4 1 2 Cupulifercz Carpin us. 



4. CARPINUS. 



Deciduous small trees. Perianth none. Male flowers in 

 lateral drooping catkins, with 6 to 12 stamens in the axils of 

 the ovate acute bracts. Female flowers in terminal pendulous 

 bracteate catkins, 2 at the base of each deciduous bract ; brac- 

 teoles lobed. Fruit 1 -celled, 1 -seeded, somewhat woody, 

 strongly nerved, enclosed in the enlarged lobed bracteole. 

 Four species are known, all natives of the north temperate zone. 

 The name is of classical origin. 



1. (7. Betulus. Hornbeam. A small indigenous tree 

 resembling the Beech in foliage, but readily distinguished by 

 the opaque not shining doubly serrate leaves, simply pubescent 

 not silky, hairy below, and the winged fruit. Indigenous in 

 the South of England. 



5. OSTRYA. 



Deciduous trees, very near the Hornbeams in foliage, but 

 having the female flowers in terminal drooping catkins, each 

 enclosed in an inflated membranous involucre, which enlarges 

 and closes over the fruit. The mature female catkins strongly 

 resemble those of the Hop, giving the tree a very singular and 

 pretty appearance. There are three or four species, natives of 

 Europe, Asia, and North America. Ostrya is the ancient Latin 

 name of 0. vulgaris. 



1. 0. vulgaris, syn. 0. carpinifblia* Hop-Hornbeam. A 

 moderate-sized tree with a much-branched rounded head and 

 cordate-ovate acuminate leaves. A native of the South of 

 Europe. 



0. Virginica, a similar tree, bears the names Iron-wood 

 and Lever-wood in North America. 



G. CORYLUS. 



Deciduous shrubs or small trees, producing their flowers 

 before the leaves. Male flowers devoid of perianth, arranged 

 in clustered pendent catkins. Stamens 4 or 8. Female flowers 

 minute, few together, in lateral and terminal bracteolate clus- 

 ters. Fruit by abortion 1 -celled and usually 1 -seeded, more or 

 less enclosed in the enlarged leafy involucre, whence the generic 

 name, from Kopvs, a helmet. There are about seven species 

 distributed over the temperate regions of the north. None of 

 them are, strictly speaking, ornamental; but C. Avellana, the 



