User:Sparklewing82/sandbox

Old Stub
Carya pallida, the sand hickory, is a species of hickory native to the southeastern United States. The sand hickory can reach heights of up to 80 feet. Its nut is edible.

Updated Article
Carya pallida, sand hickory, or pale hickory is a species of hickory native to the southeastern United States. It is a perennial, dichotomous 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 and alternate. Leaflets are commonly ovate, and are in groups of 5 to 9, but 7 is most typical. Its rachis and midrib 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 scales. Carya spp., the "true hickories", form extensive taproots which can make transplanting trees. 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
C. pallida is a tetraploid species along with C. floridana, C. glabra, C. texana, and C. tomentosa. Carya spp. may be divided into three groups: 16-chromosomal count, 32-chromosomal count, and 24-chromosomal count. The reason for the differing chromosomal amounts is unknown and has been the subject of past research. The common names of C. pallida refers to the leaf's fair abaxial colour. 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.

Distribution and Habitat
The sand hickory has been recorded in most southeastern states. Its range extends from Delaware and to the west of Missouri.

However, Carya pallida has not been recorded in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, or Ohio. Rarely, it can be found in southwestern Indiana, and it is uncommon in Maryland. Population decline has been reported in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, and Missouri.

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

Invasiveness
According to the University of Georgia's Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, the sand hickory is not recorded as a North American invasive species.

Notable Specimens
A champion 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. Its trunk circumference was measured at a width of 340 cm. 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, 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

 * 1) Hammond, Darcy H., et al. "Contrasting sapling bark allocation of five southeastern USA hardwood tree species in a fire prone ecosystem." Ecosphere 6.7 (2015): 1-13.
 * 2) Coder, Kim D. "Tree species tolerance of site development activities." (2010).
 * 3) Wood, Bruce W., and Larry J. Grauke. "The rare-earth metallome of pecan and other Carya." Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 136.6 (2011): 389-398.

Carya pallida

 * 1) Carya Pallida has adaptions that allow it to survive in fire prone environments such as a high bark to wood ratio.
 * 2) Fire would only be able to burn the outer layers of bark while the heartwood will survive and regrow.
 * 3) According to the School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia, the sand hickory has a medium tolerance to environmental disturbances.
 * 4) This indicates that it possesses a high amount of adaptability.
 * 5) C. pallida are a tetrahexacontaploid species with 64 chromosome pairs.
 * 6) Recent research has discovered that it is among 12 Carya species that contain rare earth metals (REE) like lanthanides.