280 PYRUS 



Discovered by Henry in Szechuen, China, in 1889 ; introduced by Wilson 

 in 1904. It belongs to the group or sub-genus Micromeles, distinguished by 

 the naked apex of the fruit, along with alnifolia, Folgneri, etc. 



P. CHAM^MESPILUS, Ehrhart. ALPINE WHITEBEAM. 



(Sorbus Chamaemespilus, Grants.") 



A shrub of dwarf, compact habit, becoming eventually 5 or 6 ft. high ; 

 branches short, stiff ; young twigs covered at first with a whitish, cobweb-like 

 substance. Leaves i J to 3 ins. long, f to \\ ins. wide ; ovate, oval or slightly 

 obovate, green and smooth on both surfaces, apex rounded or pointed, 

 margins finely toothed ; stalk \ to \ in. long. Flowers rosy, crowded in 

 umbels which together form a small terminal corymb ; calyx woolly at the 

 base like the flower-stalk, the teeth pointed, erect, almost smooth outside, but 

 covered with a thick white wool inside ; petals erect, never spreading. Fruit 

 -J- to \ in. long, scarcely so wide, scarlet-red. 



Native of the Alps of Europe ; introduced in 1683, according to Aiton, 

 but not frequeni in gardens at the present time. It is very ornamental when 

 in fruit, and is one of the most distinct of the Aria group in its dwarf habit, 

 smooth leaves, upright petals, and densely packed flowers. It is worth growing 

 as one of the few truly shrubby species, and especially for planting in some 

 sunny spot where a slow-growing shrub is desirable. 



P. HOSTII (Sorbus Hostii, hedlund] is a hybrid between the above and 

 some form or ally of P. intermedia. The foliage is much larger than that of 

 P. Chamaemespilus, and more resembles that of P. intermedia in size and in 

 the presence of down on the lower surface ; the toothing is sharp and jagged. 

 In the dense, compact inflorescence, and in the upright pinkish petals, the 

 influence of P. Chamasmespilus is apparent. P. Hostii is found wild on the 

 Alps of Austria. 



P. COMMUNIS, Linnceus. WILD PEAR. 



A deciduous tree, usually 30 to 40, occasionally as much as 60 ft. high, 

 with a trunk 3 ft. through ; branches forming short stiff spurs, sometimes spiny. 

 Leaves variable, from ovate, heart-shaped and oval, to almost round ; from 

 i in. to 4 ins. long, up to 2 ins. wide, very finely round-toothed or entire; 

 stalk slender, i to 2 ins. long ; the leaves are variable in their downiness, but 

 are either smooth from the beginning or become nearly or quite so later, and 

 glossy green. Flowers white, I to i^ ins. across, produced in corymbs 2 to 

 3 ins. across, each flower on a more or less woolly stalk \ to i ins. long. 

 Fruit top-shaped or rounded, with a tapering or rounded base. 



Native of Europe and N. Asia, and found wild in Britain, but doubtfully 

 indigenous. Some authorities have professed to find two sub-species, viz., 

 P. ACHRAS, with elongated fruits and slightly downy mature leaves ; and 

 P. PYRASTER, with rounded fruits and smooth mature leaves ; but these 

 characters do not prove constant. The wild pear, as the parent of a 

 multitude of varieties of one of the most delicious of northern fruits, is a tree 

 of interest. It is found scattered in the forests of Central and E. Europe, 

 usually as individuals, never, it is said, in large groups. It produces a most 

 excellent timber, heavy, tough and durable, which, however, is not plentiful 

 enough to be of much importance in commerce. In gardens the wild pear 

 has no claim to notice. Its graceful, often pendulous branches and large 

 crops of flowers in April are beautiful, but the garden varieties are just as 

 much, so, and give useful fruits as well. 



P. CORDATA, Demaux, often regarded as a species, is really nothing 

 more than a form of P. communis, smaller in all its parts. The leaves, 



