JUGLANDACEAE 



The Hickories 



Characteristics of the Genus Carya Nutt. 



HABIT. Medium-sized trees with clear straight trunks and 

 open spreading crowns. 



LEAVES. Alternate; pinnately compound; deciduous; leaflets 

 3-17, nearly sessile, ovate to obovate, finely serrate, tips acute 

 to acuminate, and bases inequilateral. 



FLOWERS. Monoecious; apetalous; appearing after the 

 leaves; staminate in 3-branched aments, with 3-10 stamens; 

 pistillate in spikes of 2-10 flowers, each with a 1 -celled ovary 

 and 2 sessile stigmas. 



FRUIT. Nut enclosed in a semi-woody, partly dehiscent, 

 4-valved husk; maturing in one year; nut shell thin to thick, 

 hard, ribbed, smooth to rugose; sweet to bitter. 



TWIGS. Mostly rather stout; round; pith solid. Winter 

 buds: terminal present, much larger than laterals, with im- 

 bricated or valvate scales. 



BARK. Smooth and gray on young trunks, becoming scaly 

 or rough; very hard and compact. 



WOOD. Highly important; very heavy, hard, and strong; 

 light colored; not durable; semi ring-porous; used for handles, 

 tools, etc. 



SILVICAL CHARACTERS. Moderately intolerant; slow 

 growing, long-lived; taproot system; varied moist sites. 



GENERAL. Twelve species are recognized in the United 

 States (some authors recognize 19 species); several, together 

 with numerous varieties and hybrids, are diflScult to identify. 

 Eight species come under the group known as "true hickories," 

 which are characterized by numerous, imbricated bud scales, 

 3-9 leaflets, and essentially unwinged fruit husks; and four 

 species are classified as "pecan hickories," which are character- 

 ized by 4—6 valvate bud scales, 5-17 (mostly more than 7) often 

 falcate leaflets, and fruit husks which are typically broadly 

 winged at the sutures. 



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