hornbeam

Any of a group of trees belonging to the birch family. They have oval leaves with toothed edges and hanging clusters of flowers, each with a nutlike seed attached to the base. The trunk is usually twisted, with smooth grey bark. (Genus Carpinus, family Betulaceae.)

The American hornbeam (C. caroliniana) is native to the eastern US. The European hornbeam (C. betulus) is sometimes planted as an ornamental.