214 Trees with Compound Leaves. [D n 



Fig. 108. Bitter-nut, Swamp Hickory. H. minima (Marsh), 

 Britton, C, amara, Nutt. 



Leaves, COMPOUND (odd-feathered ; leaflets, seven to 

 eleven) ; ALTERNATE ; EDGE OF LEAFLET SHARP- 

 TOOTHED. 



Outline of leaflet, long oval or long egg-shape. Apex, 

 taper-pointed. Base, pointed or blunted. 



Leaf-stem, rather slender, somewhat downy, and often 

 flattened and winged. Leaf-buds, small, slightly 

 rounded or (at the ends of the branchlets) pointed, 

 and yellow. 



Leaflet-stems, lacking, except the short stem of the end 

 leaflet. 



Leaflets, four to six inches long, the upper one usually 

 short ; smooth on both sides, or with a slight, scat- 

 tered down below. 



Bark, rather smooth. 



Fruit, rounded or slightly egg-shaped, dark green. Husk, 

 very thin and fleshy, never becoming entirely hard, 

 with prominent winged edges at the seams, only two 

 of which reach more than half-way to the base. It 

 divides half-way down when ripe. Nut, barely one 

 inch long, heart-shaped at the top, broader than long, 

 white and smooth. Shell, so thin that it can be 

 broken with the fingers. Kernel, intensely bitter. 



Found, usually in wet grounds, though often also on rich 

 uplands, from Southern Maine westward and south- 

 ward. It reaches its finest growth in Pennsylvania 

 and Ohio. 

 A rather smaller and less valuable tree than the rest 



of the hickories. 



NOTE. See Honey Locust ((',. triacanthos, L.), under 1), /., page 192. 



