''Carya pallida'', sand hickory, or pale hickory is a species of hickory native to the southeastern

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. It is a

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

, dicotyledonous plant which prefers rocky or sandy habitats. The sand hickory can reach heights of up to 30m, but its typical height is between 9-24m. In an open area, ''Carya'' crowns are usually towering and slim. The sand hickory nut is edible and consumed by various organisms.

Description

Sand hickory bark changes appearance at maturity. Young tree bark is even and a light-gray or brown colour. Deep squamous ridges and dark-gray colours are present on the bark of older specimens. Male catkins and female flowers grow on each plant making it monoecious. ''Carya pallida'' leaves are

compound Compound may refer to: Architecture and built environments * Compound (enclosure), a cluster of buildings having a shared purpose, usually inside a fence or wall ** Compound (fortification), a version of the above fortified with defensive struc ...

and alternate. Leaflets are commonly ovate, and are in groups of 5 to 9, but 7 is most typical. Its

rachis In biology, a rachis (from the grc, ῥάχις [], "backbone, spine") is a main axis or "shaft". In zoology and microbiology In vertebrates, ''rachis'' can refer to the series of articulated vertebrae, which encase the spinal cord. In this c ...

and

midrib This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary o ...

are hirsute with tattered, soft hairs. The abaxial side is covered in scales ranging from silvery-blue to silvery-yellow. Characteristic of hickory, ''C. pallida'' wood is thick, durable, and shock absorbent. Compared to other hickories, their twigs are slimmer. Emerging buds are protected by mahogany

bud In botany, a bud is an undeveloped or embryonic shoot and normally occurs in the axil of a leaf or at the tip of a stem. Once formed, a bud may remain for some time in a dormant condition, or it may form a shoot immediately. Buds may be spec ...

scales. ''Carya'' spp., the "true hickories", form extensive taproots which can make

transplanting In agriculture and gardening, transplanting or replanting is the technique of moving a plant from one location to another. Most often this takes the form of starting a plant from seed in optimal conditions, such as in a greenhouse or protected ...

trees difficult or impossible. '''' Loss of new trees is common, so extra care must be taken. ''Carya pallida'' has the potential to be a fitting shade or specimen tree. Male catkins are 7 to 10 cm (3–4 in) long while female flowers are of similar size. Pollination occurs by wind dispersal. Blooming occurs during the spring season from March to May. Flowers range from yellow to green to brown. The nut of ''C. pallida'' is oval, dark-brown, and protected by a thin shell. The kernel has been described as sweet tasting. Kernels are consumed by rodents, squirrels, and large birds.

Taxonomy

''Carya pallida'' was first described in 1902 by botanist William W. Ashe in '' The Botanical Gazette'' in 1918. Synonyms include ''Hicoria pallida'' and ''Hicorius pallida.'' The common name of ''C. pallida'', pale hickory, refers to the fair abaxial colour of the leaflet. The common name, sand hickory relates to its abundance in sandy soils. Some sources list a common name of pignut hickory, but this usually refers to ''

Carya glabra ''Carya glabra'', the pignut hickory, is a common, but not abundant species of hickory in the oak-hickory forest association in the Eastern United States and Canada. Other common names are pignut, sweet pignut, coast pignut hickory, smoothbark ...

.'' ''Carya pallida'' var. ''apposita'', ''C. pallida'' var. ''arenicola,'' and ''C. pallida'' var. ''pyriformus'' are all

varieties Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

described by Ashe in the Bulletin of the

Charleston Museum The Charleston Museum is a museum located in the Wraggborough neighborhood in Charleston, South Carolina. It is one of the oldest museums in the United States. Its highly regarded collection includes historic artifacts, natural history, decora ...

in 1918.

Distribution and Habitat

The sand hickory has been recorded in most southeastern states. Its range extends from

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and to the west of

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. ''Carya pallida'' has not been recorded in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

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, or

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. Rarely, it can be found in southwestern Indiana, and it is uncommon in Maryland. Population decline has been reported in

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...

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, and

. Sand hickory is also prominent in dry oak-hickory forests. Specifically, it can be often found alongside

longleaf pine The longleaf pine (''Pinus palustris'') is a pine species native to the Southeastern United States, found along the coastal plain from East Texas to southern Virginia, extending into northern and central Florida. In this area it is also known as ...

(''Pinus palustris'') and scrub oak (''Quercus marilandica).'' Hybridization with pignut hickory (''Carya glabra'') has been reported.

Ethnobotany

Hickory wood is prized for its durability and utility. However, it requires additional manufacturing time due to its density. Hickory wood is used for flooring, cooking, cabinetry, furniture, firewood, musical instruments, and tool handles. Historically, golf club handles were crafted from hickory. Economically, hickory wood is important to forestry landowners and industry.

Notable Specimens

champion A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, a ...

sand hickory was discovered in Greenville, SC, in 2015. It was recorded by the American Forests organization, and it is on the National Register of Champion Trees. It was 46m in height, and its crown spread 24m wide. As of 2020, this is the largest known sand hickory.

Pathology

''Carya pallida'' is a host plant of ''Microstroma juglandis.'' This causes the fungal disease Downy Leaf Spot. Symptoms include fading light-green blots on the adaxial side and floury, white, furry blots on the abaxial side. Other hickory pathologies include ''

Fusarium solani ''Fusarium solani'' is a species complex of at least 26 closely related filamentous fungi in the division Ascomycota, family Nectriaceae. It is the anamorph of '' Nectria haematococca''. It is a common soil fungus and colonist of plant mater ...

, Ceratocystis smalley,'' hickory bark beetles (''Scolytus quadrispinosus''), and flat-headed wood borers (''Chalcophora japonica'').

Horticulture Science

''Carya'' spp. are more likely to contain rare earth elements (REE) or metallomes in their cells than other genera. They have been found to contain Scandium, Lanthanum, Gadolinium, and other minerals. Currently, the role of the REE is unknown. Horticulturists speculate that they could aid in disease resistance, enzyme activities, ion transportation or other chemical functions. ''Carya pallida'' is a

tetraploid Polyploidy is a condition in which the cells of an organism have more than one pair of ( homologous) chromosomes. Most species whose cells have nuclei (eukaryotes) are diploid, meaning they have two sets of chromosomes, where each set contains ...

species along with ''C. floridana'', ''C. glabra'', ''C. texana'', and ''C. tomentosa''. ''Carya'' spp. may be divided into three groups: 16, 24, and 32-chromosomal counts.

Gallery

File:Sand Hickory buds NBG.jpg, Bud File:Carya aff. pallida (33321563814).jpg, Bud break

References

External links

*
''Carya pallida'' images at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University Plant Image Database
{{Taxonbar, from=Q15376540 pallida Edible nuts and seeds Flora of the Southeastern United States