212 ROSACEA 



The flowers of Rosa gallica and Bosa damascma are collected for making both 

 infusions and confections, and rose-water and attar of roses are furnished 

 chiefly by Bosa centifoUa. 



14. Rose (Bosa). — Calyx urn-shaped, contracted at the mouth, and 

 terminating in five leaf-like divisions ; petals 5 ; stamens luxmerous ; seeds 

 numerous. Name from the Latin rosa, which was taken from the Greek 

 rhodon, a rose. 



Sab-Order VI. Apple Group {Pomece). 



In the plants in this group, the petals are several, the leaves alternate, 

 simple, or divided ; seeds one or more. The fruit is a pome, the calyx 

 having gradually enlarged into a fleshy or mealy fruit, in the centre of which 

 are five cells, which are horny, as in the core of the Apple, or liony, as in 

 that of the Medlar. It consists of trees, many of which furnish us with 

 important fruits, as the Apple, Pear, Medlar, and Quince. The leaves of 

 several plants of this group contain prussic acid, and occasionally this sub- 

 stance is found in the flowers, bark, and seeds. 



15. Pear, Apple, Service, and Mountain Ash {Ff,rus). — Calyx 5-cleft; 

 petals 5 ; styles 2 — 5 ; fruit fleshy, or juicy, with 5 horny 2-seeded cells. 

 Name from the Latin pyrvs, a pear. 



16. Medlar (Mdspihis). — Calyx 5-cleft, divisions leaf -like ; petals 5; 

 styles 2 — 5 ; fruit fleshy, top-shaped, terminating abruptly, with the ends of 

 the hard cells exposed. Name from the Greek mespile, a medlar. 



17. Hawthorn {CraiLkjus). — Calyx 5-cleft, divisions acute; petals 5; 

 styles 1 — 5 ; fruit oval, or round, concealing the ends of the bony cells. 

 Name from the Greek Irafos, strength, in allusion to the hardness of the 

 wood. 



18. CotoneAster. — Calyx tojj-shaped, with 5 short teeth ; petals 5, 

 small, erect ; stamens numerous, erect ; fruit top-shaped, with its nuts 

 adhering to the inside of the calyx, but not joined in the centre. 



1, Plum and Cherry (Prmms). 



1. Common Plum, Bullace, and Sloe (P. commmds). — Fruit covered 

 with bloom ; young leaves rolled together ; flower-stalks single, or in pairs ; 

 leaves elliptic or lanceolate, and somewhat egg-shaped, rather downy beneath. 

 Plant perennial. In the form sometimes termed P. spinosa, the Sloe, the 

 branches are spinous, the flower-stalks and leaves smooth ; in the variety 

 termed P. insititia, the Bullace, the branches are straight and slightly thorny, 

 the flower-stalks and under sides of the leaves downy ; in the AVild Plum, 

 P. domestica of some writers, the flower-stalks are smooth, and the older 

 leaves smooth beneath, while the branches are without thorns. Some 

 botanists treat these three as distinct species ; but they appear to be all so 

 closely allied as not to admit of accurate specific distinction. All lovers of 

 wild-flowers welcome the Blackthorn spray, when its black, woody, leafless 

 boughs are whitened with the snowy blossoms. We may wander forth to 

 see them even as early as March, when winds are blowing, and whirling the 

 few dried leaves which are yet left of the multitude which strewed the path- 

 way of the wintry wood. There is a wild music among the boughs, as they 



