SUBCLASS
DICOTYLEDONAEORDER JUGLANDALES
FAMILY JUGLANDACAE
GENUS CARYA (HICKORY)
Information gathered by Ronnie Hollis:
General Discription of Juglandacae:
Exist mostly as trees but there are a few shrubs. Their leaves are deciduous and the majority alternate but Afaroa and Oreomunnia have opposite. Leaves can be either petiolate or sessile. Some are aromatic with peltate gland scales or often with other types of glands. Juglandaceae have pinnate leaves which can be compound. Their vegetative superposed buds are brown, hairy and scaly. The leaves do not contain a persistant meristem but stomata are present and these leaves are anomocytic.
They reproduce by pollunation and they are anemphilous. They produce a fruit. Their preferred climate includes holarctic, paleotropical, and neotropical. Found on all continents except Africa, Australia, and Antarctica. There are 8 genera found within Juglandacae:
Alfaroa, Carya, Cyclocarya, Cngelhardlia, Juglans, Oreomunnia, Platycarya and Pterocarya.
CARYA
Distinguishable primarily by their fruits which are hardnuts surrounded by a 4 section husk. They are also determined by twigs containing continuous piths and by once-pinnated compound leaves which contain 5-21 leaflets. These leaflets have a distinct odor. There are 16 species with 11 found in the Southeastern United States. Those 11 are listed below:
SPECIES AND COMMON NAMES |
DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS |
illinoinensis -- Pecan |
2 outer large bud scales that do not overlap, 11-21 falcate assymetrical leaflets, fruit winged, cross-section of nuts circular |
Myristiciformis Nutmeg Hickory |
2 large valvate on terminal buds, 5-9 leaflets, thin winged sweet fruit |
CordiformisBitternut Hickory |
Mature terminal yellow buds, bud scales valvate outer scales, 7-9 falcate leaves, fruit is 4 winged |
Aquatica Water Hickory |
Mature red terminal buds, bud scales valvate, 7-15 leaflets, fruits flattened and winged along seams |
OvataShagbark Hickory |
Margin of young leaflets densely ciliate, older ones have small hairs near tips of teeth |
Laciniosa Shellbark Hickory |
Shaggy bark, leaf-bearing segments at stem are 7mm across |
Tomentosa Mockernut Hickory |
Terminal buds 12-19 mm long with hairy overlapping scales, 7-9 leaflets not falcate |
Pallida Pale Hickory |
Leaves pale underneath |
Glabra Pignut Hickory |
Leaves and buds free of rust-colored hairs and amber colored scales, pear shaped fruit |
Floridana Scrub Hickory |
Same as glabra but 3-5 leaflets with amber colored resinous glands |
Texana Black Hickory |
Tufted rust colored hairs on twigs, buds, petioles and lower surface leaflets |
Hickories are large deciduous trees whose wood is known for strength. It is used for tool handles, skiis, gymnastics bars, flooring material, furniture and other uses. It is considered difficult to machine or glue but it does hold nails extremely well. For more info see
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