176 
IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 
Carpinus caroliniana Walt., FI. Car., 286, 1788. Ameri- 
can Hornbeam. Blue Beech. A small tree, ten to thirty 
feet high, with smooth bluish gray bark; leaves ovate- 
oblong, acute or acuminate, doubly serrate, base rounded 
to subcordate, short-petioled, both sides green, glabrous 
above, somewhat pubescent on the veins beneath; bract- 
lets veiny, 3-lobed at the base, the middle lobe twice the 
length of the lateral ones, sparingly toothed; fruit a small 
ovoid nut, which is borne at the base of a large bractlet. 
This species is frequent in the northeastern and eastern 
portions of Iowa. It occurs in woods near streams and 
blooms in April and May, while the fruit ripens in August 
and September. The majority of the individuals are but 
little better than mere shrubs or bushes. The wood is 
hard, strong, of a light brown color, and is very durable. 
Owing to the scarcity and small size of the species the 
wood has but little utility in Iowa, though for small 
articles, as levers, handles, etc., nothing better could be 
used. 
Specimens in our collection are from Muscatine and 
Johnson counties. We have observed the species in Alla- 
makee, Clayton, Dubuque, Des Moines, Van Buren, and 
Wapello counties. The State University herbarium has 
specimens from Emmet, Delaware, Henry, and Lee coun- 
ties. Professor Bessey reports the species from Boone 
county; Professor Pam mel, from Hardin county; Professor 
Fink, from Fayette county; Messrs. Nagel and Haupt, 
from Scott county; and Professor Macbride, from Hum- 
boldt county. 
Bessey, Contr. to the Flora of Iowa, p. 119; Arthur, 
Contr. to the Flora of Iowa, p. 29; Nagel and Haupt, Proc. 
Davenport Acad, of Nat. Sciences, Yol. 1, p. 168; Fink, 
Proc. Iowa Acad, of Sciences, Yol. 4, p. 101; Fitzpatrick, 
Proc. Iowa Acad, of Sciences, Yol. 5, p. 127 and p. 163; 
Pammel, Iowa Geol. Sur., Yol. 5, p. 237; Yol. 8, p. 314; Yol. 
10, p. 312; Cameron, Iowa Geol. Sur., Yol. 8, p. 19S; Mac- 
bride, Iowa Geol. Sur., Yol. 4, p. 119; Yol. 7, p. 107; Yol. 
9, p. 152; Yol. 10, p. 647; Reppert, Iowa Geol. Sur., Yol. 9, 
p. 386; Gray’s Manual, 6th Ed., p. 474; Barnes, Reppert, 
