The leaves are elongate and toothed, similar to the American Chestnut (Castanea dentata), but smaller and with less pronounced teeth.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/5/10.

Leaf undersides are paler and tomentose (fuzzy) beneath.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/5/10.

Pilot Mountain, Surry Co., NC 5/16/10.

Chinkapin leaves are usually less than 15 cm long; American Chestnut leaves are usually longer and smoooth beneath.

Pilot Mountain, Surry Co., NC 5/16/10.

The stems are hairy.

Pilot Mountain, Surry Co., NC 5/16/10.

Flowers are arranged in catkins, which are up to 15 cm long. These are staminate (male) catkins.

Pilot Mountain, Surry Co., NC 5/16/10.

Pilot Mountain, Surry Co., NC 5/16/10.

Like American Chestnuts, the nuts are encased in spiny burs.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/5/10.

These are unripe fruits; when ripe they split open.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/5/10.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/5/10.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/5/10.

Chinkapin may also be spelled "chinquapin"; the pronunciation is the same.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/23/06.

Brunswick Co., NC 5/15/04.

Same tree as above.

All the various species and varieties of Chinkapin found in North Carolina, as listed in Radford et. al. (1968), are all now lumped into C. pumila.

Brunswick Co., NC 5/15/04.

Chinkapin catkins typically have clusters of pistillate (female) flowers towards the base, followed by staminate flowers. The longer catkins in the back are all staminate.

Alleghany Co., NC 7/3/05.

This catkin has 7 pistillate flowers towards the base, followed by staminate flowers.

Alleghany Co., NC 7/3/05.

Staminate catkins. The dark specks on the flowers are beetles.

Alleghany Co., NC 7/3/05.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/23/06.

Mature fruits.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/23/06.

Bark of a small stem.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/23/06.

Bark of a larger stem.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/27/09.

Bark of a large stem (same tree as in top photo).

Alleghany Co., NC 9/5/10.