AMELANCHIER 189 



Native of Eastern and Central N. America, from Newfoundland and 

 Canada to the southern United States ; introduced to England, according to 

 Aiton, in 1746. From the time of the ripening of the fruit it is often called 

 "June-berry." There are few more delightful small trees than this is when seen 

 at its best, which, at Kew, is usually about the second week in April ; the whole 

 tree then becomes sheeted with white. Unhappily, it is a very fleeting beauty, 

 lasting, as a rule, less than a week. Its autumn beauty is more durable, and 

 it is then one of the most striking of hardy trees, the foliage changing before 

 it falls to a rich soft red ; in some forms, however, to a clear bright yellow. 



A. FLORIDA, Lindley. 



(Bot. Reg., t. 1589 ; A. Oxyodon, Koehne.} 



A deciduous shrub producing a thicket of erect stems, 8 to 10 ft. or more 

 high. Leaves roundish oval, i to 2 ins. long, about two-thirds as wide, blunt or 

 pointed, toothed almost to the base, smooth even when quite young. Flowers 

 white, in erect racemes \\ to 2 ins. long, produced on short leafy twigs in early 

 May ; calyx slightly woolly. Fruit black-purple. 



Native of N.W. America ; introduced by Douglas in 1826. It has 

 been much confused with A. alnifolia, to which no doubt it is allied, but is, 

 nevertheless, well distinguished by its leaves being toothed nearly to the base, 

 and by having a less woolly calyx. With us, too, its habit is quite shrubby. 

 The foliage turns rich yellow in autumn. 



A. OBLONGIFOLIA, Roemer. SWAMP SUGAR PEAR. 

 (A. canadensis var. oblongifolia, Bot. Mag., t. 7619.) 



A shrub at present 6 to 8 ft. high at Kew, with erect stems, spreading by 

 means of sucker growths from the base ; said to be sometimes a small tree 

 12 ft. or more high. Leaves very woolly when quite young, ultimately 

 becoming smooth ; firm and rather leathery when mature, i to 2^ ins. long, 

 to i ins. wide ; oblong, rounded (rarely cordate) at the base, finely and 

 evenly toothed. Racemes erect, covered at first with a thick loose floss, 

 2 or 3 ins. long, carrying numerous white flowers, the petals of which are more 

 distinctly and uniformly obovate than in A. canadensis. In a wild state it 

 usually occurs in wettish ground, and its fruit is said to be more juicy and 

 agreeable than that of A. canadensis. 



Native of Eastern N. America, and no doubt very nearly allied to 

 A. canadensis, and connected with it by intermediate forms. As a shrubby 

 Amelanchier it is useful in gardens, forming in time a dense thicket. Easily 

 increased by division in spring. 



A. OLIGOCARPA, Roemer. 



(Bot. Mag., t. 8499 ; Garden and Forest, 1888, fig. 41 ; A. Bartramiana, Roemer.") 



A low shrub, usually 2 to 3 (rarely more than 6) ft. high. Leaves oval or 

 slightly ovate, i to 2 ins. long, tapering towards both ends, sharply toothed 

 nearly to the base, almost smooth from the commencement, but with some 

 loose floss on the surfaces and edges when expanding. Flowers pure white, 

 | to i in. across ; solitary, in pairs, sometimes in threes or fours, on short 

 lateral twigs, each flower on a slender stalk 5 to i in. long. Petals rounded, 

 obovate, in. wide, broader rn proportion to their length than in any of the 

 Amelanchiers. Fruit pear-shaped or oblong, dark purple, nearly in. long, 

 not so wide. 



