![]() The sepals persist in fruit and are found at the base of the apples (see below).Įach flower has 20 stamens in the center. There are also five free sepals (the outer whorl in a flower, also called a calyx) that are also tomentose. The flowers are always pink while still in bud and may open to white, pinkish-white, or pink flowers, depending on the cultivar. The flowers themselves are on 0.4 – 1” long puberulous pedicels (the individual flower stalks).įlowers are 1.2 – 1.6” wide, with a tomentose hypanthium (the floral receptacle or base that holds the petals and the ovary), five free (not joined) spreading petals that are obovate (egg-shaped but widest at the tip), and taper to a claw at the base. The inflorescences are stalkless without a peduncle (inflorescence stalk). Their flowers are arranged in umbel-like panicles that are held close to the branches. The leaf buds seen in the winter and early spring are dark red or purple, less than 0.4”, ovoid (egg-shaped in three dimensions), and their scale margins are densely puberulent.Īpple trees are part of the rose family (Rosaceae), and as such, they always have flowers with five free petals. ![]() Their young branches are dark brown or reddish-brown and are densely tomentose, but they become hairless as they mature in the second or third years. Scurfy hairs are small scale-like trichomes that are often unevenly distributed and make the surface appear rough. Young leaves tend to have scurfy hairs on their upper surface, mostly in the spring, as they often become hairless once the leaves mature. However some cultivated varieties of horsechestnut have leaves that are deceivingly similar to those of Ohio buckeye.Identifying Apple Trees by Their Plant Hairs (Trichomes)Īpple tree leaves, branches, and buds have characteristic hairs on their surfaces that can help to identify a tree as an apple.Īpple trees have hairs on the lower surface of their leaves, especially their new leaves, that are densely puberulent (having short, straight, soft hairs) or sometimes pubescent (like puberulent, but a little longer) or tomentose (having curled hairs that are matted against the surface). Generally, horsechestnut leaves are broad above the middle with an abrupt tip and irregularly toothed margins while the leaves of Ohio buckeye are widest closer to the middle and have tapering tips and finer, more regular teeth. Horsechestnut buds are large, shiny and sticky, while those of Ohio buckeye are smaller and covered by a dry powdery coating. Ohio buckeye may be distinguished from the non-native horsechestnut by the buds and the leaves. ![]() It has been used for pulpwood, carving, and, to a limited extent, lumber but due to declining wild populations its commercial use has decreased. Ohio buckeye wood is soft and fairly weak. Ohio buckeye is the state tree of Ohio, also known as the Buckeye State. Because of its toxicity, many farmers in the United States have eliminated Ohio buckeye from their pastures. For this reason, none of its parts, including its seeds (nuts), should be eaten by humans, even though squirrels may be seen eating them. Like horsechestnut ( Aesculus hippocastanum), Ohio buckeyes contain a toxic alkaloid called aesculin. Ohio buckeye is also called fetid or stinking buckeye because of the unpleasant odor of the flowers, crushed leaves, broken twigs, or bruised bark. The tree is called buckeye because of the resemblance of its seeds to deer eyes. The species name glabra comes from the Latin for bald or smooth. The Latin name Aesculus refers to an oak with edible acorns, from the Latin esca, meaning food, despite the fact that Aesculus species are not related to oaks and their fruit is not edible. It reaches its northern limit in extreme southwestern Ontario so its native range in Canada is very small. It is widespread in the deciduous forests of the eastern United States where it grows on floodplains and riverbanks in association with hardwood trees such as sugar maple ( Acer saccharum) and American beech ( Fagus grandifolia). Ohio buckeye is Canada's only native species of Aesculus.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |