Unknown type of tree, question.

[Jim_Rogers]

My blacksmith friend stopped by today with a leaf from a small tree on his property in Central Massachusetts. here is a shot of the leaf:

He said it was a small tree that had a kind of smooth gray bark.
He's curious about what type of tree it might be. Can anyone tell us what it is?
Jim

[Tom]

Looks kinda like a Beech leaf.  If it were down here I would say it was Blue Beech.

Is it a lowlands tree?

[Jim_Rogers]

Not sure I'll have to ask.
Thanks for the help, Jim

[Jeff]

Its an American Hornbeam or as Tom referred to slang, Blue Beech. It has the smoother bark then Eastern Hornbeam. We refer to it as ironwood or muscle wood although Audubon's eastern Field guide suggests muscle wood is a slang for eastern hop hornbeam which I believe has a rougher bark. It grows prolifically on our old farm on the river flats and in and along the low-land swales.

[SwampDonkey]

Nope not hornbeam or bluebeech which have doubly serrated leaves

American Beech Fagus grandifolia which have incurved serrated leaves. And smooth gray bark if not infected by beech scale.