90 



Pyrus Communis (Wild Pear) 



CALYCIFLOR^B 



of these are rare and the characters of 

 others are difficult to discriminate, it 

 has been thought best to describe here 

 only those which are of common occur 

 rence, or otherwise remarkable. 



13. Pyrus (Pear, Apple, Service, and 

 Mountain Ash) 



1. P. communis (Wild Pear). Leaves 

 simple, egg-shaped, serrated ; flowers 

 white, in bunches on spurs of the pre- 

 vious year's formation ; fruit tapering 

 at the base. A small upright tree, often 

 bearing thorns at the extremities of its 

 branches. The seed-vessel, in a wild 

 state, is woody, austere, and worthless, 



yet is the origin of the countless luscious 



varieties of our gardens and orchards. 



Woods and hedges. Fl. April, May. 



Tree. 



2. P. mains (Crab Apple). Leaves 



simple, egg-shaped, serrated ; flowers in 



a sessile umbel ; styles combined below ; 



fruit hollow beneath. A small, spreading 



tree, with thornless branches, umbels of 



white flowers delicately shaded with pink, 



and nearly round fruit, which is intensely 



acid. It was formerly much used in 



making verjuice and in the preparation of 



pomatum, so called from pomum, an 



apple. Woods and hedges. Fl. May. 



Tree. 



Pyrus Malus (Crab Apple) 



3. P. torminalis (Wild Ser- 

 vice Tree). Leaves egg- 

 shaped, with several deep, 

 sharp lobes ; flowers in 

 corymbs. A small tree, with 

 leaves shaped somewhat like 

 those of the Hawthorn, but 

 larger, and with white flowers, 

 which are succeeded by brown- 

 ish, spotted, berry-like fruit. 

 Woods and hedges in the south 

 of England. Fl. May. Tree. 



Pyrus Torminalis (Wild Service Tree) 



