402 NEW ENGLAND TREES IN WINTER. 



SHAG-BARK HICKORY 



Shell-bark Hickory, Walnut. 



Carya ovata (Mill.) K. Koch. 

 C. alba Nutt. : Hickoria ovata Britton. 



HABIT A large tree, the tallest of the Hickories 50-75 ft. high, 

 with trunk diameter of less than 2 ft.; in the forest producing a tall, 

 straight trunk often free from branches for 50 ft. or more, surmounted 

 by a narrow head of few limbs; in the open generally forking low 

 down or below the middle of the tree into stout ascending limbs 

 forming an irregular open narrow oblong or inversely conical round- 

 topped head. 



BARK On young trunks and limbs smooth, light gray, becoming 

 seamy; on old trunks shagging characteristically into long flat plates 

 which are free at the base or both ends. 



TWIGS Stout, somewhat downy or smooth and shining, reddish- 

 brown to light gray. LENTICELS numerous, pale, conspicuous, longi- 

 tudinally elongated. PITH obscurely 5-pointed, star-shaped. 



LEAF-SCARS Alternate, more than 2-ranked, large, conspicuous, 

 pale, slightly elevated. 3-lobed, heart-shaped to semi-circular. STIPULE- 

 SCARS absent. BUNDLE-SCARS numerous, irregularly scattered or 

 arranged in 3 more or less definite circular groups. 



BUDS Large, terminal bud 10-20 mm. long, broadly ovate, rather 

 blunt-pointed. BUD-SCALES the 3-4 outer scales dark brown, slightly 

 downy or nearly smooth, fine-hairy on margins, broadly triangular, 

 sharp-pointed, the outermost keeled and often with apex prolonged 

 into a long, rigid point, persistent through winter but cracking and 

 shagging off from the apex downward; inner scales yellowish-green, 

 often tinged with red, densely downy on outer surface, shining within. 



FRUIT Nearly spherical, 3-5 cm. long, depressed at apex; husk 5-8 

 mm. thick, with small pale lenticels, splitting to the base into four 

 pieces. NUT whitish, variable in size and shape, generally oblong, 

 flattened, 4-ridged, rounded or pointed at base and apex; seed sweet. 



COMPARISONS The Shag-bark Hickory is distinguished from other 

 trees, by the distinct shagging of its bark. The bark especially of one 

 variety or the Pignut shags to a certain extent but not so extensively. 

 Fro'm the Pignut, however, it is distinguished by its larger buds, and 

 stouter twigs. From the Mockernut it is distinguished by its relatively 

 longer buds, the darker, comparatively smooth, outer scales of which 

 remain throughout the winter though shagging away more or less 

 completely from the tip toward the base. 



DISTRIBUTION In various soils and situations, fertile slopes, brook- 

 sides, rocky hills. Valley of the St. Lawrence; south to Delaware and 

 along the mountains to Florida; west to Minnesota, Kansas, Indian 

 Territory, and Texas. 



IN NEW ENGLAND Maine, along or near the coast as far north as 

 Harpswell; New Hampshire common as far north as Lake Winnepesau- 

 kee; Vermont occasional along the Connecticut to Windsor, rather 

 common in the Champlain valley and along the western slopes of the 

 Green mountains; Massachusetts and Rhode Island common. 



IN CONNECTICUT Frequent or common. 



WOOD Heavy, very hard and strong, tough, close-grained, flexible, 

 light brown with thin nearly white sapwood; largely used in the manu- 

 facture of agricultural implements, carriages, wagons, and for axe- 

 handles, baskets and fuel. The nut is the common hickory nut of 

 commerce. 



