Corylus jacquemontii | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fagales |
Family: | Betulaceae |
Genus: | Corylus |
Species: | C. jacquemontii |
Binomial name | |
Corylus jacquemontii | |
Synonyms | |
Corylus jacquemontii (Jacquemont's hazelnut or Indian tree hazel) is a species of hazel, found in Asia, within the Himalayas and from Afghanistan through to W. Nepal. It is a small tree or shrub, with grey bark, ovate or obovate (teardrop-shaped) leaves, small flowers and small edible nuts, grouped in small clusters.
It has been used in many ways, not only as fuel source, fodder (for livestock) and timber but the trees also yield edible nuts for human consumption or for folk medicine uses.
Corylus jacquemontii is a medium-sized, [4] upright growing, [5] [6] deciduous tree. [7] [4] [8] It grows up to 15–25 m (49.2–82.0 ft) tall. [7] [1] [8]
It has pale grey, [6] or dark grey bark, [4] [9] which has deep vertical cracks that can help it be separated into small cork-like plates. [6]
The young twigs of the Corylus are yellowish-grey, rather sparsely pubescent (covered with short, soft hairs) and with longer, glandular hairs later in life. [6]
It flowers in India, between March and April. [4] Elsewhere, it flowers between April and May. [7] [10] [8] They are very, small flowers, in male catkins which are 2–4 cm (0.8–1.6 in) long and also female spikes, [4] and they appear before the leaves. [9]
It has 6–15 cm (2.4–5.9 in) long and 5–12 cm (2.0–4.7 in) wide leaves, which are broadly ovate, [4] or obovate (teardrop-shaped), [6] with the tip of the leaf acuminate (tapering to a long point). They have double-toothed margins and are glabrous above (smooth) and pubescent under the veins below. They have a short petiole (leaf stalk), 12–25 mm (0.5–1.0 in) long. [6] They are alternate spaced. [9]
It produces a seed capsule in a nut form, between September and October. [7] They are produced in groups of 2–3, [6] [4] [11] they are globose (rounded), [9] and 12–16 mm (0.5–0.6 in) wide, [6] [4] with a thick shell. [12] [11] The nutshell provides an average of 40% of a nut's total weight, and the remaining 60% constitutes the nut itself. [13] The nut sits in a structure called a ‘cupule’, [14] [15] or called husk (around the shells), are leathery, hairy and bell-like, [4] covered with fine pubescent hairs and up 40 mm (1.6 in) wide. [6] The husks are fringed with many jagged, [14] (narrow and linear) lobes. [6] [4] The husk is spiny and has green maturing to deep brown shaded bracteoles (flower-leaves). [9] The nuts can be easily separated from the husk. [11]
Corylus jacquemontii generally resembles the Turkish tree Hazel ( Corylus colurna ), [6] [5] but C. jacquemontii is a smaller tree, has thinner bark, larger leaves, is less glandular and has less fleshy husks, and also fewer nuts per cluster. [11]
In 2003, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized edible nuts as “heart healthy” foods. [16] [17] Frequent nut intake is associated with low risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer (Surh 2003; [18] Hertog et al. 1993; [19] Ness and Powles 1997). [20] The prevalent phenolics accumulates in Corylus avellana kernels and its by-products are catechin, gallic acid, sinapic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, their esters and flavonoids.(Shahidi et al. 2007; [21] Del Rio et al. 2011) [22] Various other bioactive phenols have also been characterized in hazelnut leaves and foliar buds (Oliveira et al. 2007). [23]
Seven polyphenolic compounds (gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, kaempferol, syringic acid and p-coumaric acid) have all been found in the nuts of Corylus jacquemontii. [7]
Soxhlet extraction was used in 2022 to obtain different extracts (including petroleum ether and acetone) extracts from the nut. [13]
It has the common name of Indian tree hazel, [1] [8] and it is also commonly known as 'Thangi' or 'Thankoli' in the western Himalaya. [7] As well as 'Bhotiya Badam', 'Urmuni', 'Sharoli' and 'Sharod' by other Indian populations. [9]
The Latin specific epithet jacquemontii refers to the French botanist and geologist Victor Jacquemont (1844–1912). [24] As he had traveled in the Himalayas in 1830. He had local artists draw the tree, and one of those drawings was given to Indian forester Hugh Cleghorn in 1860. [14]
