JUGLANS STENOCARPA, Narrow-Fruited WaLnut
- Juglans stenocarpa, Maximowicz, Prim. Fl. Amurensis, 78 (1859) and Mél. Biol. viii. 632, cum fig. (1872); Rehder, Mittheil. Deut. Dendrol. Gesell. 1903, p. 117.
A tree of which only the fruits are known in the wild state. The following description of the foliage is taken from a specimen cultivated at Kew.
Leaves with eleven to thirteen leaflets, of which the terminal one in well- developed specimens is much broader than the others, being obovate with a short acuminate apex (4 inches broad by 6 inches long). The lateral leaflets (21⁄4 inches broad by 6 inches long) are oblong, acuminate at the apex, rounded and unequal at the base, subsessile, the petiolule being less than 1⁄16 inch; upper surface with scattered stellate pubescence; lower surface pale in colour, with similar pubescence; all the leaflets coarsely and almost crenately (not sharply) serrate and ciliate in margin. Rachis with very scattered stellate hairs and white sessile glands, there being no glandular hairs. Young shoots glabrous with numerous yellow glands, there being, however, a slight pubescence towards the base of the shoot. Older shoots glabrous, grey, shining, smooth. Leaf-scar broadly obcordate, notched at the summit, three- lobed, and without any band of pubescence on the upper margin.
The nuts, on which Maximowicz founded the species, are described by him as being shining, cylindrical or oblong-oval, slightly narrowed at the base, acuminate at the apex, eight-ribbed, with the intervals between the ribs deeply and obtusely wrinkled. The nuts are cinnamon brown in colour and are two-celled.
This species, having serrate pubescent leaflets and non-bearded leaf-scars, can only be confused with Juglans nigra and J. rupestris. It is readily distinguished in summer from these and all other species of walnut in cultivation by the broad terminal leaflet, which is always well marked in fully developed leaves.
In winter the following characters are available:—Twigs stout, yellowish brown, shining, minutely pubescent towards the apex, glabrous elsewhere. Leaf-scars large, on pulvini which are only slightly elevated, broadly obcordate, notched above and without any pubescent band along their upper margin; bundle dots in three groups. Terminal bud conical, brown, tomentose, the two outer scales slightly lobed at the apex. Lateral buds small, ovoid, tomentose, arising at an angle of 45°. Pith large, buff in colour, with narrow chambers.
The nuts of the tree were found in Russian Manchuria by Maximowicz. Nothing is known about the tree itself.
Specimens are cultivated in the Arnold Arboretum which were obtained from Regel and Keiselring’s nursery at St. Petersburg. There are two small plants at Kew which were obtained under the name Juglans mandshurica from a Continental nursery. (A.H.)
