Michigan Trees Part 18

b. Twigs more or less p.u.b.escent; buds more or less p.u.b.escent.

c. Buds 1/2-3/4 inch long, densely hairy; outer bud-scales deciduous in autumn; twigs brownish; fruit 1-1/2-2 inches long. _C. alba_, p. 73.

cc. Buds about 1 inch long, merely p.u.b.erulous; outer bud-scales persistent until spring; twigs orange colored; fruit 1-3/4-2-1/2 inches long. _C. laciniosa_, p. 71.

bb. Twigs tending to be glabrous; buds glabrous or nearly so.

_C. ovata_, p. 69.

[Ill.u.s.tration: s.h.a.gbark Hickory. Sh.e.l.lbark Hickory

1. Winter twig, 1.

2. Portion of twig, enlarged.

3. Leaf, 1/3.

4. Flowering branchlet, 1/2.

5. Staminate flower, enlarged.

6. Pistillate flower, enlarged.

7. Fruit, 1/2.]

+JUGLANDACEAE+

+s.h.a.gbark Hickory. Sh.e.l.lbark Hickory+

_Carya ovata (Mill.) K. Koch_ [_Hicoria ovata (Mill.) Britt._] [_Carya alba Nutt_.]

HABIT.--A tree 60-80 feet high, with a slender, columnar trunk 1-2 feet in diameter; forming a narrow, somewhat open crown of stout, slightly spreading limbs and stout branchlets.

LEAVES.--Alternate, compound, 8-14 inches long. Leaflets usually 5, the upper 5-7 inches long and 2-3 inches broad; sessile, except the terminal; obovate to oblong-lanceolate; finely serrate; thick and firm; glabrous, dark green above, paler beneath and glabrous or p.u.b.erulous.

Petioles stout, smooth or hairy. Foliage fragrant when crushed.

FLOWERS.--May, after the leaves; monoecious; the staminate hairy, greenish, in pendulous, ternate catkins 4-5 inches long, on a common peduncle about 1 inch long; scales 3-parted, bristle-tipped; stamens 4, with bearded, yellow anthers; the pistillate in 2-5-flowered spikes, 1/3 inch long, brown-tomentose; calyx 4-lobed, hairy; corolla 0; stigmas 2, large, fringed.

FRUIT.--October; globular, 1-2 inches long, with thick husk separating completely; nut usually 4-ridged, with thick sh.e.l.l and large, sweet, edible kernel.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud 1/2-3/4 inch long, broadly ovoid, obtuse, dark brown, pale-tomentose or nearly glabrous.

BARK.--Twigs brownish, more or less downy, becoming smooth and grayish; thick and grayish on old trunks, separating into thick strips 1-3 feet long, free at one or both ends, giving a characteristic s.h.a.ggy appearance.

WOOD.--Heavy, very hard and strong, tough, close-grained, elastic, light brown, with thin, whitish sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Common in the Lower Peninsula as far north as Roscommon County.

HABITAT.--Prefers light, well-drained, loamy soil; low hillsides; river-banks.

NOTES.--Hardy throughout its range. Moderately rapid in growth. Difficult to transplant.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Sh.e.l.lbark Hickory. King Nut

1. Winter twig, 1/2.

2. Leaf, 1/4.

3. Flowering branchlet, 1/2.

4. Staminate flower, enlarged.

5. Pistillate flower, enlarged.

6. Fruit, 1/2.]

+JUGLANDACEAE+

+Sh.e.l.lbark Hickory. King Nut+

_Carya laciniosa (Michx. f.) Loud._ [_Hicoria laciniosa (Michx. f.) Sarg._] [_Carya sulcata Nutt._]

HABIT.--A tree 60-80 feet high, with a tall, slender trunk 2-3 feet in diameter; forming a narrow, oblong crown of small, spreading branches.

LEAVES.--Alternate, compound, 1-2 feet long. Leaflets usually 7, the upper 5-9 inches long, 3-5 inches broad, larger than the lowest pair; sessile or short-stalked; oblong-lanceolate to obovate, taper-pointed; finely serrate; thick and firm; l.u.s.trous, dark green above, paler and soft-p.u.b.escent beneath. Petioles stout, glabrous or p.u.b.escent, often persistent on the branches during the winter. Foliage fragrant when crushed.

FLOWERS.--May, after the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in pendulous, ternate catkins 5-8 inches long, slender, yellow-green, on common peduncles 1 inch long; scales 3-lobed, tomentose; stamens 4, with yellow, hairy anthers; the pistillate in crowded, 2-5-flowered spikes, tomentose; calyx 3-toothed, hairy; corolla 0; stigmas 2, light green.

FRUIT.--October; oblong to subglobose, 1-3/4-2-1/2 inches long, with very thick, woody husk, splitting to the base; nut 4-6-ridged, with thick, hard sh.e.l.l and large, sweet kernel.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud about 1 inch long, ovoid, obtuse, dark brown, p.u.b.erulous.

BARK.--Twigs orange and more or less p.u.b.escent, becoming darker in the first winter, and finally grayish; on the trunk 1-2 inches thick, light gray, separating into broad, thick plates 3-4 feet long, persistent on the trunk for many years.

WOOD.--Heavy, very hard, strong, tough, close-grained, very elastic, dark brown, with thin, whitish sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Occurs in the southern portion of the Lower Peninsula, but is rather a rare tree.

HABITAT.--Prefers deep, rich bottom-lands.

NOTES.--Rapid in growth. May be distinguished from other hickories by orange colored branchlets.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mocker Nut Hickory

1. Winter twig, 1.

2. Leaf, 1/3.

3. Flowering branchlet, 1/2.

4. Staminate flower, enlarged.

5. Pistillate flower, enlarged.

6. Fruit, 1/2.]

+JUGLANDACEAE+