KOSACEAE 173 



MALUS 



Trees with scaly bark. Leaves deciduous alternate, simple, unevenly- 

 serrate, often incised, petiolate, with deciduous stipules. Flowers in 

 terminal cymes on short lateral spurs; calyx 5 lobed, acuminate; petals 

 obtuse, contracted to a stalk-like base, white or pink; stamens usually 

 20 in 3 series, anthers yellow. Ovary inferior, usually composed of 5 

 carpels; ovules 2 in each cell. Fruit a pome, flesh homogeneous, sur- 

 rounding the 5 carpels, which are papery and united at the apex. Seeds 

 1 or 2 in each cell, ovate, acute with a brown testa, exalbuminous. 



Confined to N. America and Asia. 



Malus malus (L.) Britton (Pyrus mains Linmcus) (Mains sylvestin 

 Miller) of uncertain origin is the parent of the common cultivated apple. 

 The genus is very important both for its commercial value as well as for 

 its ornamental value. Malus is characterized by a flower with an open 

 calyx, with a style connate at the base and by a fruit with a depression 

 at either end. No case of hybridizing between Main* and Pyrus is known. 



Malus baccata Borkhausen. 

 Wild Apple. 



Small tree. Leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, thin, 

 glabrous, finely and irregularly serrate, bright green at the time of 

 opening. Flowers white on slender green pedicels. Styles usually 5, 

 longer than the stamens; calyx lobes lanceolate to acuminate, commonly 

 deciduous as fruit matures. Fruit very small, reddish-yellow, 2 cm. or 

 less in diameter. 



Mongolia, Siberia, Manchuria to Chihli and Shensi. 



A hardy ornamental species with handsome white flowers which 

 appear with the leaves. The fruits are red or yellow, translucent and 

 never become mellow, remaining on the tree a long time after they are 

 ripe. Pheasants and other birds are very fond of the fruits. This tree 

 should be worthy of extensive cultivation. 



Malus theifera Rehder. 



Tree about 8 m. tall. Young branchlets minutely pubescent, later 

 glabrous. Leaves deciduous, thin, papery, ovate or ovate-oblong or 

 elliptic-ovate, acuminate, rounded or broadly cuneate at the base, finely 

 serrate with glandular teeth, 6-8 cm. long, 2.5-6 cm. wide, purplish at 



