Ostrya japonica
The Japanese Hop Hornbeam ( Ostrya japonica) is a small tree of the subfamily of hazelnut plants ( Coryloideae ). The natural range of the species is located in Japan, Korea and China. The wood is sometimes used for making furniture and as a timber.
Description
The Japanese Hop Hornbeam is up to 20 meters high, broad crown with dark gray bark. Young branches are densely hairy gray-brown and verkahlen later. The leaves have a 1.0 to 1.5 cm long, densely hairy stem. The leaf blade is 3.5 and 12 centimeters long and 1.5 to 5.5 cm wide, ovate to ovate - lanceolate, acuminate, has a rounded, heart-shaped, obliquely heart-shaped or broad wedged base, and an irregularly doubly serrate margin. There shall be ten to fifteen pairs of nerves in the distance of 5 to 10 millimeters. The upper leaf surface is covered with fine hair especially along the midvein, the underside is densely hairy, glabrous and has underarm beards on.
The female inflorescences are 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters long grapes with a 2.0 to 2.5 cm long, densely hairy inflorescence axis. The bracts are overlapping, 1 to 2 inches long, 6-12 mm wide, sack -shaped, obovate -oblong or elliptic, network annoying, membranous, glabrous, apiculate and have a bristly hairy, stemless base. As a fruit light brown, narrowly ovoid, 6-7 mm long, shiny, bald and ribbed nuts are formed. The Japanese Hop Hornbeam flowers from May to July and the fruits ripen from July to September.
Occurrence and habitat requirements
The natural range is located in Japan on Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku, on the Korean Peninsula and China in the south of Gansu province, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Shaanxi and western Sichuan. The Japanese Hop Hornbeam grows in temperate forests at altitudes of 1000-2800 meters on fresh, mildly acidic to mildly alkaline, sandy- loamy to loamy, fertile soil in full sun to light shade locations. The species is thermophilic and usually frost hardy.
System
The Japanese Hop Hornbeam ( Ostrya japonica ) is a species of the genus hop hornbeam ( Ostrya ). This is in the birch family ( Betulaceae ) assigned to the subfamily of hazelnut plants ( Coryloideae ). The species was described in 1893 by Charles Sprague Sargent first time scientifically. The genus name Ostrya is derived from Latin and was already used by the Romans for the hop hornbeam. The specific epithet japonica refers to the distribution area of Japan.
Use
The wood of the Japanese Hop Hornbeam is hard and shiny. It is used as timber and for making furniture.