762 Home Nature-Study Course, 



(4). Pick one of the tiny staminate flowers and hold it under the lens 

 on the point of a pin. How many lobes has the calyx? Are they of 

 equal length and width? Count the stamens and note the color of the 

 anthers. 



(5). From what part of the twigs do the pistillate flowers grow? 



(6). How many lobes or points has the pistillate calyx? 



(7). Note the shape and hairiness of the stigmas protruding from the 

 baby nut. 



Facts for the Teacher. — Tlie hickory bears its staminate and pistillate flowers on 

 the same tree, the staminate growing at the base of the season's shoots in slender 

 pendulous green catkins, usually in clusters of three swinging from a common stem; 

 the pistillate flowers grow at the tips of the season's shoots, singly or two or three 

 on a common stem. But the form and color of the blossoms differ on different 

 species and are helps in identification. Tn all species the staminate calyx has three 

 lobes, but in the Shag-bark the middle lobe is nearly twice as long as the other 

 two and tipped with long bristles ; it has usually four stamens with j^ellow anthers ; 

 its pistillate calyx is four-toothed and hairy, with two large, fringed stigmas. . 



The Mocker-nut has very long catkins, sometimes eight inches long and fuzzy; 

 the stamens are four or five with red anthers. 



The Bitter-nut's staminate calyx has its three lobes of equal length but the middle 

 one is narrower; stamens mostly five and bearded at the tip. 



The Pig-nut has the smoothest catkins of all : the lobes of the staminate calyx 

 are equal, the stamens are four with yellow anthers. 



Summary of Most Salient Characteristics of Each Member of the Family. 



Shag-bark (Hicoria ovata) : 



Scaling bark, leaflets five ; large, thick husked, sharply angled nut with sweet 

 meat. 



Big Shag-bark (Hicoria laciiiiosa) : 



Scaling bark, leaflets seven to nine, nut very large and pointed at both ends. 



Mocker-nut (Hicoria alba) : 



Persistent downiness of buds, season's twigs and under side of leaves; 

 fragrance when bruised; leaves very large with seven to nine leaflets; nut, 

 angled, with very thick husk and shell and very small meat. 



Bitter-nut (Hicoria minima) : 



Bark brownish-gray ; winter buds yellow, long and flattened, sometimes curved ; 

 young twigs brownish-yellow; nut, round, smooth, thin-shelled, its thin husk 

 having ridges where the sections meet. 



Pig-nut (Hicoria glabra) : 



Purplish tinge on young twigs; rounded and blunt winter buds; general 

 smoothness of foliage; nut-shell brownish in color with clinging husk. 



References. — " The Tree Book," Rogers ; " Familiar Trees and Their 

 Leaves," "Our Native Trees," Keeler; "Guide to the Trees," Lounsbury. 



