1957 



* CRATAEGUS coccinea. 

 Scarlet-fruited Hawthorn. 



ICOSANDRIA MOIiO-PENTAGYNlA. 



Nat. Ord. Rosace.h, § Pome^. 

 CRATAEGUS. Supra, vol. Vi.fol. 11-28. 



C. coccinea ; foliis subroturulis nblongisve augiilatis inciso-serratia basi cuneatis longe 

 petiolatis, calycis laciuiis pinnatiiidis petiolisciue glandulosis, spinis axillaribus arcu- 

 atis petiolis longioribus, pomis sphaericis coryinbosis 3-4-pyreuis putaminc crassis- 

 simo ossco. 



C. coccinea. Linn. Sp. PI. 682. I'orrei/ Fl. 1. 474. De Cand. Prodi: 2. 627. Loudon 

 Arb. et Frut. Brit. p. 816. 



C. glandulosa. Willd. Sp. PI. 2. 1002. Loud. Arb. Brit. p. 817. De Cnnd. Prodr. 2. 627. 



p- macracantha ; spinis foliis tequalibus v. longioribns, pomis suliminnribns. 



C. glandulosa macracantlia. Supril vol. 22. t. 1912. 



C. macracantha. Lodd. cat. Loud. arb. Brit. p. 819. Jig 572. et 573. 



When the long-spined variety of this plant was figured at fol. 1912, it did 

 not occur to nie to look very particularly into the synonyms, my object being 

 chiefly to publish a figure of the species under some recognised name ; the critical 

 enquiry into the entangled synonymy of the whole genus Crataegus being left for 

 a special discussion by whomever might be disposed so to amuse himself. A note, 

 however, from Dr. Asa Gray of New York, has led me to look a little more par- 

 ticularly into the matter. That gentleman .says, " C. glandulosa (i macracantha, 

 of Bot. Reg. t. 1912, is the most common species in the Northern States, and is 

 here familiar to every one. It is the C.pijrifolia Torrey FL, and as we supposed 

 of preceding authors." Probably pyrifolia was written for coccinea, for upon 

 turning to Torrey's Flora, I find that excellent Botanist quoting Elliott, Pursh, 

 and Muhlenberg as his authorities for C. pyrifolia, which he does not appear 

 himself to have seen: and in my herbarium are excellent specimens of this C. glan- 

 dulosa marked " C. coccinea auct. Amer. C. pyrifolia? common near New 

 York," sent to me by Dr. Torrey himself. 



In referring this plant to C. coccinea the American Botanists are right, for it 

 is certainly the plant meant by Linnaeus. Nor was I wrong in referring it to 

 C. glandulosa of De Candollc ; for it is as certainly the plant of the Prodronius. 

 It is not, however, C. glandulosa of Alton, which was probably intended for 

 C. .■ipalhulata, figured at fol. 1890, if we are to judge from its being compared 

 in the Hortus Kevvensis with C.flava and parvijolia. The confusion arose 

 with Willdenow, who, with his usual ingenuity, first copied the specific character 

 of C. glandulosa from the Hortus Kewensis, and then added C. sangninca of 

 Pallas as a synonym : hence the latter plant and C glandulosa became identified 

 in the eyes of systematic writers, and a fresh character was contrived to suit the 

 erroneous combination. The genus CratcBgus not having been studied by Professor 

 De Candolle himself, the error was transferred to the Prodromus, and has given 

 rise to some most extraordinary confusion in writers who shall be nameless. 



The following adjustment of synonyms will help to put this matter straight 

 for the future, to a certain extent at least. 



C. glandulosa of Willdenow, De Candolle, and Loudon is the same species as C. coccinea 

 of LinniEus. 



* See fol. 1161. 



