Deciduous trees, rarely shrubs. Leaves usually entire. Inflorescence a monoecious long spike, the upper flowers male; the female flowers solitary or in clusters of 3 at the base of the spike. Male flowers: perianth usually 6-lobed; stamens 8-20, exserted. Female flowers: ovary 3-6 (-7)-locular with 2 ovules in each locule; staminodes present; styles linear, as many as the number of locules. Fruit a nut, enclosed in a spiny involucre or a cupule, dehiscing by 2-4 valves; pericarp coriaceous.

A genus of 12 species, distributed in the temperate regions of N. America, Europe, N. Africa and Asia. Represented here by 1 cultivated species.

Lower Taxon

• Castanea sativa Mill.

Related Synonym(s):

• Castanea vesca Gaertn. = Castanea sativa Mill.
• Castanea vulgaris Lam. = Castanea sativa Mill.
• Fagus castanea Linn. = Castanea sativa Mill.