One of the more challenging tasks for a dendrologist working in the eastern United States is distinguishing between Carpinus carolinina and Ostrya virginiana--particularly when you only have leaf and twig samples to work with (if for instance the plants in question are seedlings, or if you are working with young saplings in the winter).  Once the trees get older, your worries are over; the mature bark of Carpinus and Ostrya is entirely different:

However it is important to note that very young Ostrya does not have flaky bark.  Thus, if you are dealing with seedlings or young saplings, you should not rely on this character.  Bud morphology is more reliable.  In fact these two species can be fairly easily distinguished using buds:

                   Carpinus summer bud                                                          Ostrya summer bud

                 Carpinus winter bud                                                           Ostrya winter bud

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