172 THE SHRUBS OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



1. Hazel Nut. (Corylus Americana, Walt.) — 

 A shrub 4 to 8 feet high, found in our mountains, 

 and extending north to New England. The nut is 

 much esteemed, but is smaller and harder shelled 

 than the European Hazel or Filbert (C. Avellana). 



2. Beaked Hazel Nut. (C. rostrata, Ait.) — 

 Of similar size and range with the preceding; but 

 this has the husk of the fruit prolonged into a beak 

 or horn, and it extends into the Middle District as 

 far down as Orange. 



The remaining shrubs are so various in their fruit 

 and general habit, that, to save space, they are here 

 grouped miscellaneously together, most of them being 

 well known by their popular names. 



Button Bush. Box. (Cephalanthus occiden- 

 talis, Linn.) — Common on the borders of streams 

 and swampy grounds in the Lower and Middle Dis- 

 tricts, always easily recognized by its round head of 

 small white flowers, which is about an inch in diame- 

 ter. It is 3 to 4 feet high, and very pretty when in 

 blossom. The inner bark of the roots is an agreeable 

 bitter, and is used for relieving obstinate coughs. 



1. Shrubby Trefoil. Hop Tree. (Ptelea tri- 

 foliata, Linn.) — A shrub 4 to 8 feet high, belonging 

 to the upper part of the Middle District, with tri- 

 foliate leaves like those of Clover, the leaflets 2 to 3 

 inches long, somewhat hairy when young, pale on the 

 underside. The flowers are small, greenish-white, in 

 rather flat clusters, heavy-scented, which are suc- 

 ceeded by a flat, winged fruit, like that of the Elm, 



