Editing Hornbeam (section)

== Description ==
[[File:Carpinus betulus 001.JPG|thumb|left|European hornbeam in Germany, during May]]

Hornbeams are small, slow-growing, [[understory]] trees with a natural, rounded form growing {{Convert|4.5-9|m|abbr=off}} tall and wide; the exemplar species—the [[Carpinus betulus|European hornbeam]]—reaches a maximum height of {{Convert|32|m|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Stace-2010">{{cite book |last=Stace |first=C. A. |author-link=Stace, C. A. |year=2010 |title=New Flora of the British Isles |edition=Third |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge, UK |isbn=9780521707725 }}</ref>{{rp|296}}

Leaves are [[deciduous]], dark-green, alternate and simple with a coarsely-serrated margin, varying from {{Convert|3 to 10|cm|abbr=off|frac=2}} in length. In autumn, leaves turn various shades of yellow, orange and red. Hornbeam saplings, stressed trees, and the lower branches of mature trees may exhibit [[marcescence]]—where leaves wither with autumn but [[abscission]] (leafdrop) is delayed until spring.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cutler |first1=Tony |title=The world encyclopedia of trees: a reference and identification guide to 1300 of the world's most significant trees |date=2020 |publisher=Lorenz Books |location=London? |isbn=978-0754834755 }}</ref>

The smooth, gray trunk and larger branches of a mature tree exhibit a distinctive muscle-like fluting.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carpinus caroliniana - Plant Finder |url=https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=h540 |website=www.missouribotanicalgarden.org }}</ref>

As with other members of the [[birch]] family, hornbeam flowers are wind-pollinated pendulous [[catkin]]s, produced in spring. Male and female flowers are on separate catkins, but on the same tree ([[Plant sexuality|monoecious]]). Female flowers give way to distinctive clusters of winged seeds that somewhat resemble the hops-like seeds of ironwood.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Furlow |first1=John J. |title=The Genera of Betulaceae in the Southeastern United States |journal=Journal of the Arnold Arboretum |pages=1–67 |date=1990 |volume=71 |issue=1 |doi=10.5962/bhl.part.24925 |jstor=43782230 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

The fruit is a small [[nut (fruit)|nut]] about {{Convert|3–6|mm|abbr=out|frac=8}} long, held in a leafy [[bract]]; the bract may be either trilobed or simple oval, and is slightly asymmetrical. The asymmetry of the seedwing makes it spin as it falls, improving [[wind dispersal]]. The shape of the wing is important in the identification of different hornbeam species. Typically, 10–30 seeds are on each seed catkin.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hornbeam, American (Musclewood) {{!}} Nebraska Forest Service |url=https://nfs.unl.edu/woody-plants/musclewood-hornbeam#:~:text=Tree%20Characteristics&text=The%20smooth%2C%20gray%20trunk%20and,member%20of%20the%20birch%20family. |website=nfs.unl.edu }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=The complete encyclopedia of trees of the world : the ultimate reference and identification guide to more than 1300 of the most spectacular, best-loved and unusual trees around the globe, with 3000 specially commissioned illustrations, maps and photographs |date=10 September 2021 |publisher=Creative Media Partners, LLC |isbn=978-1015282605 }}</ref>