40 HOUGH'S AMERICAN WOODS. 



267. HICORIA PECAN, BRITT. 



PECAN. 

 Ger., Pecan-nuszbaum. Fr., Pacane. Sp., Pacana. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: Leaves 12-20 in. long with 9-15 lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong 

 falcate subsessile leaflets which are long-pointed, inequilateral and rounded or wedge-shaped 

 at base; bud-scales few, valvate. Flowers in early June; staminate in subsessile aments, 

 3-5 in. long; calyx with middle lobe linear and much longer than the oblong lateral lobes. 

 Fruit in clusters of 3-11, oblong-cylindric, pointed, 1-2^2 in. long, with prominent sutures 

 and thin brittle husk splitting to the base; nut 1-2 in. long, pointed, with smooth thin 

 brown shell with black markings, thin astringent dissepiments and delicious seed. 



The Pecan tree is the largest of the Hickories, and in the primeval forests 

 it is said that it attained the great size of 150 ft. (45 m.) or more in height, 

 with great buttressed trunks 5 or 6 ft. (1.50 m.) in diameter above the 

 buttresses. As commonly seen growing in open fields one is impressed with 

 the great size of its shapely oblong or obovoid top, as compared with the 

 thickness of the supporting trunk. This is vested in a brownish gray bark, 

 fissured into narrow, more or less reticulated ridges, and is readily distin- 

 guished from the barks of other Hickories. 



HABITAT. The Mississippi River valley, from eastern Iowa and southern 

 Illinois and Indiana, southward to central Alabama and Mississippi, east- 

 ward to central Kentucky and Tennessee and westward into Texas, inhabit- 

 ing rich bottom-lands, especially those subject to occasional inundation. It 

 is also found in Mexico, but there, on mountain ranges. 



PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. Wood moderately heavy, hard, strong and 

 tough, with inconspicuous medullary rays, and of a light chocolate brown 

 color and with very thick creamy white sap-wood. 



USES. Wood used in the manufacture of wagons, agricultural imple- 

 ments, etc., and for fuel, but not generally considered as valuable as the 

 wood of the other hickories. The chief popularity of the tree lies in its 

 fruit, the pecan nut being a too well-known article of commerce to require 

 comment here. The nut of the wild tree is small and inferior as compared 

 with the commercial article, which shows the improvement of generations 

 of skillful propagation and selection. 



ORDER MYRICACE-ffi : SWEET-GALE FAMILY. 



Leaves alternate, resinous or waxy-dotted, generally fragrant and without stipules or 

 with caducous stipules. Floicers monoecious or dioecious with both staminate and pistillate 

 flowers in scaly catkins, calyx and corolla wanting; stamens usually 4-6 (2 to 16) sessile 



