Handbook of Trees of tub I^ortiiern States and Canada. 259 



The Long-spine Haw or Thorn is a tree of 

 medium size for its genus, bein^' schioin more 

 than 18 or 20 ft. in heiglit, with ri<,'id and 

 often crooked branches forming a ratlier open 

 and irroguhir t()|). and trunk ti-S in. in diainu 

 ter. This is vested in a pale brown or gray 

 bark which exfoliates in small elongated scales. 



It inhabits the banks of streams and rich 

 slopes, more commonly of limestone forma- 

 tion, and attracts the attention of even the 

 casual observer on account of its numerous 

 very long chestnut brown thorns, which are 

 rather slender, somewhat curved and often .'$ 

 or 4 inches or more in length. We cannot but 

 -wonder what may be nature's plan in equip- 

 ping this tree with so much more formidable 

 an armament than she has the other species. 

 It is a tree of handsome rich foliage and is a 

 very beautiful object when bearing its large 

 clusters of pure wliito flowers, as it is also in 

 autumn with its lustrous crimson fruit. 



Lravcs broad-obovate to oval. 2-4 in. long, ab- 

 ruptly or gradually cuneate and entire at base, 

 mostly acute or rounded at appx, coarsely and 

 sometimes doubly serrate or with short point' i 

 lobes, coriaceous at maturity and dull dark grcpn 

 with impressed veins above, paler and pnbornlons 

 on the prominent veins and midrili^; licucnlh ; 

 petioles stout, margined above. Fli)ir( ts, May- 

 June, % in. In diameter in nuiny-flowiTrd villosc 

 compound corymbs ; calyx with Imig, narrow, 

 acuminate lobes with dark glands : stamens 

 usually 10 (or 8-12) ; anthers pale yellow ; styles 

 2-.*?. tomentose at base. Fniit ripening in S(i|)- 

 tember in erect many-fruited clusters, subglobose. 

 i-i in. in diameter, lustroiis crimson with serrated 

 calyx-lobes retlexed and porsistont ; nutlets 2 or 

 .*?, "prominently ridgod on the back and with deep 

 ventral cavites. 



