Can
you identify what's in this photo?
Each Wednesday morning
on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page
the Lutherlyn Environmental
Education Program posts a photo.
Readers
have all morning and afternoon
to
make their best guess about what the photo is.
Around
6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.
Each
week's What is it Wednesday post
will
also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog,
after it is posted on Facebook,
sometimes
with additional bonus information.
In
addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday
on the
Nature of Lutherlyn blog,
we
will be reposting old editions,
creating
a What is it Wednesday archive.
This
photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on
February 5, 2020.
And
the answer is....
These are the seed bracts of an American hornbeam tree.
The
seeds of American hornbeam grow in tight clusters, with small nutlets protected
by small overlapping umbrella-like leaflets, called bracts. These bracts are
sometimes still visible in clusters hanging from the ends of branches late into
the winter, even though the seeds have long since dispersed.
American hornbeam is a tree that does not grow very tall or wide, but its wood is very dense and strong, with smooth gray bark showing ripples of the wood underneath. It is a common understory tree at Lutherlyn and in western Pennsylvania, often called musclewood for its appearance or ironwood for its strength.
It is distinct from hop hornbeam, another small sturdy
understory tree in our area. Hop hornbeam has shaggier bark and its seed bracts
are rounded, making the seed clusters look a lot like the hops used to flavor
beer.
For more on how LEEP can help you get to know the trees and
other residents of our forests, through school field trips, summer camp,
Saturday safaris, and more, check out www.lutherlyn.com/ee.
Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on
Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when
they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!
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