Ostrya virginiana
American hophornbeam | |
---|---|
A hophornbeam branch with the characteristic hop-resembling fruits[1] in early summer | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fagales |
Family: | Betulaceae |
Genus: | Ostrya |
Species: | O. virginiana
|
Binomial name | |
Ostrya virginiana | |
Generalized native range | |
Synonyms[3] | |
|
Ostrya virginiana, the American hophornbeam, is a species of
Description
Ostrya virginiana (American hophornbeam) is a small deciduous understory tree growing to 18 m (59 ft) tall and 20–50 centimetres (8–20 in) trunk diameter. The bark is brown to gray-brown, with narrow shaggy plates flaking off, while younger twigs and branches are smoother and gray, with small lenticels.[5][7] Very young twigs are sparsely fuzzy to thickly hairy; the hairs (trichomes) drop off by the next year.[8]
The
The
Pollinated female flowers develop into small
American hophornbeam is similar to its close relative
-
Bark of a mature tree
-
Male catkins hanging from the branches in spring (United States Botanic Garden)
-
Leaf color in autumn
-
Two trees in winter with some dried leaves still hanging on their branches (marcescence)
-
An exceptionally large trunk
Subdivisions
There are two subspecies:
- Ostrya virginiana subsp. guatemalensis (H.J.P.Winkl.) A.E.Murray – central and southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador[9]
- Ostrya virginiana subsp. virginiana – eastern half of United States, eastern Canada
Populations along the Atlantic coast have slightly smaller leaves, and are sometimes separated as O. virginiana var. lasia Fernald.[5]
Habitat and ecology
In temperate areas of the US and Canada, Ostrya virginiana is found in lowland and foothill forests, where it is predominantly an understory tree.[2]
In Mexico and Central America, Ostrya virginiana is found in cloud forests and humid portions of mid-elevation oak, pine–oak, and pine forests between 1200 and 2800 meters elevation.[10]
The buds and catkins are important source of winter food for some birds, notably ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus).[7] Additionally, the nutlets and buds are eaten by birds, deer, and rabbits.[1]
Uses
It is not typically grown as an ornamental plant and is sometimes used as a street tree.[11]
Its wood is very resilient and is valued for making tool handles and fence posts. [12]
Being a diffuse porous hardwood and having extremely high density and resistance to compression, it is an excellent material for the construction of wooden longbows.[citation needed]
References
- ^ ISBN 0-394-50760-6.
- ^ . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Ostrya virginiana". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- ^ "Ostrya virginiana". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g Furlow, John J. (1997). "Ostrya virginiana". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 3. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
- ^ Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
- ^ a b c d e f Hilty, John (2020). "Hop Hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana)". Illinois Wildflowers.
- ^ Chayka, Katy; Dziuk, Peter (2016). "Ostrya virginiana (Ironwood)". Minnesota Wildflowers.
- ^ Whittemore, Alan. "Ostrya virginiana". Flora Mesoamericana. Missouri Botanical Garden – via Tropicos.org.
- ISBN 9781903703281
- ^ "Ostrya virginiana (Mill". www.srs.fs.usda.gov. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
- ^ "Ostrya virginiana (American Hop-hornbeam, Eastern Hop Hornbeam, Hop Hornbeam, Hop Horn Beam, Ironwood, Leverwood, Wooly Hop hornbeam) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox". plants.ces.ncsu.edu. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
- Metzger, F. T. (1990). "Ostrya virginiana". 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.
External links
- Bioimages: Ostrya virginiana.
- University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. Trees of Wisconsin. Ostrya virginiana. Archived 2009-01-14 at the Wayback Machine
- Virginia Tech Dendrology. Ostrya virginiana Fact Sheet.
- University of Connecticut. Plants Database. Ostrya virginiana.
- Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina. Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana).
- Yale University. Cyber Flora. Ostrya virginiana.