llANDIiOOK OF TeEES OF THE X 



cij;Tin-:i;\ ^tatks 



The Witcli-Hazel is usually n large shrub 

 throughout the greater part of its range, but 

 on the slopes of the Allegiiauy Mountains be- 

 comes a tree 'SD to 40 ft. in l)eight with spread- 

 ing crooked branches and short scaly-barked 

 trunk from 1:^-18 in. in diameter. The Witch- 

 Hazel is of special interest from the fact that 

 it does not expand its flowers until autumn, 

 often so late that its leaves have put on their 

 autumnal tints or have even fallen to the 

 ground, and the ilrst suo\\'S of the winter 

 sometimes find it bearing its singular golden 

 and delicately fragrant flowers. In the au- 

 tnnm, too. is the time when it scatters its 

 seeds resulting from the flowers of the pre- 

 vious season, and this it does in a peculiar 

 way. It actually discharges them from their 

 mortar-like capsules with considerable force 

 and accompanied with an audible re])ort. This 

 it does by a contraction of the horny lining of 

 the capsules upon the smooth hard seed until 

 it is discharged, quite as one can discharge a 

 moist apple seed by pinching it between thumb 

 and finger. 



The wood is rath"r lieavy, a cu. ft. when 

 absolutely dry weigliiug 42.73 lbs., hard and 

 very close-graincrl but is of no commercial im- 

 portance.! An extract from the bark is ex- 

 tensively used for alhiyiiig iuM.immation. 



Jjcarcs oval to obovate, short-pi'tiobifc, ronnded 

 or Rubcordate and very unoqual al hasc. rr<]m 

 rounded to acute or acuminate at iip'^x. undnlato 

 crenate, membraneaceous, smoolli dark ^n-cnn 

 above, ligliter and pubescent on veins beneafh 

 Floirprs nearly sessile : petals briy:ht yellow, de- 

 ciduous : calyx pubescent, [lersistent. Fruit cap 

 sules dull brown, opcuin;; elastically.^ 



1. .\. \V., XII, 281. 



2. I'\jr genus see pp. .lHG-4.';i7, 



