Cratmgus punctata^ 

 THE DOTTED-FRUITED THORN. 



Synonymes. 



CratcBgus punctata, 



Neflier a fruits pointilles, 



Geflecte Mispel, 



Dotted-fruited Thorn, Thorn-bush, 



De Candolle, Prodrnmus. 



Loudon, Arboretum Britannicum. 



ToRREY AND Grav, Flora of North America. 



France. 



Germany. 



Britain and Anglo- America. 



Engravings. Loudon, Arboretum Britannicum, ii., figs. 569 and 570, in p. 854 et vi., pi. 123 ; and the figures below. 



Specific Characters. Leaves obovate- wedge -shaped, glabrous, serrated. Calyx a little villose ; its sepals 

 awl-shaped, entire. Fruit usually dotted. De Candolle, Prodromus. 



Description. 



HE Cratsegus punctata is a 



small tree, growing to a 



height of twelve to twenty- 

 ^ five feet, in swamps, and on 

 the borders of woods throughout the United States ; 

 is particularly abundant in Virginia and Carolina; 

 and was introduced into Britain in 1746, where it is 

 generally found in collections. Its wood is very hard, 

 and is employed by the Indians of the west coast of 

 America, to make wedges for splitting logs. Its 

 leaves are light-green, membranaceous, rather thick, 



firm, from two to three inches long, and when old, are usually hairy beneath. 

 The flowers are white, and appear in May or June. The fruit is globose, half 

 of an inch or more in diameter, yellowish or of a dull-red colour, dotted, rather 

 pleasant to the taste, but tough, ripens in September, and falls with the leaves. 



Varieties. In the British gardens, there are three forms of this species, desig- 

 nated as follows : 



1. C. p. RUBRA, Loudon. Red-fniited Dotted Thorn, a spreading tree, growing 

 to the height of thirty feet, with red fruit, and when old, has but few spines. 



2. C. p. RUBRA STRiCTA, Loudou. Rcd-fruited Erect-br-anched Dotted Thorn, 

 differing from the above in being more fastigiate in its growth. 



3. C p. AUREA, Loudon. Yellow-fr^dted Dotted Thorn, a fastigiate-growing 

 tree, with yellow fruit, and when old, with but few thorns. 



