Family: Juglandaceae — walnut family
Our New England species in the Juglandaceae are trees with leaves that grow from alternating positions along the branch. The leaves are divided into leaflets arranged along a central axis. They are covered with tiny scales that are often resinous and aromatic. A single plant has both pollen-bearing and ovule-bearing flowers, arranged in separate clusters called aments (also called catkins). The flowers are small and usually have 4 tepals. The pollen-bearing flowers have 3-50 stamens. The ovule-bearing flowers have 2 stigmas. The fruit, a drupe, consists of a large seed enclosed in a husk that is fibrous. The husk may or may not open along sutures at maturity.
This family’s genera in New England
Visit this family in the Dichotomous Key