ICOSANDRIA— PENTAGYNIA. Pyi us. 36 1 



oblong, of 2 lobes. Germ, inferior, romulibh. Sfijlcs 

 from 2 or 3 to 5, thread-shaped, about the length of the 

 stamens. Sliguias simple, or bluntish. Apple roundish 

 or somewhat oblong, umbilicated, fleshy, of as many carti- 

 lao;iiious or membranous bivalve cells as there are styles. 

 Seeds 2 in each cell, erect, obovate, flattened at one side. 



Trees, generally without thorns. Leaves alternate, stalked, 

 simple or pinnate, entire or serrated. FL white or reddish, 

 corymbose, umbellate, or panicled. Ft^fiit acid and austere, 

 greatly improved by culture, very various in size, colour 

 and figure. 



Cnertner first ventured to unite the above Linna?an genera, 

 including the Quince, Cijdonia ; but the latter having 

 very numerous horizontal seeds, may perhaps form a ge- 

 nus along with Pi/rns japonica, whose fruit being erro- 

 neously described by Thunberg, as having 5 valves, 

 caused Mr. Lindley to make it distinct. But this fruit 

 is no more valvular than an apple, and greatly resembles 

 a (luince in odour. The cells of the fruit in Pyrus vary, 

 even in one species, the common Pear, from cartilaginous to 

 membranous, and gradations in texture from one species 

 to another are so insensible, that they baffle all generic 

 distinction. The bony cells of Mespilits, each of one 

 piece, and not splitting asunder, perhaps sufficiently mark 

 that genus. 



1 . P. communis. Wild Pear-tree. Iron Pear. 

 Leaves simple, ovate, serrated. Flower-stalks corymbose. 

 P. communis. Linn. Sp. PL GSG. JVilld. v. 2. 10 10. FL Br. j3\. 



En:4L Bot. V. 25. /. 1 784. Ehrh. Arb. G-1. 

 P. Achras. Gccrtn. v. 2. 14. t. i>7 . 

 P.n. 109G. HaU. inst.v.2.3j. 

 P. sylvcstris. Dod. Penipt. 800./. Batth. I'in. A39. 

 Pyrum strangnlatoriiim majus. Gcr. Em. 11.') 7./. 

 Pyra. Camcr. Epit. I.V2./. 

 Pyra.ster, scu Pyrus .sylvcstris. Raii Syn.'\J2. 



In woods and hedges. 



Tree. AprU, May. 



A tall handsome tree ; the hmnchrs first erect, then curved down- 

 wards, and pendulous ; in a truly wild state thorny. Leaves 

 ovate, or ellii)tic-oblong ; when young downy beneath, and co- 

 piously fringed willi soil while lia'irs ; smooth and sliining when 

 at tiie'ir full growth, deciduous. They lose tiieir serralures by 

 culture. Sfijtuhis linear, soon falling. Floitcr-slalks terminal, 

 downy, corymbose. 77. copious, snow-white, with j'iuk (int/urs. 



