Castanea

The chestnuts traditionally eaten at Christmas are the European chestnut, Castanea sativa Mill, native to southern Europe and adjacent Asia. It has leaves pubescent beneath and aso brown-dotted, especially near the petiole. 

1. Outer bud scales and undersides of the leaves glabrous or nearly so; spines on involucres surrounding nuts glabrous.

C. dentata

1. Buds and undersides of the leaves ± densely pubescent; spines on involucres surrounding nuts pubescent.

C. mollissima