Corylus heterophylla

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Asian hazel
Corylus heterophylla.JPG
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Betulaceae
Genus: Corylus
Species:
C. heterophylla
Binomial name
Corylus heterophylla

Corylus heterophylla, the Asian hazel, is a species of hazel native to eastern Asia in northern and central China, Korea, Japan, and southeastern Siberia.[1]

It is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 7 m (23 ft) tall, with stems up to 20 cm (8 in) thick grey bark. The leaves are rounded, 4–13 cm (1+1⁄2–5 in) long and 2.5–10 cm (1–4 in) broad, with a coarsely double-serrated to somewhat lobed margin and an often truncated apex. The flowers are wind-pollinated catkins; the male (pollen) catkins are pale yellow, 4 cm (1+1⁄2 in) long, while the female catkins are bright red and only 1–3 mm (1⁄16–1⁄8 in) long. The fruit is a nut produced in clusters of 2–6 together; each nut is 0.7–1.5 cm (1⁄4–1⁄2 in) diameter, partly enclosed in a 1.5–2.5 cm (1⁄2–1 in) long, bract-like involucre (husk).[1][2]

It is very similar to the closely related common hazel (C. avellana) of Europe and western Asia, differing in the leaves being somewhat more lobed.[2]

Uses[]

The nut is edible, and is very similar to the common hazel nut; it is cultivated commercially in China.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Flora of China: Corylus heterophylla
  2. ^ a b Bean, W. J. (1976). Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles 8th ed., vol. 1. John Murray ISBN 0-7195-1790-7.
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