Hamamelidaceae

Plant Sex: Flowers bisexual and unisexual (plants then monoecious)

Flowers: Actinomorphic. Sepals often connate below. Very early or later flowering in Hamamelis

Inflorescence: Spikes, racemes, heads

Fruits: Loculicidal and septicidal capsules

Seeds: In Hamamelis, capsule opens, later ejects seeds

Habit: Trees and shrubs, some are resionous

Leaves: Simple, alternate (rarely compound), with stipules. Stellate hairs sometimes present

Examples:
Hamamelis virginiana (Virginia witch hazel)

Habit of plant in flower. Note the presence of fall coloration on the leaves AND flowers!

Hamamelis mollis (Chinese witch hazel)

Flowering branch of this early spring (or even winter) flowering cultivated Asian species.
Flowers close-up
Flower, L.S.

Hamamelis vernalis (early witch hazel)

Corylopsis (winter hazel)

C. pauciflora, cultivated on the SIUC campus.

Fothergilla gardenii (witch alder)

Shrub in flower
Inflorescence
Flower close-up showing petaloid stamens

Liquidambar styraciflua (sweet gum), formerly considered a member of Hamamelidaceae, is now classified in Altingiaceae. Given this is a common tree in our area, I show some photos below.

shoot showing staminate and carpellate inflorescences
staminate and carpellate inflorescences in section
staminate inflorescence
resinous stamens
fruit - an aggregate of capsules

SIUC / College of Science / Elements of Plant Systematics
URL: http://www.plantbiology.siu.edu/PLB304/Lecture15Saxif/Hamamelidaceae.html
Last updated: 27-Feb-08 / dln