Cydonia vulgaris, 
THE COMMON QUINCE-TREE. 
Synonymes. 
Pyrus cydonia, 
Cydonia vulgaris, 
Linn^tis, Species Plantarum. 
IDe Candolle, Prodromus. 
Don, Miller's Dictionary. 
Loudon, Arboretum Britannicum. 
Coignassier, Coigner, Uoignier, Coudounier, France. 
Quittenbaum, Germany. 
Cotogno, Melo cotogno, Pero cotogno, Italy. 
Membrillo, Membrillero, Spain. 
Marraeleiro, Portugal. 
Armud, Russia. 
Quince-tree, Quince Bush, Britain and Anglo-America. 
Engravings. Lindley, Pomologia Britannica ; Loudon, Arboretum Britannicum, vi., pi. 188 ; and the figures below. 
Specific Characters. Leaves ovate, obtuse at the base, entire, tomentose beneath. Calyx tomentose ; Its 
lobes serrulated, and a little leafy. Stamens in one row. De Candolle, Prodromus. 
Description. 
iHE Common Quince is a 
HH js low tree, seldom exceed- 
L| gl ing fifteen or twenty feet 
II^IK^l in height, with a crooked 
stem, and tortuous, rambling branches. The bark 
is smooth and brown, approaching to black. The 
leaves are roundish or ovate; dusky-green above, 
and whitish underneath. The flowers, which put 
forth in England by the middle of April, and in the 
middle and northern parts of the United States, in 
May and June, are large, with the petals pale-red or 
white, and the sepals of the same length as the petals. The flowers are suc- 
ceeded by large fruit of a globular, oblong, or pear-shaped form, of a rich yellow 
or orange-colour, when ripe, of an austere taste, and emitting a peculiar and 
rather pleasant smell. 
Varieties. In nursery catalogues, and also in botanical works generally, there 
are designated five or more varieties of this species ; but Mr. Thompson of the 
London Horticultural Society's garden, has judiciously remarked that there are, 
in reality, only the three following : 
1. C. v. pyriformis. Pear-shaped Quince; Coignassier pyriforme, of the 
French, which may be considered as the normal form of the species. For orna- 
mental purposes, this variety, and the apple-shaped quince, are much to be pre- 
ferred to the Portugal quince. 
2. C. v. maliformis. Apple-shaped Quince; Coignassier d fruit pomxformv. 
Coignassier male, of the French. This variety requires to be continued by 
extension; because it is found that seedling plants of both this and the preceding 
variety are not quite true to their kinds. They most frequently produce pear- 
shaped fruit. 
3. C. v. lusitanica. Lusitanian or Portugal Quince ; Coigwissicr de Por- 
tugal, of the French. This variety has broader leaves, and larger fruit, than Ihe 
