File:Bulletin (Pennsylvania Department of Forestry), no. 11 (1901) (20493686262).jpg

Title: Bulletin (Pennsylvania Department of Forestry), no. 11
Identifier: bulletinpennsylv11pennx (find matches)
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Pennsylvania. Dept. of Forestry
Subjects: Forests and forestry
Publisher: Harrisburg, Pa. : The Department : WM. Stanley Ray, state printer of Pennsylvania
Contributing Library: Penn State University
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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115 I I
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4. 5. U. 7. PLATE XLI. PIGNUT HICKORY Branch with iiuinature h-avps sind ttowtMs, x h. Uranch with matun' Whyvs and fruit Avitli liusk iMirtly leniovort, x J. A nut with husli removed, x \. Cross-section of a nut, x i. A winter branch, x i. Terminal se<'tinn of h winter lnnncli. enlarged. A leaf-scar with bundle-sears, cnliiriied. PIGNUT HICKORY Carya glabra, (Miller) Spach FORM—^A fair-sized tree usually 50-60 ft. In height with a diameter of 2-8 ft., but may reach a height of 90 ft. with a diameter of 3-4 ft. Tnmk slender, slightly-tapering, often clean and long. Crown oblong in shape, rather narrow, sometimes high, formed by short, 8i)reading branches, the lower ones often drooping. BAKK—Rarely peels off or exfoliates, is close, dark gray, shallow-flssured, narrowly ridged, tough, J-I of an incA thick. Resembles the bark of the White Ash. See Fig. 110. 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-J of an inch long, larger than the laterals. All buds covered with reddish-brown, smooth, sharp-pointed, somewhat keeled outer 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 S-lobed, contain- ing nunterous 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 occtir separately. Staminate arranged in aments about 8-5 inches long and clustered in 3s on a common stalk. Pistillate occur in 2-6 flowered spikes on the new growth. FRXTIT—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—Simdlar to that of the other Hickories of the State, except the Bitter Nut Hickory. See description of wood, page 112. DISTINOVISHINa 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 pair 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 are smaller than those of our other native Hick- ories. 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 in other parts. 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. mPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES—The Pignut Hickory produces a very valuable wood, espec- 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 forest trees. The seedlings are difficult to transplant on account of their long taproots, which are rather sensitive to handling. In attempting to grow this tree 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.

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