Photo © Carl Farmer |
Common in woods or in pure stands. Some hazelwoods represent the natural climax vegetation in exposed places on the west coast. Bush c 3-5 m tall. Nuts c 1.5-2 cm long. Female flowers c 3-4 mm across. Male catkins c 3-7 cm long when fully open. ID: Nuts and female flowers unmistakable. Bare tree in winter has unopened male catkins present along the twigs, not just at their ends like birches, and greenish or pale brown buds. If only leaves are available, these are heart-shaped at base and doubly-toothed, each of some 10-30 main teeth being themselves edged with much smaller teeth. Other features: A shrub or small tree that normally has several trunks arising from base. Male flowers are in catkins and consist of a bract which has beneath it 4 divided stamens each bearing 2 yellow anthers. Female flowers arise from normal-looking buds and are in clusters of 6, each with 2 red styles. |
