Handboois: of Trees of the Nortiiebn Stati-js and Canada. 



The Pear Thorn is a very distinct species, 

 but not of hirge stature. It sometimes attains 

 a heiglit of 18 or 20 ft. with upright or spread 

 ing top of rigid tortuous branches and trunk 

 5 or 10 in. in diameter, or is often shrubby 

 with several stems. Tiie trunks are usually 

 well armed with formidable thorns and cov- 

 ered with rather smooth bark of pale gray or 

 brown color and finally exfoliating in thinnish 

 plate-like scales. It is of wider range than 

 most of the American species, occupying low 

 rich soil in localities from eastern New York 

 to Kansas and from the Great Lakes to the 

 southernmost slopes of the Alleghanies. but is 

 not everywhere in this range abundant. West- 

 ern New York and southeastern ^Missouri seem 

 to be th? regions of greatest abundance. It 

 is easily recognizable on account of its large 

 membranous leaves about ecjually pointed at 

 both ends and its amjjle upriglit clusters of 

 siinill oblong or poar-shaixMl fruit, wliicli it 

 retains long after the leaves have fallen. In 

 this late retention of its handsome fruit and in 

 tlie brilliancy of its autumnal colors lie its 

 chief points of ornamental value, for which it 

 is occasionally planted in Aiueru'an and Eu- 

 ropean gardens. 



Lea ITS elliptic to obovate-oWons, .V.'i in. long, 

 cunoate and entire at base and decuri-ont on the 

 short petiole, mostly acute at apex, sharply den- 

 tate or somewhat lobed above at maturity, thin- 

 nish. scabrous or glabrous above, pubescent be- 

 neath : petioles stout. Floirrm in early .Tune, 

 about 1/2 in. across in many-flo\ver(>d tomentose 

 compound corymbs : calyx with nai row laciniate- 

 serrulate lobes : stamens 20 : anthers pale rose- 

 colored : styles 2-"). Fruit rii)ens in October and 

 persists nearly until spring, red. in erect many- 

 fruited clusters, mostly pear-shaped or oblonu. 

 with reflexed calyx lobes : ston(>s 2 or .3, broad 

 rounded on the back and with two large ventral 

 cavities. 



