The striking white trunks of large sycamores are clearly visible in the open winter forests along the course of streams and rivers throughout most of eastern North America. The core of the rather smooth, round cluster of small fruit was used as a crude button for the leather jackets of early frontiersmen. Thus, the common name buttonwood also refers to sycamores. The leaves can be quite colorful in the fall, but without normal autumn rainfall they are rather drab. One or more of the three closely related species of basswood can be found in the deciduous forests of each of the eastern states.
Witch hazel leaves, fruit.
The rounded, yellow, alternate leaves of witch hazel have scalloped edges and an oblique base that make them fairly distinctive. However, identification of these small, widespread trees is often facilitated by the presence of the small, hard, round fruit and the small, yellow flowers on the tree with the autumn leaves.