196 HAWTHOKN, PEAR, ETC. 



slightly angular. The thorns are of two kinds, shorter 

 thorns without leaf-scars but often with two minute basal 

 buds, and longer stouter ones bearing several leaf-scars and 

 buds, and ringed below with the scars of fallen bud-scales 

 these are dwarf-shoots. The buds exhibit several scales, and 

 are short ovoid-pointed, or conic. Traces of pubescence 

 may occur on the shoots, but the twigs are usually glabrous. 

 Periderm close to the surface; pith small, greenish. Thorns 

 usually numerous, but may be absent from the longer 

 twigs, or altogether wanting. Bud-scales reddish brown 

 or greenish at the base, pointed, smooth, and with traces 

 of a keel. Twigs with a tendency to angularity towards 

 tips, olive to red-brown, or sometimes grey owing to the 

 glistening loose epidermis, passing to dark grey (but other 

 colours, red or purple-brown, and even yellow, occur) and 

 finely striate. Lenticels few and small. 



Pyrus communis, which is sometimes thorny owing to 

 some of the dwarf-shoots ending in a hard point, may 

 offer difficulties; there are no short leafless thorns, the 

 leaf-scars are lunate, and the lenticels are more evident 

 (see p. 239). 



Mespilus Germanica should also be noted here. 



(ii) Spines not axillary and never themselves 

 bearing buds or leaves: i.e. they are not 

 true thorns. 



(a) Spines closely flanking or subtending a 

 leaf-base bearing a leaf-scar, and which 

 has a bud in its axil ; or themselves close 

 beneath a bud: i.e. they are foliar struc- 

 tures. 



* Spines arising from the persistent base of 

 the leaf, which bears a leaf -scar. 



