HORNBEAM, Carpinus, Tournef., a small genus of trees of the natural order Cupiiliferoe and sub-order Coryleoe. The Latin name Carpinus has been thought to be derived from the Celtic car, wood, and pin or pen, head, the wood of hornbeams having been used for yokes of cattle (see Loudon, Eηcy. of Pl., p. 792, new ed., 1855, and Littré, Diet., ii. 556). The common hornbeam, or yoke-elm, Carpinus Betulus, L. (Gr., probably ζνγlα ; Germ., Horn-baum and Hornbuche ; Fr., charmf), is indigenous in the temperate parts of western Asia and of Asia Minor, and in Europe, where it ranges as high as 55° and 56° N. lat. It is common in woods and hedges in parts of Wales and of the south of England. The trunk is usually flattened, and twisted as though composed of several stems united; the bark is smooth, and light grey; and the leaves are sub-distichous, 2 to 3 inches long, elliptic-ovate, doubly serrate, pointed, numerously ribbed, hairy below, and opaque, and not glossy as in the beech, have large stipules and short petioles, and when young are plaited. The flowers appear with the leaves in April and May. The male catkins are about 1∣∙ inches long, and have pale yellow anthers, bearing tufts of hairs at the apex; the female attain a length of 2 to 4 inches, with bracts 1 to 1∣ inches long. The green and angular fruit or “nut” ripens in October; it is about ∣ inch in length, is in shape like a small chestnut, and is enclosed in leafy, 3-lobed bracts. The hornbeam thrives well on stiff, clayey, moist soils, into which its roots penetrate deeply; on chalk or gravel it does not flourish. Raised from seed it may become a tree 40 to as much as 70 feet in height, greatly resembling the beech, except in its rounder and closer head. It is, however, rarely grown as a ...