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PIGNUT HICKORY. 

 Carya glabra, (Miller) Spach. 



FORM — A fair-sized tree usually 50-60 ft. in height with a diameter of 2-3 ft., but may reach 

 a heiglit of 90 ft. with a diameter of 3-4 ft. Trunk slender, slightly-tapering, often clean and long. 

 Crown oblong in shape, rather narrow, sometimes high, formed by short, spreading branches, 

 the lower ones often drooping. 



BARK — Rarely peels off or exfoliates, is close, dark gray, shallowly-fissured, narrowly ridged, 

 tough, i-i of an inch thick. Resembles the bark of the White Ash. See Fig. 89. 



TWIGS — Rather slender, usually smooth, at first yellowish-green, later reddish-brown, covered 

 with numerous pale longitudinally-elongated lenticels, roughened by leaf -scars and bud-scale scars; 

 pith angular. 



BUDS — Alternate, more than 2-ranked, reddish-brown to gray, oval, blunt-pointed. Terminal 

 bud i-i of an inch long, larger than the laterals. All buds covered with reddish-brown, smooth, 

 sharp-pointed, somewhat keeled cuter scales and pale-silky inner scales. Outer scales often 

 drop off during winter. 



LEAVES — Alternate, compound, with 5-7 leaflets, 8-12 inches long. Leaflets oblong to obovate- 

 lanceolate, sharp-pointed at apex, finely toothed on margin, tapering or obliquely rounded at 

 base, thick, smooth, dark green above, paler below. 



LEAF-SCARS — Alternate, heart-shaped or oblong or inversely triangular or 3-lobed, contain- 

 ing numerous prominent bundle-scars irregularly scattered or arranged in a curved line or in 3 

 clusters. 



FLOWERS — Appear about May when leaves are about half developed. Staminate and pistillate 

 flowers occur separately. Staminate in aments about 3-5 inches long and clustered in 3s on a 

 common stalk. Pistillate in 2-5-flowered spikes on the new growth. 



FRUIT — Matures about October, variable in shape and size, pear-shaped or spherical to obovoid, 

 1-2 inches long, tapering at the base, reddish-brown, sometimes pubescent. Husk may remain 

 closed or split open from apex towards the middle or occasionally along the entire length. Nut 

 oblong to 'oval, with thick bony shell containing a kernel which is at first sweet, later bitter. 



WOOD — Similar to that of the other Hickories of the State, except the Bitter Nut Hickory. 

 See description of wood page 106. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS— The Pignut or Broom Hickory, also known as the 

 Bitter Nut Hickory, can be distinguished by its smooth and rather slender twigs which bear 

 small oval reddish-brown buds covered with scales, the outer hair of which is smooth or glandular 

 dotted and often falls off before spring, thus exposing the inner velvety scales. Its buds are not 

 yellow like those of the Bitter Nut Hickory and smaller than those of the other species of our 

 native Hickories. The pear-shaped to ovoid fruit, with a thick bony-shelled nut is characteristic. 

 The bark is close and does not exfoliate like that of the Shag-bark Hickory. The leaves, with 

 5-7 usually smooth and oblong to obovate-lanceolate leaflets, are distinctive. 



RANGE — Maine and Ontario west to Minnesota and Nebraska, and south to Florida and Texas. 



DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA — Common in the southeastern and southwestern parts. 

 Also found locally elsewhere. More common in the mountainous portion of the State than any 

 other Hickory. 



HABITAT — Most common on dry ridges and hillsides. Rarer in swampy situations. Commonly 

 scattered amidst our Oaks and Chestnut. Prefers plenty of sunlight. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES — The Pignut Hickory produces a very valuable wood, espe- 

 cially for the farmer. The fruit is not edible. It should be grown in the farmer's woodlot and 

 in our larger forests in mixture with other species. The seedlings are difficult to transplant 

 on account of their long taproots, which are rather sensitive. In attempting to grow this species, 

 one should plant the nuts and not the seedlings. The great value of its wood justifies every effort 

 that one can put forth in growing it. 



