8G CHINESE ECONOMIC TREES 



Castanea henryi (Skan) Rehder and Wilson. 



(Castanopsis licnryi Skan.) 

 (Castanea vilmoriana Dode.) 



Tree 20 25 m. tall, occasionally taller. Leaves 10-19 cm. long, green 

 on both sides, glabrous, pubescent only on the midrib and veins below, 

 long acuminate, widest at or below the middle, with bristle pointed teeth. 

 Fruits solitary or 2 or more on a short spike; nuts globose, 12 mm. 

 across, usually 1 in the involucre. 



Central China. 



A very valuable tree, yielding the largest merchantable timber of 

 any Chinese species. The nuts are small. 



Castanea seguinii Dode is a third species native in Chekiang, Hupeh, 

 Kiangsi and other parts of China. It may be separated from the other 

 species by the leaves, which are densely minutely lepidote on the under 

 side, the others being glabrous on the lower surface. 



Castanea crenata Siebold and Zuccarini is a fourth species found in 

 eastern Asia but, so far as known, is confined to Japan and Korea. 



CASTANOPSIS 



Evergreen trees or rarely shrubs with alternate, entire or dentate, 

 pinnately veined leaves. Flowers monoecious, in erect spikes. Staminate 

 flowers usually in 3's on simple or branched spikes; calyx 5-6 lobed or 

 parted; stamens usually 10-12 or indefinite. Pistillate flowers solitary or 

 rarely in pairs, enclosed in an involucre of imbricated scales in simple or 

 branched spikes or scattered at the base of the male inflorescence; calyx 

 6 lobed; ovary inferior, 3 celled; ovules 2 in each cell; styles 3. Fruit 

 matures at the end of the second year, globose, armed with spines, 

 enclosing 1-4 nuts. 



About 35 species described, 15 of which have been ascribed to China. 

 The chief distinction between Castanea and Castanopsis is that Castanea is 

 deciduous while Castanopsis is evergreen. In Castanopsis the ovary is 3 

 celled and the fruit matures in the second year. 



Castanopsis hystrix De Candole. 



Trees with pubescent young shoots and inflorescence. Leaves 6-15 

 cm. long, coriaceous, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, entire 



