PYRUS 289 



P. NIVALIS, Jacquin. 



A small tree, sturdy in habit ; young shoots thickly covered with a white 

 wool. Leaves oval or obovate, 2 to 3 ins. long-, f to i|- ins. wide, entire, 

 covered when young on both sides, but especially beneath, with a white wool 

 much of which falls away later. Flowers pure white, i^ ins. across, produced 

 in April in conspicuous clusters. Fruit roundish, i\ ins. or more wide, 

 yellowish green, borne on a stalk as long or longer than" itself. 



Native of E. Europe and Asia Minor, where it is sometimes over 50 ft. 

 high ; introduced early in the nineteenth century. It is a very beautiful tree 

 early in the season, owing to the pure white leaves and abundant flowers. 

 The tree is cultivated in France for the sake of its fruits, which are not eaten 

 until bletted. It and P. KOTSCHYANA, Boissier, are the parents of a race of 

 pears known as " poirier sangers." 



Pyrus nivalis may be considered the type of a group of European pears. 

 The following are sometimes regarded as varieties of it, sometimes as species : 



P. CANESCENS, Spach. Probably a hybrid between nivalis and salicifolia. 

 In regard to it Decaisne wrote that it "is intermediate between P. nivalis 

 and P. salicifolia ; its leaves are of the same size as those of nivalis, and 

 often twisted as in salicifolia." They are lanceolate or narrowly oval, finely 

 round-toothed, very white when young, shining dark green above when 

 mature. Fruit pale green, much shorter stalked than P. nivalis. A handsome 

 tree in spring. P. KOTSCHYANA, Boissier. Fruits smaller and harder than in 

 P. nivalis. P. ELEAGRIFOLIA, Pallas, differs from Kotschyana in its spiny 

 branches a character on which no reliance can be placed in cultivation. 

 Native of E. Europe and Asia Minor. 



P. PASHIA, Hamilton, var. KUMAONI, Stapf. 



(Bot. Mag., t. 8256.) 



A tree 25 to 35 ft. high, branches smooth. Leaves ovate, *2 to 4 ins. long, 

 i^ to 2 ins. wide ; rounded at the base, the apex varying from long taper- 

 pointed to blunt, both surfaces quite smooth, the margins set with fine, 

 rounded teeth ; stalk i tb i^ ins. long. Flowers at first rose-tinted, finally 

 white, | in. across, closely packed in rounded corymbs 2 ins. across, each 

 flower on a stalk \ to f in. long ; calyx smooth outside, woolly inside the 

 lobes ; stamens numerous, red. Fruit nearly globular, but narrowed towards 

 the stalk, brown with pale specks, f to I in. diameter. 



Native of the Himalaya ; introduced in 1825. This variety from Kumaon, 

 which appears to be the only representative of the species in cultivation, 

 differs only from the typical P. Pashia in the absence of down from the 

 younger parts. There is a tree 25 ft. high at Kew, with a broad, rounded 

 head, which gives every year a pretty display. It is quite distinct among 

 pears by the compact flower clusters, the rounded overlapping petals, and 

 especially for the pretty effect made by the cluster /of deep red stamens in 

 the centre of each flower. The leaves on sucker shoots or on the vigorous 

 shoots of cut-back trees are frequently deeply three-lobed. In N. India the 

 fruit is eaten after having " bletted," like a medlar. (See fig. p. 290.) 



P. HNNATIFIDA, Ehrhart. BASTARD SERVICE TREE. 



(Sorbus hybrida, Linnceus not Pyrus hybrida, Moench^) 



A deciduous tree, 20 to 40, occasionally over 50 ft. high, with ascending 

 branches ; twigs covered with loose greyish floss when young, becoming 



