HOI* HORNBE \M o\l [RONWOOD 



Mill.) \\ lid. 



The Birch Familj 



BE1 DLACE IE 



Habit and Habitai: A small tree, in OUT state usually less than 25 



feet high, with a trunk diameter of lew than 8 inches; crown roun 

 formed from many long, Blender branches and from many slender tw 

 or Prefers the light shady, rich, more or leas open woods 



where it often forms clumps or distinct communities upon the 

 of ravines beneath the shade of the other tries. Very seldom seen in the 



open. 



Leaves and Hud- The leaves are alternate, simple. 2 inches 

 long, about one-half as broad, oblong to ovate, sometimes unsym netrual 

 at the base, sharply and doubly serrate, thin and tough, dull, dark green 

 above, pale and more or . ;'tlv pubescent beneath; petioles short, 



slender, somewhat hairy. Terminal buds absent; lateral buds about '■_• 

 inch long or longer, ovoid, sharp-pointed, scales reddish-brown. 



I lowers and Fruits : Flowers appearing in late April or early May 



at about same time as the leaves; staminate in pendulous, cylindrical 

 catkii - it like those of the birch, from the previous seasons growth, 



often in threes; pistillate catkins usually in pairs, in erect, lax catkins 

 on the current season's shoots, each flower being enclosed in a hairy, 

 k-like envelope. The fruits ripen in early fall and are arranged in 

 hop-like clusters, hence the name, hop hornbeam. Bach fruit is about 

 4 inch long and consists of a membranous inflated bag containing a 

 small nut-like seed. Each of the hop-like clusters of fruits is 1-2 inches 

 lor 



Bark, Twigs and Wood: The twigs are light, shininf n at 



st but become reddish-brown when older, and finally dull, dark brown; 

 the bark on the older branches and the main trunk is grayish-brown, 

 thin, narrowly, longitudinally ridged and sometimes the tops of the 

 ridges become more or less scaly or stringy. The wood is very hard, 

 heavy and strong, tough, close-grained, durable in contact with the soil. 

 light brown or the sapwood whitish. Rather slow growing. 



Distribution in the State: This species is found in nearly all parts 

 «>f eastern United States but in Nebraska it is restricted to a narrow 

 belt along the Missouri river and the lower courses of its tributaries 

 to the mouth of the Niobrara river and thence westward in the form 

 of a narrow belt along the Niobrara river and Pine Ridge to the north- 

 n corner of the state. In many places it i ry conspicuous 



member of the under-story vegetation of our natural woodlands, C >ver- 

 ing the slopes of the ravines in the above mentioned par - .te. 



Map 27. 



Remark-: The hop hornbeam is sometimes mistaken for an elm. 

 but the fruits of the former should serve to distinguish the tree v 

 clearly from all of our other species. The tree i small and I 



slow <>f growth to make it a good street and open lawn tit ; a 



for underplantinn- in woodlots it is desirable. I f its tough- 



. hardness, durability and elasticity the w< for 1 



handles, mallets pnd fence | 



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