Chapter XXX. 



Roses, Peas and their Relatives. 



The rose family is represented in Minnesota by from sixty- 

 five to seventy species, among which are herbs, shrubs and trees, 

 while all unite in the general character ol the flower. 



Meadow-sweets. Here are to be grouped the Spircras, 

 meadow-sweets or ninebarks, of which there are three varieties 

 in the state. The most common is the willow-leafed Sf>ir(ra 

 a frequent and abundant meadow plant in every district. All 

 of them are shrubs with alternate leaves — in the ninebark some- 

 what lobed and shaped a little like the leaves of the currant, but 

 in the meadow-sweet or Spircca, with the outline of willow leaves. 

 The flowers are borne in terminal panicles, or large clusters, 

 and in two of the species are of a white or slightly purplish 

 color, while in the third they are of a handsome pink. The 

 meadow-sweets are common plants in swamps and swales as 

 well as in meadows, and one variety is very abundant on the 

 rocky shores of northern lakes, growing often partly submerged 

 under water. While much smaller, the flowers of the Spircras 

 are in their general appearance much like apple blossoms. 



Crab-apples and chokeberries. The apples and mountain- 

 ashes, with the June-berries and hawthorns, constitute a very 

 clearly defined series of the rose family. Of apples and cjuinces, 

 which together with the pears form a characteristic series, there 

 are five sorts in Minnesota — three wild crab-apples and two va- 

 rieties of chokeberries. There is no difticulty in recognizing these 

 plants, because they ha\e the t}-pical apple fruit. The common 

 cra1)-ap])le is a small tree with ovale to triangular loaves, 

 distinguishable from the western crab-apple or chokel)erry, 

 which also occurs in the state, by the general outline of the 

 leaves. In the western crab apple the leaves are oblong or 

 ()\'ate, but n(it m' triangular. Still anotlicr form of crab-apple 

 has somewhat larger o\al lea\es with shallow notches at the 

 marcfin. 



