Part 29

HABITAT.--Prefers rich, well-drained soil, but grows well in various situations, if they are not too wet.

NOTES.--Hardy throughout its range. Difficult to transplant.

1. Winter twig, × 1. 2. Leaf, × 1/3. 3. Flowering branchlet, × 1/2. 4. Staminate flower, enlarged. 5. Pistillate flower, enlarged. 6. Fruit, × 1.]

+JUGLANDACEAE+

+Small Pignut Hickory+

Carya microcarpa Nutt. [Hicoria odorata (Marsh.) Sarg.] [Hicoria microcarpa (Nutt.) Britt.] [Hicoria glabra, v. odorata Sarg.]

HABIT.--A tree usually 50-70 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 1-3 feet; forming an oblong or sometimes rounded crown of slender, spreading branches.

LEAVES.--Alternate, compound, 8-12 inches long. Leaflets usually 5-7, the upper 3-6 inches long, 2-2-1/2 inches broad; sessile, except the terminal; oblong to ovate-lanceolate, long-pointed; sharply serrate; thick and firm; glabrous, dark yellow-green above, lighter beneath. Petioles long, glabrous. Foliage fragrant when crushed.

FLOWERS.--May, after the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in pendulous, ternate catkins 3-7 inches long, slender, greenish, glabrous; stamens 4, with orange anthers; the pistillate in 2-5-flowered spikes, 1/4 inch long; calyx 4-toothed, hairy; corolla 0; stigmas 2, yellow.

FRUIT.--September; subglobose or globose-oblong, less than 1 inch long, with thin husk splitting nearly to the base; nut obscurely 4-ridged, with thin shell and small, sweet kernel.

WINTER-BUDS.--1/4-1/2 inch long, dome-shaped, red-brown, smooth.

BARK.--Twigs greenish, long-hairy, becoming reddish and finally gray; thick, hard and grayish on the trunk, divided by shallow fissures into narrow plates, and more or less shaggy.

WOOD.--Heavy, hard, strong, tough, close-grained, elastic, dark brown, with thick, whitish sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Confined to the most southern portions of the Lower Peninsula.

HABITAT.--Prefers well-drained slopes and hillsides.

NOTES.--Resembles C. glabra, but the nut is much smaller.

1. Winter twig, × 1. 2. Leaf, × 1/4. 3. Flowering branchlet, × 1. 4. Staminate flower, enlarged. 5. Pistillate flower, enlarged. 6. Fruit, × 2/3.]

+JUGLANDACEAE+

+Pignut Hickory+

Carya glabra (Mill.) Spach. [Hicoria glabra (Mill.) Britt.] [Carya porcina Nutt.]

HABIT.--A tree usually 50-65 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 1-3 feet; forming a low, rather narrow, open crown of slender, often contorted branches.

LEAVES.--Alternate, compound, 8-12 inches long. Leaflets usually 5-7, the upper 3-6 inches long, 2-2-1/2 inches broad; subsessile, except the terminal; oblong to obovate-lanceolate, taper-pointed; sharply serrate; thick and firm; glabrous, dark yellow-green above, paler beneath. Petioles long, slender, glabrous or pubescent. Foliage fragrant when crushed.

FLOWERS.--May, after the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in pendulous, ternate catkins 3-7 inches long, slender, yellow-green, tomentose; scales 3-lobed, nearly glabrous; stamens 4, with orange anthers; the pistillate in crowded, 2-5-flowered spikes, 1/4 inch long; calyx 4-toothed, hairy; corolla 0; stigmas 2, yellow.

FRUIT.--October; variable in size and shape, 1-1/2-2 inches long, with thin husk splitting half-way and sometimes nearly to the base; nut obscurely 4-ridged, with thin or thick, hard shell and small, sweet or slightly bitter kernel which is hard to remove.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud 1/4-1/2 inch long, dome-shaped, greenish or grayish, smooth or finely downy.

BARK.--Twigs greenish, nearly glabrous, becoming reddish, and finally grayish; thick, hard and grayish on the trunk, with a firm, close surface divided by small fissures and sometimes broken into plates.

WOOD.--Heavy, hard, very strong, tough, close-grained, elastic, dark brown, with thick, whitish sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Occurs only in the extreme southern portion of the Lower Peninsula. Common within its range.