Flora of North America species comparison

reddish brown, slender, slightly scaly, sometimes pubescent.

3-6 dm;

petiole 3-10 cm, rachis sparingly hirsute near base, densely hirsute and scaly distally.

(5-)7(-9), lateral petiolules 0-1 mm, terminal petiolules 2-5 mm;

blades ovate to obovate or elliptic, not falcate, 2-15 × 1-6 cm, margins finely to coarsely serrate, apex acuminate;

surfaces abaxially hirsute toward base of midrib, otherwise without hairs or rarely hirsute with unicellular and 2-8-rayed fasciculate hairs, abundant large peltate scales and small 4-lobed, irregular, and round peltate scales imparting silvery tan color, adaxially glabrous except for dense fasciculate hairs at base near leaf insertions, moderately to densely scaly in spring.

tan to reddish brown, obovoid to spheric or ellipsoid, slightly compressed, 3-4 × 2-3 cm;

husks rough, 2-4 mm thick, dehiscing to middle or base, sutures smooth;

nuts tan, obovoid to spheric or ellipsoid, slightly compressed, not angled, rugulose;

shells thick.

sweet.

buds reddish brown, ovoid, 4-11 mm, sparsely to densely scaly;

outer bud scales with coarse hairs on midribs, bud scales imbricate;

axillary buds protected by bracteoles fused into hood.

catkins pedunculate, to 13 cm, stalks hirsute, scaly, bracts scaly, hirsute at apex;

anthers hirsute.