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| − | {{Italic title}}
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| − | {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}}
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| | {{taxobox | | {{taxobox |
| | |name = Allegheny chinquapin | | |name = Allegheny chinquapin |
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| − | '''''Castanea pumila''''', commonly known as the '''Allegheny chinquapin''', '''American chinquapin''' (from the [[Powhatan language|Powhatan]]) or '''dwarf chestnut''', is a species of [[chestnut]] native to the southeastern United States. The native range is from Maryland and extreme southern [[New Jersey]] and southeast [[Pennsylvania]] south to central Florida, west to eastern Texas, and north to southern [[Missouri]] and [[Kentucky]]. The plant's habitat is dry sandy and rocky uplands and ridges mixed with [[oak]] and [[hickory]] to 1000 m elevation. It grows best on well-drained soils in full sun or partial shade. | + | '''''Castanea pumila''''', commonly known as the '''Allegheny chinquapin''', '''American chinquapin''' (from the [[Powhatan language|Powhatan]]) or '''dwarf chestnut''' |
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| − | ==Growth==
| + | [[Category:Fagaceae]] |
| − | It is a spreading shrub or small tree, reaching 2–8 m in height at maturity. The [[Bark (botany)|bark]] is red- or gray-brown and slightly furrowed into scaly plates. The [[leaf|leaves]] are simple, narrowly elliptical or lanceolate, yellow-green above and paler and finely hairy on the underside. Each leaf is 7.5–15 cm long by 3–5 cm wide with parallel side veins ending in short pointed teeth. The flowers are monoecious and appear in early summer. Male flowers are small and pale yellow to white, borne on erect [[catkin]]s 10–15 cm long attached to the base of each leaf. Female flowers are 3 mm long and are located at the base of some catkins. The fruit is a golden-colored [[Calybium and cupule|cupule]] 2–3 cm in diameter with many sharp spines, maturing in autumn. Each cupule contains one ovoid shiny dark brown nut that is edible.
| + | [[Category:Plants for Keenan to eat]] |
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| − | ==Habitat==
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| − | The Allegheny chinquapin is closely related to the [[American chestnut]], ''Castanea dentata'', and both trees can be found in the same habitat. Allegheny chinquapin can be distinguished by its smaller nut (half the size of a chestnut) that is not flattened (chestnuts are flattened on one side). The leaves of the Allegheny chinquapin are smaller than the American chestnut and have less distinct teeth. Allegheny chinquapin, however, is less susceptible to the [[chestnut blight]] fungus that devastated the American chestnut. While the chinquapin does blight to some degree, it continues to send out [[basal shoot|suckers]] that will produce fruit. Chinquapins are quite vulnerable nevertheless, and there are many reports of heavily diseased and cankered trees.
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| − | ==Uses==
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| − | [[John Smith (explorer)|John Smith]] of [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]] made the first record of the tree and its nuts in 1612, observing its use by the [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]]. Native Americans made an infusion of chinquapin leaves to relieve headaches and fevers. The bark, leaves, wood, and seed husks of the plant contain [[tannin]]. The wood is hard and durable and is sometimes used in [[fence]]s and fuel, but the plant is too small for the wood to be of commercial importance.
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| − | Chinquapins are used in landscapes for the purpose of attracting wildlife. When the base of plant is cut or wounded at ground level the plant will grow multiple stalks producing a thick cover used by turkeys. The nuts are consumed by squirrels and rabbits while white tail deer graze upon the foliage.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wildlife Gardening: Chinquapin Tree |url=http://www.preppergarden.biz/Chinquapin-Bush-for-Preppers-p/nut-chinquapin.htm|publisher=Prepper Gardens|accessdate=January 23, 2014}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=October 2014}}
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| − | ==References==
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| − | {{more footnotes|date=October 2014}}
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| − | {{Reflist}}
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| − | ==Further reading==
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| − | *Little, Elbert L. ''National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region''. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1980. {{ISBN|0-394-50760-6}}.
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| − | *[http://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_capu9.pdf Allegheny Chinkapin Plant Fact Sheet – NRCS]
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| − | *[http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1993/v2-500.html Chinkapin: Potential New Crop for the South]
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| − | *[http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Castanea+pumila – Plants For A Future database report]
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| − | ==External links==
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| − | {{commons category}}
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| − | *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060430073158/http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=24 VT Dendrology] – includes pictures of leaves, flowers, and fruit
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| − | *[http://www.preppergarden.biz/Chinquapin-Bush-for-Preppers-p/nut-chinquapin.htm Wildlife Gardening: Chinquapin Trees] - includes recipes
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| − | {{Taxonbar|from=Q3662068}}
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| − | [[Category:Castanea|pumila]]
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| − | [[Category:Trees of the Southeastern United States]] | |
| − | [[Category:Plants used in traditional Native American medicine]] | |
| − | [[Category:Trees of the Northeastern United States]]
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