In a number of modern treatments this species has been reduced to a synonym of C. glabra, yet this does not seem to be justified well enough. Due to exfoliating bark, the tree may resemble C. ovata (shagbark hickory), but the latter would not occur on a dry hill slope (upper and mid-slope of Chickatawbut Hill). Exfoliating bark is also characteristic of C. laciniosa (shellbark hickory), but this species in Massachusetts can be found only very infrequently in areas of habitation; besides, it is quite similar to C. ovata in its leaf morphology, and thus very different from C. ovalis or C. glabra with their glabrous leaves lacking any trichomes at margins.