220 



The Walnuts 



are 1.5 to 4 dm. long, including the slender pale hairy leaf-stalk, composed of 13 

 to 23 usually short-stalked leaflets; these are lanceolate, curved, tapering to an 

 elongated apex, oblique, rounded or tapering at the base, sharply toothed on the 



margin, the central pairs about one third 

 longer than the others; they are reddish 

 tinged and hairy when unfolding, becom- 

 ing yellowish green and smooth above, 

 sometimes hairy beneath, especially along 

 the stout midrib. The staminate catkins 

 are rather slender, nearly smooth, 5 to 

 10 cm. long, their bracts ovate- lanceolate, 

 sharp-pointed, nearly smooth; perianth 

 3- to 5-lobed, nearly orbicular, light yel- 

 low-green, smooth or nearly so, short- 

 stalked ; stamens about 20, nearly sessile, 

 their anthers dark. Pistillate inflores- 

 cence a terminal spike, the flowers nar- 

 rowed at base and apex, finely hair}', 

 about 3 mm. long; stigmas 8 mm. long, 

 spreading, tinged with red. The fruit is 

 globose, about 18 mm. in diameter, its 

 husk finely hairy; nut globose, usually flattened at the base, dark brown, ridged 

 with deep, seldom forking grooves, 4-celled at the base, 2-celled above, its walls 

 very thick and compact; seeds small and sweet. 



The wood is hard, weak, close-grained, dark brown; its specific gravity is 

 about 0.70. It is not of economic importance. 



This interesting little walnut has been grown in parks and gardens, and is 

 hardy as far north as Massachusetts. 



Fig. 179. — Texan Walnut. 



4. CALIFORNIA WALNUT — Jnglans californica S. Watson 



This walnut occurs along river valleys and stream banks in western California, 

 extending from Los Angeles county northward to Napa county. It is a very 

 beautiful tree, attaining a height of 18 meters, with a trunk diameter of 0.5 meter; 

 sometimes, however, it is reduced to a shrub. 



The branches are stout, spreading, and often somewhat drooping, usually form- 

 ing a round-topped tree. The bark is 8 to 12 mm. thick, deeply fissured into 

 long, rough, wide ridges and broken into close, dark brown to black scales; that 

 of the branches is smoother and nearly white. The twigs are rather stout, and 

 densely hairy when young, soon becoming nearly smooth, reddish, and finally 

 paler or nearly white ; the rounded-triangular leaf scars are quite prominent. 

 The leaves are 1.5 to 2.5 dm. long, including the slender, slightly hairy leaf-stalk, 

 composed of 9 to 17 leaflets; these are oblong- lanceolate, more or less obUque and 