It was first published and described by Joseph Decaisne in V. Jacquemont, Voyage dans l'Inde (Voy. Inde) vol.4 (Bot.), table 160 between 1835 and 1844. [3] [25]
Closely allied to C. colurna, and was once considered to be no more than a sub-species by some botanists, [5] or a synonym, [26] before being later accepted as a separate species. [27] [28] It was found that Corylus jacquemontii diverged from C. avellana about 4–6 Ma (million years ago) in the nrDNA trees. [28]
It is an accepted name by the RHS, [29] and it was also verified by United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service on 2 January 2003. [25]
Corylus jacquemontii is native to temperate and tropical areas between Europe and Central Asia. [3]
It is found in western Asia within Afghanistan, [4] [11] tropical Asia within India (in the states of Himachal Pradesh, [9] Jammu-Kashmir, [13] Uttaranchal), the Himalayas, [30] [29] [7] and also Nepal. [4] [25] [14] Some sources also add Pakistan. [1] [31]
It is grows in moist oak forests, [1] and shrubberies, [32] [8] and it is found at altitudes between 1,800 and 3,000 m (5,900 and 9,800 ft) above sea level, [4] [8] [32] in the upper montane zones. [1]
Corylus jacquemontii is used in many ways, not only as fuel (for house fires), fodder (for livestock) and timber (including logging, [1] ) but the trees also yield edible nuts for human as well as wildlife consumption. [26]
The edible nuts, [14] [4] of C. jacquemontii and Corylus colurna are often consumed by local human populations. [28] [31] Such as the Himalayan tribes, [30] (Pangwal and Bhot of Himachal Pradesh). [27]
They are used either raw or cooked, [32] [33] and can be used with parched rice (dry roasted). [34] [35] Chauhan et al., (2014). [36] An edible oil is also obtained from the seed. [37] The nut is also used as a flavouring in various dishes. [13] [38] [39]
In the 1860s, Indian forester Hugh Cleghorn, recorded that nuts from this species were sold in the bazaar in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India. [14]
Also the wild animals; such as birds, insects, etc. also feed on the seeds of the species. [9] After falling to the ground they can also eaten by small rodents like pica (such as Ochotona macrotis ), flying squirrel, rats and even by the Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus) as reported by Vaidya (2003). [40]
The leaves and young shoots are lopped (down) for use as cattle fodder, [9] and as a fuel source along with maple ( Acer spp.) and kharsu oak ( Quercus semecarpifolia ) in the Western Himalaya. [27]
It is used in folk medicine, [9] [10] [41] such as a massage oil (made from the seed) of the species is used for relieving muscular pain. [34] [42]
Nut rinds are used as dye. [43] An extract obtained from the buds, flowers, leaves, nuts and bark (of the tree) by isolation and purification technique, which can then be used to moisturize skin, and also can be used to mobilize fluid in skin tissue and drain the fluid from such tissues (which may reduce puffy eyes) when applied to the skin. [44]
Seed oil extracts of C. jacquemontii has also been tested for in-vitro anti-fungal activity against fungal pathogens such as Aspergillus niger , Aspergillus fumigates and Penicillium marneffei . With positive results found. [13]
This species is cultivated for its edible seed in Asia, [32] [1] [4] and then nuts are distributed worldwide, but mainly to countries such as Turkey, Italy, Spain, France, Greece, India, Iran, Azerbaijan and China. [10]
It is generally an easily grown plant, as it succeeds in most soils, but is in general more productive of seeds/nuts when grown on soils of moderate fertility. [6] [45] As it does less well, in rich heavy soils or poor ones, [6] [46] It will grow well in a loamy soil. [6] and is very suitable for alkaline soils, [6] but it will not tolerate very acidic soils (a pH of below 7). [47]
Corylus jacquemontii trees are also fairly wind tolerant, [48] [6] and like other members of this genus, they can withstand transplanting well and they can be easily moved even when relatively large trees. [6]
They are cold hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5 (−20 °F to −10 °F). [6]
The trees could be used within gardens as an ornamental shade tree. [37]
Compatibility between Corylus jacquemontii, Corylus fargesii and Corylus ferrox have yet to be evaluated in hazelnut breeding programs. [12] But it has potential as it is thought to have non-suckering rootstock. [37]
