Carpinus caroliniana

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Carpinus caroliniana
American Hornbeam Leaves 600.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Betulaceae
Genus: Carpinus
Species:
C. caroliniana
Binomial name
Carpinus caroliniana
Carpinus caroliniana range map 3.png
Natural range of C. caroliniana
Synonyms [2]
  • Carpinus americanusMichx.
  • Carpinus ostryoidesRaf.

Carpinus caroliniana, the American hornbeam, is a small hardwood understory tree in the genus Carpinus . American hornbeam is also known as blue-beech, ironwood, musclewood and muscle beech. It is native to eastern North America, from Minnesota and southern Ontario east to Maine, and south to eastern Texas and northern Florida. It also grows in Canada (southwest Quebec and southeast Ontario). [3] [4] It occurs naturally in shaded areas with moist soil, particularly near the banks of streams or rivers, and is often a natural constituent understory species of the riverine and maritime forests of eastern temperate North America.

Contents

Description

Bark Carpinus caroliniana bark.jpg
Bark

Carpinus caroliniana (American hornbeam) is a small tree reaching heights of 6–10 meters (20–35 ft), and often has a fluted and crooked trunk. The bark is smooth and greenish-grey, becoming shallowly fissured in all old trees. The leaves are alternate, 3–12 centimeters (1+144+34 in) long, with prominent veins giving a distinctive corrugated texture, and a serrated margin. The male and female catkins appear in spring at the same time as the leaves. The fruit is a small 7–8-millimeter (932516-inch) long nut, partially surrounded by a three- to seven-pointed leafy involucre 2–3 centimeters (341+14 in) long; it matures in autumn. The seeds often do not germinate till the spring of the second year after maturating.

Subdivisions

There are two subspecies, which intergrade extensively where they meet:

Ecology

Fruiting branch Carpinus caroliniana 3.JPG
Fruiting branch

They are shade-loving trees, preferring moderate soil fertility and moisture. It has a shallow, wide-spreading root system. The leaves are eaten by the caterpillars of some Lepidoptera, for example the Io moth (Automeris io).

Common along the borders of streams and swamps, loves a deep moist soil. [4] Varies from shrub to small tree, and ranges throughout the United States east of the Rocky Mountains.

Deer browse the foliage and twigs, while game birds eat the nutlets. [6]

Uses

The wood is heavy and hard, and is used for tool handles, [4] longbows [ citation needed ], walking sticks, walking canes and golf clubs.

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References

  1. Stritch, L.; Shaw, K.; Roy , S.; Wilson, B. (2014). "Carpinus caroliniana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T194277A2308692. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T194277A2308692.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. "Carpinus caroliniana". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 1 April 2015 via The Plant List. Note that this website has been superseded by World Flora Online
  3. "Carpinus caroliniana". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  4. 1 2 3 Metzger, F. T. (1990). "Carpinus caroliniana". In Burns, Russell M.; Honkala, Barbara H. (eds.). Hardwoods. Silvics of North America. Vol. 2. Washington, D.C.: United States Forest Service (USFS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) via Southern Research Station.
  5. Keeler, Harriet L. (1900). Our Native Trees and How to Identify Them. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. pp.  319–322.
  6. Little, Elbert L. (1980). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region. New York: Knopf. p. 373. ISBN   0-394-50760-6.