CHAPTER XXVI: THE CHESTNUTS 



Family Fagace^ 



Trees of ornamental and timber value. Leaves simple, 

 oblong to lanceolate, strongly ribbed, alternate, leathery. Flowers 

 monoecious, in spikes, showy. Fruit, nuts in spiny burs. 



KEY TO GENERA AND SPECIES 



A. Leaves deciduous; fruit annual. 



1. Genus Castanea, Adans. 

 B. Trees large; leaves smooth and green on both sides; 



nuts 2 to 3 in 4-valved, spiny bur. 



(C. deniaia) chestnut 

 BB. Trees shrubby, leaves pale and pubescent beneath; 

 nuts solitary in 2-valved bur. (C pumila) chinquapin 

 /\A. Leaves evergreen; fruit biennial. 



2. Genus Castanopsis, Spach. 

 (C. chrysophylla) golden-leaved chestnut 



I. Genus CASTANEA, Adans. 



There are five known species of the true chestnuts, three of 

 which are American. One of these is a shrub, C. alnijolia, Nutt. 

 The European species (C. sativa, Mill.) is the well-known sweet 

 chestnut of Italy and Spain, as important in the diet of the peas- 

 antry as are potatoes in Ireland. This species extends its range 

 to Eastern Asia. The Japanese C. crenata, Sieb. & Zucc, has been 

 introduced into American gardens. The trees begin to bear when 

 very young. The nuts are not sweet like our native chestnuts, 

 but they are good when cooked. 



Chestnut {Castanea dentata, Borkh.) Oblong, thick-topped, 

 symmetrical tree, 60 to 100 feet high, of rapid, vigorous growth. 

 Bark grey-brown, cut into broad irregular ridges by shallow 

 fissures; branchlets reddish, smooth. IVood brown, light, coarse, 

 soft, weak, durable, easily worked. Buds dark brown, ovate, 



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