Carpinus betulus L. Common hornbeam

Carpinus betulus L. - Common hornbeam

Scientific Description:

Tree up to 25 m, with smooth grey bark. Trunk usually grooved below. Young shoots brown, lustrous, and sometimes hairy; buds reddish-brown, glabrous or slightly hairy. Leaves ovate, acute or acuminate, 5−10 × 3−5 cm, with 10−15 pairs of veins, regularly biserrate, slightly and asymmetrically cordate or rounded at base, glabrous on both sides except for densely hairy vein axils. Involucre 3-lobed, entire or slightly serrate, strongly veined, middle lobe to c. 4 cm, lateral lobes ± equal, 1/3−1/2 × middle lobe.

 

Flowering time: July−August.

Habitat: In broad leaved deciduous (Quercus L.-Fagus L.) or mixed (Abies L.- Picea Link –Fagus L.) forests, or sometimes forming pure stands on level ground, 10−1600 (−1800) m.

 

Reference:

Yaltırık F (1982). Carpinus betulus L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 7: 684.

Public Description:

Carpinus betulus, known as “common hornbeam”, is distributed in Western Asia and Europe, including southern England. It is a deciduous small to medium-size tree reaching heights of 25 metres. It blooms between July and August and is found in broad leaved deciduous or mixed forests. The common hornbeam requires a warm climate for good growth. It prefers moderate damp and fertile soils and shade areas. Common hornbeam has been much used in landscape gardening, mainly as tall hedges and for topiary. The wood is used in the construction of cartwheels, water wheels, cog wheels, tool handles, chopping boards, and wooden pegs in order that the wood is hard and heavy and especially resistant to heavy erosion. It also burns hot and slowly, making it a very suitable firewood.

 

References:

Anonymous (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpinus_betulus/, Accessed date: 05.02.2016.

Aksoy N (2012). Caprinus L., In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 219.