Hazel
Flowering Common Hazel in early spring
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Fagales Family: Betulaceae Genus: Corylus L.
Species
See text

The hazels (Corylus) are a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Dicotyledons, or "dicots", is a name for a group of Flowering plants whose Seed typically has two embryonic leaves or Cotyledons There The Fagales are an order of Flowering plants including some of the best known Trees The order name is derived from Genus Fagus Betulaceae, or the Birch Family, includes six genera of Deciduous nut -bearing Trees and Shrubs including the Birches Carl Linnaeus (Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as, May 23 new style (13 May old style 1707 who laid the foundations for Botany Autumn leaf color. See --> In Botany and Horticulture, deciduous Plants, including A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or A shrub or Bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of Woody plant, distinguished from a Tree The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae,^[1][2][3][4] though some botanists split the hazels (with the hornbeams and allied genera) into a separate family Corylaceae. Birch is the name of any Tree of the genus Betula ( Bé-tu-la) in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the Betulaceae, or the Birch Family, includes six genera of Deciduous nut -bearing Trees and Shrubs including the Birches Plants in the genus Carpinus ( Cár-pi-nus) are commonly called Hornbeams. ^[5][6]

Leaves and nuts of Turkish Hazel: note the spiny involucres (husks) surrounding the nuts

They have simple, rounded leaves with double-serrate margins. In Botany, a leaf is an above-ground Plant organ specialized for Photosynthesis. The flowers are produced very early in spring before the leaves, and are monoecious, with single-sex catkins, the male pale yellow and 5–12 cm long, the female very small and largely concealed in the buds, with only the bright red 1–3 mm long styles visible. A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also Plant sexuality covers the wide variety of Sexual reproduction systems found across the Plant kingdom A catkin or ament is a slim cylindrical flower cluster with inconspicuous or no petals usually Wind - pollinated ( anemophilous) but sometimes A gynoecium (from Ancient Greek gyne, "woman" is the Female reproductive part of a Flower. The seeds are nuts 1–2. A seed (in some plants referred to as a kernel) is a small embryonic Plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat usually with some stored Nut is a general term for the large dry oily Seeds or Fruit of some Plants. 5 cm long and 1–2 cm diameter, surrounded by an involucre (husk) which partly to fully encloses the nut. ^[3]

The shape and structure of the involucre, and also the growth habit (whether a tree or a suckering shrub), are important in the identification of the different species of hazel. ^[3]

Hazels are used as food plants by the larvae of various species of Lepidoptera; see list of Lepidoptera that feed on hazels. A larva ( Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of Animal with indirect development, undergoing Metamorphosis (for example Lepidoptera is an order of Insect that includes Moths and butterflies. Hazels ( Corylus spp are used as food plants by the Larvae of a number of Lepidoptera species including Monophagous

Species

There are 14–18 species of hazel. The circumscription of species in eastern Asia is disputed, with the Kew Checklist and the Flora of China differing in which taxa are accepted; within this region, only those taxa accepted by both sources are listed below. ^[7][3][8][9] The species are grouped as follows:

• Nut surrounded by a soft, leafy involucre. The calybium and the cupule make up the Accessory fruit of Flowering plants in the family Fagaceae. Multi-stemmed, suckering shrubs to 12m tall. A shrub or Bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of Woody plant, distinguished from a Tree
  • Involucre short, about the same length as the nut.
    • Corylus americana — American Hazel. The American Hazelnut ( Corylus americana) is a species of the genus Corylus that is native to eastern North America. Eastern North America.
    • Corylus avellana — Common Hazel. The Common Hazel ( Corylus avellana) is a species of Hazel native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles Europe and western Asia.
    • Corylus heterophylla — Asian Hazel. The Asian Hazel ( Corylus heterophylla) is a species of Hazel native to eastern Asia, from northern China, eastern Mongolia Asia.
    • Corylus yunnanensis — Yunnan Hazel. Corylus yunnanensis is a species of Hazelnut found in western China Central and southern China.
  • Involucre long, twice the length of the nut or more, forming a 'beak'.
    • Corylus colchica — Colchican Filbert. Corylus colchica is species of Hazelnut It can tolerate more frost than many others of its genus Caucasus.
    • Corylus cornuta — Beaked Hazel. Corylus cornuta ( Beaked Hazel) is a Deciduous Shrubby Hazel found in most of North America, from southern Canada North America.
    • Corylus maxima — Filbert. The Filbert ( Corylus maxima) is a species of Hazel native to southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia, from the Balkans Southeastern Europe and southwest Asia.
    • Corylus sieboldiana — Asian Beaked Hazel. Northeastern Asia and Japan (syn. C. mandshurica).
• Nut surrounded by a stiff, spiny involucre. Single-stemmed trees to 20–35 m tall.
  • Involucre moderately spiny and also with glandular hairs.
    • Corylus chinensis — Chinese Hazel. Western China.
    • Corylus colurna — Turkish Hazel. Corylus colurna ( Turkish Hazel) is a Tree native to southeast Europe and southwest Asia, from the Balkans through Southeastern Europe and Asia Minor.
    • Corylus fargesii — Farges' Hazel. Western China.
    • Corylus jacquemontii — Jacquemont's Hazel. Himalaya.
    • Corylus wangii — Wang's Hazel. Southwest China.
  • Involucre densely spiny, resembling a chestnut burr.
    • Corylus ferox — Himalayan Hazel. Himalaya, Tibet and southwest China (syn. C. tibetica).

Several hybrids exist, and can occur between species in different sections of the genus, e. In Biology, hybrid has two meanings The first meaning is the result of interbreeding between two animals or plants of different taxa. g. Corylus × colurnoides (C. avellana × C. colurna).

Uses

Hazelnuts

The nuts of all hazels are edible. The Common Hazel ( Corylus avellana) is a species of Hazel native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles The Common Hazel is the species most extensively grown for its nuts, followed in importance by the Filbert. Nuts are also harvested from the other species, but apart from the Filbert, none is of significant commercial importance. ^[4]

A number of cultivars of the Common Hazel and Filbert are grown as ornamental plants in gardens, including forms with contorted stems (C. A cultivar is a cultivated Plant that has been selected and given a unique name because of its decorative or useful characteristics it is usually distinct from similar Ornamental plants are typically grown in the flower Garden or as House plants Most commonly they are grown for the display of their Flowers Other common A garden is a planned space usually outdoors set aside for the display cultivation and enjoyment of Plants and other forms of Nature. avellana 'Contorta', popularly known as "Harry Lauder's walking stick" from its gnarled appearance); with weeping branches (C. Sir Henry Lauder ( 4 August 1870 - 26 February 1950) known professionally as Harry Lauder, was a notable Scottish avellana 'Pendula'); and with purple leaves (C. maxima 'Purpurea').

References