets. The small size 

 of the tree makes it of little economic importance. It is some- 

 times planted for ornament. 



2. CARPINUS L. 



1. Carpinus Caroliniana Walt. American Hornbeam. Wa- 

 ter Beech. Blue Beech. Small trees with fluted or ridged 

 trunk rarely 40 high with diameter of 2. Bark smooth, 

 close, gray on older parts, hairy and green on young twigs. 

 Leaves ovate to oblong, pointed, doubly serrate, somewhat 

 unequal-sided, hairy when young, smoother with age, dull 

 bluish green above, yellowish beneath. Flowers borne in cat- 

 kins in early spring. The nut is %' long, ovoid, flattened and 

 ribbed. The scales are leaf-like, three-lobed, the lateral lobes 

 much shorter than the terminal. 



Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Ontario, Minnesota, Kansas, 

 and Texas. It occurs in moist woodlands, and along streams, 

 but may also be found in dry woodlands. It grows principally 

 in the shade of larger forest trees. 



The wood is heavy, hard, tough, but the small size of the 

 tree and the crookedness of the stem renders it of no economic 

 importance for timber. It is sometimes planted for ornament. 



BETULACEAE (Tournefort) L. Birch Family. 



Monoecious, aromatic trees or shrubs with simple, alternate, 

 straight veined, usually serrate leaves. Flowers borne in cat- 

 kins, opening in the early spring usually before the leaves. 