It maybe susceptible to EFB (Eastern Filbert Blight) but it had not yet been fully researched. [49] Although a study in 2015 in the Republic of Georgia found the Corylus jacquemontii was susceptible to blight. [50]
Specimen trees have frequently set fruit (nuts) in Kew Gardens, UK. [6]
Corylus jacquemontiican be propagated by seed or by layering. [8]
The seed (or nut) ripens in mid to late autumn and may need to be protected from squirrels (if they are around). [37] If kept in a cool and dry place, and also not shelled, the seed should store for up to 12 months. [37] For best results the seed should be sown as soon as it is harvested (from the tree) in autumn, and sown in a cold frame. [51] The seed should germinate during late winter or spring. [37] [51]
If using stored seed, they should be pre-soaked in warm water for up to 48 hours and then given 2 weeks of warm followed by 3–4 months cold stratification, to break the embryonic dormancy phase. They should germinate between 1 and 6 months at 20 °C. [51] When the seedlings are large enough to handle (when the first pair of true leaves appear), prick the seedlings out into individual pots and then grow them in a cold frame or in a sheltered place outdoors for their first winter. They can then be planted out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer (of the following year). [37] Layering in autumn. Easy, it takes about 6 months. [8]
Layering is carried out in autumn. Normally via ground layering or simple layering, one of the lower stems or branches (of the tree) is bent down and the target region is buried in the soil. They are then pinned to hold the branches in place. This process takes about 6 months, before the new plant can be separated from the older shrub. [45] [52]
Its conservation status is Data deficient (DD), according to the IUCN (last assessed in 2014). [1]
The species has recently been subjected to pressures from global warming, climate change, and anthropogenic pressure (Gupta and Sharma, 2015). [53]
Many of the forests where C. jacquemontii is a native species, are being rapidly degraded through over-exploitation (of resources) and also habitat destruction, due to the search for fodder, fuel, food and medicinal purposes and other uses. [9]
Its has started to suffer from poor seed regeneration, as only a few seeds grow into seedlings near the maternal plants, due to the effects of trampling and grazing by animals both by wild as well as domesticated animals like goat, sheep, cow etc. [27]
It may become a threatened species in the future (Paul et al. 2019). [9]
Betulaceae, the birch family, includes six genera of deciduous nut-bearing trees and shrubs, including the birches, alders, hazels, hornbeams, hazel-hornbeam, and hop-hornbeams numbering a total of 167 species. They are mostly natives of the temperate Northern Hemisphere, with a few species reaching the Southern Hemisphere in the Andes in South America. Their typical flowers are catkins and often appear before leaves.
A nut is a fruit consisting of a hard or tough nutshell protecting a kernel which is usually edible. In general usage and in a culinary sense, a wide variety of dry seeds are called nuts, but in a botanical context "nut" implies that the shell does not open to release the seed (indehiscent).
The hazelnut is the fruit of the hazel tree and therefore includes any of the nuts deriving from species of the genus Corylus, especially the nuts of the species Corylus avellana. They are also known as cobnuts or filberts according to species.
Hazels are plants of the genus Corylus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae, though some botanists split the hazels into a separate family Corylaceae. The fruit of the hazel is the hazelnut.
Corylus avellana, the common hazel, is a species of flowering plant in the birch family Betulaceae, native to Europe and Western Asia. It is an important component of the hedgerows that were, historically, used as property and field boundaries in lowland England. The wood was traditionally grown as coppice, with the poles cut being used for wattle-and-daub building, and agricultural fencing.
Corylus maxima, the filbert, is a species of hazel in the birch family Betulaceae, native to southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia, from the Balkans to Ordu in Turkey.
