At 09:25 AM 1/1/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Michael,
>
>Actually the Ironwood is known as American Hop-Hornbeam (Ostrya viriniana)
because the Carpinus caroliniana is also called Ironwood or American
Hornbeam OR Blue Beech. It gets quite confusing. Both trees look similar
but the barks are very different and the leaves have a slight difference in
them as well also, one occupies wetlands more commonly, the Blue beech, and
the other uplands, American Hop Hornbeam.
>
>Both Ostrya sp & Carpinus sp are tolerant understory species associated
with eastern hardwood stands. Growth form is similar to eastern flowering
dogwood (Cornus). In our mixed conifer/ hardwood stands Hazel (Corylus
cornuta) is a similar understory species. By the way it is our earliest
flowering tree/shrub. Catkins are golden yellow and probably shedding
pollen now. Male flowers have tiny snake-like florescence that is redish
purple in color. Look for them now. Bill