186 



CUPULIFERiE. 



Carpinus. 



base, sharply and somewhat doubly serrate, a little hairy on the veins and in the axils under- 

 neath. Sterile aments pendulous from the sides of the small twigs, near their extremity. 

 Anthers ovoid, hairy at the summit. Fertile aments about two inches long. Bracts small, 

 ovate, acuminate. Involucral scales on short stalks, loosely imbricated, finally almost an inch 

 long ; in pairs, the scales of which are applied base to base. Nut one-fourth of an inch long, 

 broad at the base, compressed, dark brown, marked with about four narrow ribs on each stde. 



Woods, particularly along rivulets. Fl. April. Fr. October. The wood of this tree is 

 whitish, very compact and fine-grained ; but it is seldom employed in the arts, on account of 

 its small size. The nearly allied C. Betulus of Europe grows somewhat larger. 



3. CORYLUS. Tourn.; Endl gen. 1844. HAZEL-NUT. 



f From the Greek word l;orys, a helmet or cap; in allusion to the form of the involucre.] 



Sterile fl. in slender cylindrical aments. Bracts and calyx combined into 3-cleft scales ; 

 the middle lobe covering the two lateral ones. Stamens 8 : filaments short : anthers ovoid, 

 1-celled. Fertile fl. in terminal capitate clusters, bracteate. Involucres 1 - 2-flowered, 

 formed of 2 - 3 scales which are united below, and at length become large and enclose the 

 fruit. Ovary 2-celled : stigmas 2, filiform. Nut roundish -ovoid, bony, enclosed in the 

 large leafy-coriaceous lacerated involucre. — Shrubs, with roundish- cordate or obovate 

 leaves, which appear after the flowers have unfolded. 



1. Corylus Americana, Walt. American Hazel-nut. Wild Filbert. 



Leaves roundish-cordate, acuminate ; involucres globose -campanulate ; the limb dilated, 

 foliaceous, coarsely toothed and lacerated. — Walt. fl. Car. p. 236 ; Michx. fl. 2. p. 201 ; 

 Pursh, fl. 2. p. 634 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 356 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 611 ; Torr. compend. p. 354 

 (bis); Beck, hot. p. 332 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 539. C. Americana humilis, Wang. Amer. 

 p. 88. t. 29. /. 63. 



A shrub 4-6 feet high, with slender branches and numerous suckers ; the young twigs 

 pubescent and glandular. Leaves 3-5 inches long, coarsely and unequally serrate, pubescent, 

 on short petioles : stipules ovate-lanceolate, deciduous. Sterile aments long and pendulous, 

 slender ; the scales imbricated, ciliate ; the middle lobe acuminate. Fertile flowers in 

 pedunculate clusters ; the scales at first lanceolate, finally coalescing, and forming a cam- 

 panulate glandularly pubescent involucre which extends beyond the nut ; the border unequally 

 cut and toothed. Nut from half an inch to three-fourths of an inch long, and often of greater 

 breadth than length, a little compressed ; the kernel of excellent flavor. 



Borders of woods, thickets, etc. ; growing usually in bunches ; common in most parts of 

 the State. Fl. April. Fr. September. The nuts greatly resemble those of the common 

 European Hazel-nut, but they are smaller, and the shell thicker. They are frequently seen 

 in our markets and fruit-stores. 



