This species is smaller than the Eastern Hophornbeam with smaller leaves and fruit clusters. It is found wild in shady, wet canyon bottoms of southeast Utah, northern Arizona, and scattered spots in southern New Mexico and southern Texas. It grows about 10 to 30 feet high. It often has two or several trunks with slightly shaggy, grey bark with some brown areas. The leaves get about 2.5 by 1.25 inches and have 5 to 8 paired veins. The species name comes from a certain botanist of Frank Knowlton discovering it for western science in 1889 below the rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Overall, it is uncommon or rare, but there are some locations were it is locally abundant.

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