ROSACEAE ROSE FAMILY 
RED HAW 
Crataegus mollis (T. & G.) Scheele 
There are many kinds of Crataegus, at least 20 of which 
are in Illinois, and some are very difficult to identify. 
All are thorny shrubs or small trees with simple alternate 
leaves, white 
flowers, and fruits 
that resemble 
small apples. 
This is one of the 
commonest spec- 
ies in the state and 
is also the largest 
fruited. 
Phe -Ked, Haw 
grows in rich, pref- 
erably moist soil from 
southern Ontario to 
South Dakota, Kan- 
sas and Kentucky. 
The bark is grayish 
brown and somewhat 
scaly and furrowed, 
and the curved thorns are 1-2 inches 
long. The leaves are densely covered 
with short hairs beneath. 
The white flowers appear in May 
and the tree is strikingly beautiful in full bloom. The green calyx 
is $-lobed and the 5 white petals and about 20 stamens are at- 
tached above the ovaries. There are usually 5 styles and the fruit 
contains ¢§ little bony nutlets, each with 1 seed. The fruits shown 
are not mature. When they ripen in September they are smooth, 
scarlet, about 1 inch in diameter and with thick yellow flesh. 
They are eaten raw or made into jelly. 
The Cockspur Thorn, Crataegus Crus-galli L., is another com- 
mon species the small flowers of which are pretty because of the 
wine red anthers. The leaves are sharply toothed but not lobed, 
and the small greenish red fruits have a hard dry flesh. There 
are about 10 stamens and 1-3 styles, and the fruits contain usually 
2 nutlets. 
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