Hop Tree, Wafer Ash,

Description:

Thin waferlike round samara (winged seed) of the Wafer Ash.

Habitat:

Rocky, wooded hillside above Belton Lake.

Notes:

Despite the fact that this is called an ash, it is actually a member of the citrus family. Early Texas settlers used the wafers as a substitute for hops in brewing beer - leading to the popular name hop tree.