Chestnut tree

Chestnut Tree

The Chestnut Tree (Castanea), pronounced as /ˈtʃɛs.nʌt triː/, is a genus of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name 'chestnut' is derived from an earlier English term 'chesten nut', which descends from the Old French word 'chastain' (Modern French, châtaigne).

Etymology

The term "Chestnut" is derived from the Old English 'Cisten', which was influenced by the Old French 'Chastain'. The word 'Chestnut' comes from the Latin 'Castanea', which was borrowed from the ancient Greek word καστάνεια (kastáneia).

Description

The Chestnut Tree is recognized by its bold, rugged outline and broad round crown. The leaves are simple, ovate or oblong, and toothed. The flowers are catkins, with the male flowers being borne on long drooping catkins and the female flowers being grouped in clusters at the base of the catkins. The fruit is a spiny cupule containing one to seven nuts.

Species

There are four main species of chestnut trees: the American Chestnut (Castanea dentata), the European Chestnut (Castanea sativa), the Chinese Chestnut (Castanea mollissima), and the Japanese Chestnut (Castanea crenata).

Uses

Chestnut trees have been cultivated for their starchy nuts for thousands of years, at least since 2000 BC. The nuts can be roasted and eaten, or used to make flour, oil, and a variety of other foods. The wood of the chestnut tree is also valuable for its durability and resistance to rot.

Related Terms

• Catkin
• Deciduous
• Fagaceae
• Genus
• Northern Hemisphere
• Temperate

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Chestnut tree
• Wikipedia's article - Chestnut tree

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