Handbook of Tee,es of the Noktheex States and Canada. 



99S 



The Witch-Hazel is usually a large sluui) 

 throughout the greater part of its range, but 

 on the slopes of the Alleghany Mountains be- 

 comes a tree 30 to 40 ft. in height with spread- 

 ing crooked branches and short scaly-barked 

 trunk from 12-18 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 first snows of the wintsr 

 sometimes find it be.iring its singula:r golden 

 and delicately fragrant flowers. In the au- 

 tumn, too, is the time when it scatters its 

 seeds resultin,"; 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 w:th considerable force 

 and accompanied with an audible report. This 

 it does by a contnction 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 rather heavy, a cu. ft. when 

 absolutely dry weighing 42.73 lbs., hard and 

 very close-grained but is of no commercial im- 

 portance.! An extract from the bark is ex- 

 tensively used for allaying infl.imniation. 



Leaves oval to obovate. short-p,'>tiolate. rounded 

 or suhcordate and very unpcjual at hasp, from 

 rounded to acute or acuminate at apex, undulate 

 crenate, niembraneaccous. smooth dark green 

 above, lighter and pubescent on veins beneath. 

 Flowers nearly sessile : petals bright yellow, de- 

 ciduous ; calyx pubescent, persistent. Fruit cap- 

 sules dull brown, opening elastically.= 



1. A. W., XII, 2,S1. 



2. For genus see pp. 436-437. 



