=Distribution.=--Southwestern Ontario south to the Gulf and west to
Texas, Missouri and Iowa. Found throughout Indiana, except there are no
records from the extreme northwestern counties. This species except in
the lower Wabash Valley is confined to the uplands. It is rather a rare
tree in northern Indiana, but becomes more or less frequent in the
western part of the State south of the Wabash River and more or less
frequent to common on the hills in all of the State south of Marion
County. It is most abundant in the unglaciated area.
=Remarks.=--This species is called mockernut by text books, and bull
hickory in the vicinity of New Albany.
=5a.= =Carya alba= variety =subcoriàcea= Sargent. Trees and Shrubs
2:207:1913. Only one tree of this variety is known in Indiana and it is
located in Posey County on the bank of the cypress swamp about 13 miles
southwest of Mt. Vernon. Specimens from this tree were sent to Sargent
and he referred them to this variety.[23] It differs from the type in
the larger size and shape of the fruit and nut. The dried fruit is 5 cm.
long, oblong. The nut is oblong, 4.4 cm. long, pointed at both ends, or
some nuts somewhat ovate in shape and more rounded at the base, little
compressed and strongly angled; shell very thick, 5 mm. at the thinnest
place; kernel very small and sweet. The nut easily distinguishes it from
all forms of hickory. The author has bought hickory nuts for table use
for several years from Posey County and this nut is frequently found in
the assortment which shows that this variety is more or less frequent in
that section.
=6.= =Carya glàbra= (Miller) Spach. Black Hickory. Plate 27. Very tall
medium sized trees, up to 7 dm. in diameter; bark tight, usually dark,
fissures shallow on some and quite deep on others; twigs reddish-brown,
glabrous, terminal buds small, ovoid, about 7-12 mm. long; ordinary
leaves 2-3 dm. long; leaflets generally lanceolate, sometimes quite
wide, or wider beyond the middle, prevailing number 5, the terminal
usually 11-19 cm. long, somewhat pubescent on unfolding, more or less
pubescent below at maturity, usually only the midrib, axils and larger
veins with hairs; fruit generally smooth and obovoid, rarely globose or
oval, 22-40 mm. long; husk sometimes not opening, more often one or more
of the sutures open to less than half way, 1-2 mm. thick; nut about
20-30 mm. long and 16-25 mm. wide, rounded at the apex, elongated and
rounded at the base, angles wanting or obscure; shell very hard and
thick, about 1.5 mm. thick at the thinnest point; kernel sweet and
astringent; wood and uses same as that of the shellbark hickory.
[Illustration: Plate 27.