Juglans microcarpa


Juglans microcarpa, known also as the little walnut, Texas walnut, Texas black walnut or little black walnut, is a large shrub or small tree which grows wild along streams and ravines in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas. It produces nuts with a width of 1/2—3/4 in. The pinnately compound leaves bear 7—25 untoothed to finely-toothed leaflets, each 1/4—1/2 in wide. It is found at elevations ranging from 700 ft to 6700 ft.
Two varieties are recognized: J. microcarpa var. microcarpa and J. microcarpa var. stewartii.
Where the range of J. microcarpa overlaps with J. major, the two species interbreed, producing populations with intermediate characteristics. This phenomenon has also been found where J. microcarpa trees grows near J. nigra trees.
Juglans is the Latin name of the walnut. Microcarpa'' means "having small fruit". Though very small, the seeds contained within the nuts are edible.