214 BRITISH BOTANY. 



clusters or corymbs, often developed before the leaves. Sepals 

 combined in a tube which is combined with the ovary (ovary 

 attached), persistent, withering or caducous, valvular before expan- 

 sion. Petals inserted on a disc, imbricated in prefloration. Sta- 

 mens 15-30. Anthers introrse. Ovary united with the calyx^ 

 consisting of 5 carpels or of one by abortion, and with bi-ovular 

 or pluri-ovular cells (cells with 2 or several ovules) . Ovules in- 

 serted on the inner angle of the cell, ascending, reflexed. Styles 

 5, or 1-4 by abortion, free or more or less united at the base. 

 Stigmas undivided. Fruit crowned by the calyx or depressed 

 at the summit (umbilicate), fleshy or pulpy, formed externally 

 by the developed tube of the calyx, 5-celled, or 1-4-celled by 

 abortion, cells 2-seeded, or one-seeded by abortion, rarely many- 

 seeded ; endocarp membranous or cartilaginous or bony. Seeds 

 ascending, rarely horizontal, without albumen. Embryo straight. 

 Kadicle directed towards the hilum. 



Tribe I. — Ovary with a bony endocarp (fruit a nut). 



STNOPSIS OF THE GENEEA. 

 Mespilus. — Calyx-segments leaf-like ; fi'uit turbinate ; carpels exposed. 

 CoTONEASTEE. — Fruit turbinate; nuts adherent to the fleshy calyx, but not 



cohering at the centre. 

 CEATJEaus. — Finiit globular, concealing the nuts. 



Mespilus, L. — A tree or shrub with nearly entire leaves and 

 caducous stipules. Flowers white, with persistent bracts. Calyx 

 5-parted, with leaf-like divisions. Ovary 5-celled, with 2 ovules 

 in each. Styles 5. Fruit globular-turbinate, crowned by the 

 enlarged divisions of the calyx, forming a dilated disc-like surface 

 and containing 2-5 bony cells with 2 seeds in each. 



M. germanica, L. Medlar. — e.b. 1523. l.c. 359. A. 4. 

 C. 5. Lat. 50-54°. Alt.? Tem. 50-48°. 



Shrub branching from the base, slightly spinous : rarely a low 

 tree. Leaves on short stalks. Flowers large, with linear bracts. 

 Calyx woolly, with divisions longer than the tube. Fruit large, 

 fleshy, finally becoming pulpy and sweet (when fermentation 

 takes place) . 



Hedges. April, May. Fruit in September. 



Cotoneaster. Lindl. — Shrubs with simple entire leaves and 

 partly procumbent branches. Calyx turbinate, 5 -toothed. Petals 

 rounded, erect. Styles 2-5. Ovary 3-5-celled; cells bony. 



