286 



PLANTS AND MAN 





with a few scales but often appear naked. Their male flowers are 

 like the willows, but the female flowers occur in short spikes of a 

 few flowers each maturing to form a round nut, enclosed in a 

 tough, semifleshy coat which persists after the fruit is ripe. There 

 are five native species, two of which are of economic importance. 

 Of outstanding importance is the black walnut, one of the 

 most valuable of North American woods, which ranges from 

 southern New England westward to Minnesota 

 and Nebraska, southward to Texas and the 

 Gulf states. It is generally a medium sized tree 

 though known to reach a size of one hundred 

 fifty by six feet. The leaves are one to two feet 

 long, and composed of fifteen to twenty three 

 leaflets attached to a stout central stalk. It is 

 best developed on the deep, rich, moist soils 

 of the Ohio river valley, and produces one of 

 the most highly prized ornamental woods in 

 North America. The fruit of this tree is often 

 sold locally and is much in demand in certain 

 sections of the East. 



The BUTTERNUT, or WHITE WALNUT, ranges 

 through an area similar to that of the black 

 walnut, except for northward extensions to 

 New Brunswick and eastern South Dakota, 

 and southern and western limits which are 

 considerably more restricted. The leaves are 

 apt to be longer but composed of fewer leaflets 

 than those of black walnut. It is a rather small 

 tree over most of its range, often with a poorly developed trunk 

 and heavy limbs, the wood of which is far inferior to that of 

 black walnut. 



The Hickories 



The HICKORIES (Hicoria) like the walnuts have alternate, 

 compound leaves with fewer leaflets — usually five to seventeen 

 on each leaf (fig. 204). Hickory flowers are similar to those of the 

 walnuts but the fruit is a spherical nut enclosed in a leathery or 

 woody husk which splits at maturity into four sections. There are 



Fig. 203.— 

 Walnut species 

 have compound 

 leaves. 



I 



