4. Staminate flower, enlarged.
5. Pistillate flower, enlarged.
6. Fruit, × 1/2.
JUGLANDACEAE
Shellbark 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; lustrous, dark green above, paler and soft-pubescent beneath. Petioles stout, glabrous or pubescent, 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.