Fifty Common Trees op New York 



33 



24. BLUE BEECH 

 Ironwood, Water Beech 



(Carpinus caroliniana Walter) 



Blue leech is a small-sized, bushy tree frequent along water courses 

 and along the edges of swamps generally throughout the State. It is 

 rarely more than 6 inches in diameter and may be classed as a "weed" 

 tree. The wood is very heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, and is occa- 

 sionally used for mallets on account of its hardness. 



BLUE BEECH 



Twig-, one-half natural size ; leaf, 

 one-half natural size ; fruit, one- 

 half natural size 



with 



Bark — smooth, thin, dark bluish gray in color, close-fitting, 

 smooth, rounded lengthwise ridges that resemble tensed muscles. 



Twigs — very slender, dark red in color, and shining. 



Winter buds — terminal bud absent; lateral buds small, narrowly egg- 

 shaped, pointed, covered with many reddish brown scales. 



Leaves — simple, alternate, egg-shaped, from 2 to 4 inches long, finely 

 and doubly serrate on margin. 



Fruit — a small prominently ribbed nutlet, ^ inch long, enclosed in a 

 3-lobed leaf -like bract. Bracts with their enclosed nutlets are in long, 

 drooping clusters which ripen and fall before winter. 



