CHAP. XLII. ROSA‘CEH. ME’SPILUS. 877 
in habit and general appearance like 4. (v.) Botryapium; but at once 
recognised as distinct by the shortness of its stamens. The leaves of this 
plant somewhat resemble those of the hornbeam; the flowers are white, 
with petals varying in length, some having measured more than 2 of an 
inch. It flowers later, and the fruit ripens later, than in any of the other 
sorts. It was discovered by Mr. Douglas, on the north-west coast of North 
America, and sent to England by him in 1826. There is now a good spe- 
cimen of the tree in the Horticultural Society’s Garden, upwards of 10 ft. 
high. In general habit, it is somewhat more fastigiate than the other sorts, 
unless we except A. sanguinea, to which, Dr. Lindley observes, it is very 
near akin. Possibly a distinct species, but we doubt it. 
Variety. 2 
& A (v.) f. 2 parvifolia, the A. parvifolia of the Horticultural Society’s 
Garden, is of a dwarf habit, not growing above 3 ft. or 4 ft. high, and 
smaller leaves. It appears to us only a variety of A. (v.) flérida; 
which, like all the species of the genus, varies exceedingly, according 
to soil, situation, age of the plant, stock on which it is grafted, &c. 
It is from having observed the extraordinary difference in the ap- 
pearances which the same plant assumes in the different London 
nurseries, that we have been tempted to hazard the conjecture that 
they have all probably originated in the same species. We have 
now before us specimens of A. (v.) fldrida, from the Fulham Nursery, 
with leaves 14 in. broad, and 23 in. long, with their margins deeply 
notched; while those from the Horticultural Society’s Garden 
are about two thirds of the size, and quite entire. We have also 
leaves of A. Botryapium from the Fulham Nursery, 4in. long in- 
cluding the footstalk, and 31 in. without it; and 2 in. broad; while 
those from the Horticultural Society’s Garden are only 12 in. long, 
and lin. broad; and those from Messrs. Loddiges are still smaller. 
Genus XVIL 
— 
ME’SPILUS Lindl. Tut Mepuar. Lin. Syst. Icosindria Di-Pentagynia. 
Identification. Lindl. in Lin. Trans., 13. p. 99. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 633. ; Don’s Mill., 2. p. 6. 
Synonymes. Méspilus sp. of Lin. and others; Mespiléphora sp. of Neck. 
Derivation. From mesos, a half, and p7los, a bullet ; fruit resembling half a bullet. 
Description, §c. Deciduous trees of the middle size, natives of Europe; 
the first species is cultivated for its fruit, which is eatable, and the seeds of 
which are accounted anti-lithic; and the other as an ornamental shrub, or 
low tree, of the general character of a Cratz‘gus, to which genus it may 
indeed be considered as properly belonging. They are propagated by grafting 
on the quince, the wild pear, or the common hawthorn. The price, in the 
nurseries, is the same as for Cratze‘gus. 
¥ 1. M. cerma’nica L. The German, or common, Medlar. 
Identification. Lin, Sp., 684.; Pall. Fl. Ross., t.13. f.1.; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 633.; Don’s Mill, 2, 
. 605. 
Rsecannes, Pall. Fl. Ross., t. 13. f.1.; and the plate of this species in our Second Volume. 
Spec. Char., §c. Leaves lanceolate, tomentose beneath, undivided. Flowers 
solitary. (Dec. Prod., ii. p.633.) A deciduous tree of the second rank; a 
native of Europe and the west of Asia, in bushy places and woods; and said 
to be found, also, in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and about Chester, in England ; 
apparently in a truly wild state in Sussex. (See Mag. Nat. Hist.,vol.ix. p. 86.) 
It flowers in May and June, and the fruit ripens in October and November. 
This tree was known to the Greeks, and has been in cultivation in British 
gardens for an indefinite period; not only the species, but several varieties, 
