Juglandaceae

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Juglans regia


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Scientific Names

Juglandaceae >



Read about Juglandaceae in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Juglandaceae (from the genus Juglans, a contraction of the Latin Jovis glans, the nut of Jupiter). Walnut Family. Fig. 15. Trees or shrubs, often resinous: leaves alternate, exstipulate, pinnately compound: flowers monoecious, small; the staminate in drooping catkins with single perianth of 4 parts, or rarely 0, one flower for each bract; the pistillate 2-3 together, with perianth of 4 parts adherent to the ovary as are also the bract and bracteole; ovary inferior, 1-celled; ovule 1, basal, orthotropous; stigmas usually 2- or 4-branched: fruit a nut with a fleshy exocarp, or bursting irregularly, or 4-valyed, or winged.

In this family are 6 genera and about 35 species of the north temperate zone. The largest genus is Carya with 10 species. The family is related to other Amentiferae, e.g., Myricaceae, Fagaceae, and Betulaceae. The indehiscent, 1-seeded fruit, basal seeds, 2 carpels, perianth and pinnate leaves are distinctive. Fossil species are known.

The wood of English walnut is highly valued, but that of Juglans nigra (black walnut) is one of the most valuable of woods. Hickory wood is prized for its hardness and toughness. The fruits of the English walnut (J. regia), butternut (J. cinerea), and of species of Carya (hickory) are among the most important food-nuts. The leaves and bark of Carya and Juglans are purgative. Green dyes are obtained from Carya tomentosa, and yellow from C. ovata, C. sulcata, and C. glabra. Walnut oil and hickory oil are in the trade.

The cultivated genera in America are Carya or Hicoria (Hickory, Pecan, Bitternut, Pignut, Mockernut, Shellbark, Kingnut), native and hardy; Juglans (Walnut, Butternut, English Walnut), ornamental, fruit, and timber; Platycarya, ornamental; Pterocarya, ornamental.CH


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