A catkin or ament is a slim, cylindrical flower cluster, with inconspicuous or no petals, usually wind-pollinated (anemophilous) but sometimes insect-pollinated. They contain many, usually unisexual flowers, arranged closely along a central stem that is often drooping. They are found in many plant families, including Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Moraceae, and Salicaceae.
Corylus colurna, the Turkish hazel or Turkish filbert, is a deciduous tree native to southeast Europe and southwest Asia, from the Balkans through northern Turkey to northern Iran.
Corylus cornuta, the beaked hazelnut, is a deciduous shrubby hazel with two subspecies found throughout most of North America.
Ostryopsis is a small genus of deciduous shrubs belonging to the birch family Betulaceae. The species have no common English name, though hazel-hornbeam has been suggested, reflecting their similarities to the closely related hazels and hop-hornbeams.
Venceslas Victor Jacquemont was a French botanist and geologist known for his travels in India.
Curculio nucum, the nut weevil, is a medium-sized beetle, with an especially elongated snout, characteristic of the Curculionini tribe of the weevil family (Curculionidae). Its larvae develop in hazel nuts Corylus avellana, being a serious pest in hazelnut orchards. It occurs in most of Europe, from south Sweden, Finland and Great Britain to the Mediterranean.
Gevuina avellana is an evergreen tree, up to 20 meters tall. It is the only species currently classified in the genus Gevuina. It is native to southern Chile and adjacent valleys in Argentina. It is found from sea level to 700 meters above sea level. Its distribution extends from 35° to 44° south latitude. The composite leaves are bright green and toothed, and the tree is in flower between July and November. The flowers are very small and beige to whitish, are bisexual and group two by two in long racemes. The fruit is a dark red nut when young and turns black. The peel is woody. It can grow up straight or branched from the soil, making up either a tree or a shrub.
Corylus heterophylla, the Asian hazel, is a species of hazel native to eastern Asia in northern and central China, Korea, Japan, and southeastern Siberia.
Corylus americana, the American hazelnut or American hazel, is a species of deciduous shrub in the genus Corylus, native to the eastern and central United States and extreme southern parts of eastern and central Canada.
Corylus colchica, also known as Corylus iberica, is a species of hazelnut endemic to Armenia and Georgia in the Caucasus region. It can tolerate more frost than many others of its genus. It produces small edible nuts in September. It is not commercially grown for food because the nuts are small in size. The nut's shell is oval and the nut is round. The tree is sometimes crossed with the common hazel to make a hybrid that can grow in colder climates.
Corylus chinensis, common names Chinese filbert and Chinese hazel, is a deciduous tree native to western China. This tree is considered vulnerable due to its rarity.
The Bodh people, also known as Khas Bhodi, are an ethnic group of Himachal Pradesh, India. They are found in Lahaul tehsil, Lahaul and Spiti district, predominantly in the Bhaga and Chandra valleys, but also to a lesser extent in Pattani valley, Miyar Valley, in the upper reaches of Pangi, Himachal Pradesh and Paddar valley, Jammu and Kashmir. Their religion is predominantly Buddhism with animistic and shaivite practices. Caste wise, they are identified as Rajput, Thakur or Kshetri although caste rules are not as rigid as in the plains. Historically, 3-4 prominent families of the area were accorded the titles of Rana, Wazir or Thakur by the kings of Chamba, Kullu or Ladakh for the purpose of general administration and revenue collection. They have a mix of martial traditions alongside shamanistic and lamaistic beliefs. Certain families/clans used to be significant zamindars/jagirdars. There is a significant cultural and ethnic mixing due to the region passing under the hegemony of rulers of Ladakh, Kullu and Chamba over the last many centuries. The language spoken differs from valley to valley with some dialects being very close to Kumaoni, while others are mixed with Chambyali and Dari. They are progressive, enterprising, honest and were involved in the centuries old India-Tibet-Nepal trading routes. Organized into family groups/clans with clan names ending in the suffix "-pa" similar to the "-ta" suffix found in the family/clan names of the Simla area.