MIDLAND WITCH HAZELS 63 



from the species, has perhaps described what may be considered 

 as the type in perhaps the most characteristic manner of any 

 botanist, short though his diagnosis may be. We may quote 

 the description in full: "510. Tr. or H. Virginica Raf. med. fl. 

 tab. 45. Leaves ovate and obovate obtuse repand, base obliquely 

 cordate, smooth; flowers sessile clustered by 3 to 5, calyx and 

 fruit pubescent — the name of Tr. or H . riparia or hyemalis, would 

 have been better, since it only grows on the margins of the streams 

 from New England to Carolina. It is in bloom in December and 

 January, even when the snow is on the ground, and the fruit is 

 ripe in the spring. Branches punctate." In the Medical Flora 

 he says that the fruit takes a year to mature. We have usually 

 found ripe fruit with flowers. We should say that the leaves 

 are membranous or at least thin, though Rafinesque seems to 

 infer that they are coriaceous. He continues* in reference to the 

 change of name already discussed: "This is a very singular genus, 

 formed by Linnaeus with the Trilopus of Mitchell, which name 

 he ought not to have changed for the actual, which is the Greek 

 name of the Mespilus or Medlar tree." 



Hamamelis virginiana var. angustifolia nov. var. 



Frutex circa 2 m. altus sero in autumno florescens foliis adhuc 

 praesentibus. Ramuli fusco vel atro-fuscato colore: folia glabra, 

 grosse dentata, vel undulata, tenuia, venosa, apice acuto vel 

 plerumque etiam acuminata, basi inaequali, cordata saltem in 

 altero latere. Folia in ramulis sterilibus generatim ovata vel 

 ovato-lanceolata ; lamina 6-12 cm. longa, 3-6 cm. lata aliquando 

 sparse pilis brevibus albis inferiore facie pubescens. Petala 4 

 circa 1.5 cm. longa et minus quam .5 mm. lata. Flores sessiles 

 3-4 in ramulorum summitate aggregati. Bracteae et sepala dense 

 tomentulosa. Sepala viridia. Fructum non inveni. 



This plant is easily recognized by its very narrow leaves 

 compared with the type. The petals are lemon yellow, long and very 

 narrow about one half as narrow usually as those of H. virginiana. 

 The shrub shows less tendency to branch, the twigs are long and 

 wiry, the petioles slender and comparatively long (1.5-2 cm.). 

 The leaves are scarcely as thin as in the type, and present on 

 blooming branches whereas in the species they have invariably 



Rafinesque, C. S. Med. Flora. Vol. I. p. 228, (182J 



