Chinese chestnut

Description

Castanea mollissima also known as the Chinese chestnut,is a member of the family Fagaceae,and a species of chestnut native to China,Taiwan,and Korea.It is a deciduous tree growing to 20 m tall with a broad crown.The leaves are alternate,simple,10?22 cm long and 4.5?8 cm broad,with a toothed margin.The flowers are produced in catkins 4?20 cm long,with the female flowers at the base of the catkin and males on the rest.The fruit is a densely spiny cupule 4?8 cm diameter,containing two or three glossy brown nuts;these are 2?3 cm diameter on wild trees.The scientific name mollissima derives from the softly downy shoots and young leaves.