IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 173 



beneath; stipules oblong-lanceolate; fruit orbicular, coria- 

 ceous-margined. Befxla alniis var. hicana L. Sp. PI. II, Ed. 

 2, 1394, 1763; Alniis incana Willd. Sp. PI. 4, 335, 18'>5. 



The wood of this species is light brown, close-grained, 

 soft, light, and checks in drying. In New England it is 

 said to be used in the final baking of bricks and in the 

 manufacture of gunpowder. 



According to Professor Macbride, this species is common 

 along the Yellow river in Allamakee county. Specimens 

 from Allamakee and Jones counties are in the State uni- 

 versity herbarium. Professor Arthur reports the species 

 from Floyd county. 



Arthur, Contr. to the Flora of Iowa, p. 29; Flora of Floyd 

 County in History of Floyd County, p. 310; Botanical 

 Gazette, Vol. 7, p. 127; Macbride, Iowa Geol. Sur., Vol. 4, 

 p. 119. 



Corjflus americana Walt. Fl. Car. 236, 1788. Hazel-nut. 

 A shrub, four to eight feet high, growing in clumps, young 

 shoots hispid, twigs glabrous; leaves ovate, acuminate, ser- 

 rulate all around, petioled, glabrous above, tomentulose 

 beneath, base obtuse to cordate; involucre of two leaf-like 

 laciniately margined pubescent bractlets, exceeding the 

 oval or oblong nut. 



This species makes up much of our thickets. We have 

 observed thickets covering hundreds of acres composed 

 mostly of this hazel with an occasional shrubby bur oak, 

 red haws, plums, etc. Under present conditions the hazel 

 is found along the highway, open upland woods, and 

 uncleared thickets. The only economic value which this 

 species possesses is the use of its fruit which is ripe in 

 August and September. The nuts are small, somewhat 

 striate, compressed, light brown, a half inch or less in 

 length. These nuts have been gathered to a considerable 

 extent and sold in the markets. The difficulty in hulling 

 them has retarded their greater use. A certain species of 

 chipmunk store up quantities of hulled nuts in burrows and 

 some gatherers, knowing the habits of these rodents, sys- 

 tematically rob them of their winter's store much to the 

 profit of the gatherers. 



