This has been widely planted for its nuts. Most records mapped here may be from planted trees, but occasional self-seeding does occur even in the base-rich urban soils of FAYE. Open dots indicate uncertain status. C. mollissima is often confused with dentata, but can be distinguished (Zander 2000) by the persistently dense hairs on lower leaf surfaces and twigs (versus glabrate). Also, its sun leaves tend to be more glossy above, thicker (more coriaceous), smaller (mostly 10-15 cm long versus 15-25 cm), less acuminate and more rounded at base. Twigs late in growing season tend to be gray-green with occasional long coarse hairs (versus brown and glabrous). Trees usually have multiple stems (versus one dominant). Fruits tend to be larger (mostly 1.5-2.5 cm wide versus 1-1.5 cm), with stiffer, shorter, thicker spines (up to 1 mm wide at base versus 0.5 mm). Breeding of blight-resistant trees has involved hybridization between these two species, and further confusion can be expected as these hybrids become released. Pollination of Castanea generally involves wind and insects; plantsare generally self-incompatible. Male flowers emit an unusual foetid smell that attracts flies, including pyrroline, piperideine and phenethylamine (Zhang et al. 2019). The European species, C. sativa Mill. (= C. vesca Gaertn.), may also be expected in Ky. but remains unconfirmed (Clark et al. 2005; CW). There appears to be a coll. by C.W. Short in 1833 "from a young tree in trhe Hayfield garden" (F). Its leaves have stellate pubescence (as in mollissima) plus minute stalked glands, when young (J; Zander 2000). In dentata, glands are not stalked but embedded between veins, leaf shape is generally more elongated; and twigs are completely glabrous. Leaves of mollissima-dentata hybrids may be hard to distinguish from sativa,