CRAT^GO-MESPILUS 417 



CRAT^EGO-MESPILUS. ROSACES. 



This name has been devised to distinguish three deciduous trees, one 

 a supposed natural hybrid between the hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) 

 and the medlar (Mespilus germanica) ; the other two hybrids obtained by 

 grafting the medlar on the hawthorn. The two last are trees of particular 

 interest as affording evidence that Adam's story of the origin of Laburnum 

 Adami (g.v.} was not, as some people held, unbelievable. (Graft-hybrids 

 have, as a matter of fact, been since obtained of set purpose, see Kew 

 Bulletin, 1911, p. 269.) The history of the two forms of Crataego- 

 mespilus is as follows : On a specimen of medlar grafted on a stock of 

 hawthorn growing in the garden of Mr Dardar, at Bronvaux, near Metz, 

 there was noticed a branch pushing from just beneath the graft which 

 showed characters intermediate between those of the medlar and 

 hawthorn. The leaves and fruits, although smaller, were those of the 

 medlar, but the branches were spiny and the flowers in clusters, as in 

 hawthorn. Plants raised from this branch are now known in gardens, and 

 described below as C.-M. DARDARI. 



Issuing from nearly the same place on Mr Dardar's tree was another 

 branch quite unlike the first ; the leaves on this were lobed as in the 

 hawthorn and the flowers also resembled those of that tree, but the 

 leaves, shoots, and calyx were covered with grey wool, showing thereby 

 the character of the medlar. The branch was propagated by grafting, 

 and the plants so raised are now known, and described below, as 

 C.-M. ASNIERESII. The same tree produced a third branch which at 

 its base was purely hawthorn, but towards the extremity changed into 

 C.-M. Asnieresii. These branches were shown to Mr E. Jouin of the 

 Plantieres nursery, near Metz, about 1895, an( ^ ne gave the first account 

 of them in Le Jardin, Jan. 1899. I n l8 9 8 a grafted plant of C. Dardari, 

 in the nursery of Messrs Simon-Louis of Plantieres, produced a branch of 

 true medlar with the usual solitary flowers, whilst another branch was 

 pure hawthorn. It will thus be seen that the behaviour of these graft- 

 hybrids is very similar to that of Laburnum Adami. 



C.-M. ASNIERESII, C. K. Schneider, 



(Kew Bulletin, 1911, pp. 268-9.) 



A small, deciduous, bushy-headed tree with pendulous branches, probably 

 about 15 to 20 ft. high ultimately. Shoots woolly, armed occasionally with 

 hawthorn-like spines. Leaves varying in shape from obovate to broadly 

 ovate ; ii to 3 ins. long, i to if ins. wide ; some entire, others deeply 

 lobed like those of the hawthorn, mealy-looking when young, covered with 

 soft down beneath. Flowers in corymbs, similiar in form to those of the 

 hawthorn, but larger and with a downy calyx ; white, becoming rose-tinted 

 with age. Fruit oblong, brown, downy, about the size of those of the 

 hawthorn. A graft hybrid between Crataegus monogyna and Mespilus 

 germanica (see above), and a beautiful flowering tree. (Fig. p. 418.) 



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