Difference between revisions of "Horse chestnut"

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== Authority ==
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== Sources Checked for Data in Record ==
  
 
* ''The American Heritage Dictionary'' or ''Encarta'', via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998
 
* ''The American Heritage Dictionary'' or ''Encarta'', via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998

Revision as of 05:21, 1 May 2016

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Description

Any of several deciduous trees belonging to the genus Aesculus, native to temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Horse chestnuts are common in Europe (A. hippocastanum) where the large shade trees line the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Other varieties are found in Japan (A. turbinata), India (A. indica) and the U.S. (A.glabra, which also known as the Ohio buckeye). While primarily grown as an ornamental tree, horse chestnuts have light, soft, tough, fine-grain wood. They are used for artificial limbs, splints, and as an important source for paper pulp. The trees produce inedible, dark-color, shiny nuts in the fall that have been used as odorless mothballs. Additionally the poisonous extracts were used on spears to stun fish and animals. In the 19th century children's game called conkers, each player swung a horse chestnut on a string in an attempt to dislodge that held by their opponent.

Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)

Synonyms and Related Terms

Aesculus hippocastanum; Aesculus turbinata; Aesculus indica; Aesculus glabra; tochi (Jap.) ; maronnier d'Inde (Fr.); castaño de Indias (Esp.); castanheiro da Índia (Port.); ippocastano (It.); horse-chestnut; conker; odorless mothballs; Ohio buckeye

Hazards and Safety

Leaves and seeds are poisonous.

Additional Information

Schoch, W., Heller, I., Schweingruber, F.H., Kienast, F., 2004:Wood anatomy of central European Species: Horse Chestnut,Aesculus hippocastaneum L.

Additional Images


Sources Checked for Data in Record

  • The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998
  • Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: Encyclopædia Britannica [Accessed December 13, 2002]. -Champ-Elysse; Sapindales" Encyclopædia Britannica [Accessed December 13, 2002].

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