Trees of Xnr Ynrl, Shilr. 155 



JUGLANDACEAE 



Carya cordifoimis (Waii};.) K. Kocli. Illicdiia iHiiiiiiia (Marsh.) Biitt.; 



Gary a aniara Xiitt.] 



Bitternut 



Habit — A tree 40-75 feet in height with a trunk diaim'tor of !--'/_> feet, 

 under optimum conditions in the southeni part of its range sometimes 

 attaining a heiglit of 100 feet with a tall, straight, clean trunk. Crown 

 round-topped, broadest near the top, consisting of rather slender, stiff, 

 u])right, ascending branches, under forest conditions usually much 

 restricted in size. 



Leaves — Alternate, odd-piimately comj)Ound, fi-lO inches long, consisting of 

 5-9 sessile leafletes arranged in pairs along a slender, pubescent, slightly 

 grooved petiole, the terminal leaflet narrowed into a stalk. Leaflets 

 lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 4-6 inches long, ^-l^/i inches wide, acumi- 

 nate at the apex, rounded or subcordate and usually iiie((uilateral at the 

 base, rather coarsely serrate exce])t at the base, at maturity thin, firm, 

 dark yellowish green and glabrous above, paler, often yellow glandular 

 and glabrous or somewhat pubescent below. 



Flowers — Appearing in May or early June after the unfolding of the leaves, 

 monoecious, the staminate in slender, drooping catkins 3-4 inches long 

 which are borne in clusters of 3. on the growth of the preceding season 

 or rarely at the base of the growth of the season, the pistillate in ter- 

 minal, 2-10-flowered spikes capping the growth of the season, the two 

 sorts proximal. Staminate flowers short pedicellate, somewhat pubescent, 

 about 1/10 of an inch long, consisting of a rufous, ovate, acute bract and 

 2 calyx-lobes of the same color bearing adaxilly 4 stamens. Anthers 

 yellow, ovate, short-stalked. Pistillate flowers about % an inch long, 

 sessile, consisting of an inferior 1-celled ovary surmounted by 2 sessile, 

 spreading, pale green stigmas, papillate on the stigmatic surface. The 

 ovary is invested by a perianth-like, cohering, slightly 4-ridged, yellowish 

 green involucre. 



Fruit — 0%'ate or subglobose, %-l% inches long, 4-^\^nged along the sutures 

 from the apex half way to the base, greenish yellow, scurfy and pubescent. 

 Husk thin. Xut thin-shelled, as broad or broader than long, smooth, 

 abruptly pointed, with reddish bro■^^^l, very bitter kernel. 



Winter characters — Twigs slender, lenticellate, glossy, often yellow glandu- 

 lar and hairy toward the apex but smooth below, grayish or orange- 

 brown (luring the first winter, at leng-fh light gray. Pith brown, angular. 

 Leaf-scars elevated, obcordate, v,-\ih 3 groups of bundle-sears. Terminal 

 bud yellow, oblicjue and blunt at the apex, V:\--Yi of an inch long, con- 

 sisting of 4 glandular scales valvate in pairs. Lateral buds smaller, some- 

 what 4-angled, supei-posed, %-% of an inch long, the lowest or axillary 

 bud sessile and sharp-pointed, the upper pedunculate and angular. Mature 

 bark light gray, %-% of an inch thick, close, with shallow fissures 

 and narrow ridges, the surface peeling in small flakes. 



Habitat — By preference a bottom-land tree growing on low, wet sites in 

 pastures, fields, along sluggish streams, and in lowland deciduous for- 

 ests. Occasionally found in hilly situations, on limestone outcroppings, 

 and mountain slopes. 



Range — Southern Quebec and Ontario, Maine to southern ^Minnesota, south 

 into the Gulf States. Zones B and C. 



Uses — A valuable timber species contributing a part of the hickory wood of 

 commerce. Wood heavy, hard, strong, tough, elastic, close-grained, dark 

 brown with paler sapwood. Valued for wagon and automobile wheels, 

 wagon tongues, whippletrees, tool handles, etc. Nuts bitter, not edible. 



