434 CRAT^EGUS 



C. PRUNIFOLIA, Bosc. 



(Bot. Reg. t., 1868 ; C. Crus-galli var. prunifolia, Torrey and Gray.') 



Although undoubtedly related to the Crus-galli group of thorns, this does 

 not appear to have been found undoubtedly wild in N. America, unless, as 

 has been suggested, a presumed hybrid between Crus-galli and macracantha is 

 the same. This theory is supported by the shape of the nuts, which have 

 hollows on the inner faces as in macracantha, only not so deep. Whatever 

 its origin, C. prunifolia is one of the most admirable of all thorns. It is a 

 tree up to 20 ft. high, forming a rounded head of branches, wider than high, 

 often reaching to the ground, and densely leafy ; young shoots smooth ; 

 spines rigid, sharp, i to 3 ins. long. Leaves varying from roundish ovate or 

 oval to obovate ; i to 3^ ins. long, i to 2^ ins. wide ; toothed nearly to the 

 base, smooth and brilliant dark green" above" ; pale, dull and either smooth or 

 slightly downy on the midrib and veins beneath. The leaves turn a rich 

 glowing crimson in autumn. Flowers f in. diameter, produced during June 

 in rounded corymbs with hairy stalks ; calyx-lobes glandular-toothed, not 

 downy ; stamens ten to fifteen. Fruit rich red, f in. long-, globose, falling with 

 the leaves in October. From Crus-galli it is well distinguished by its wider 

 leaves, hairy flower-stalks, and early falling fruit. 



C. OVALIFOLIA, De Candolle (Bot. Reg., t. 1860), differs in the following 

 respects from prunifolia : leaves somewhat downy on both surfaces ; stamens 

 fifteen to eighteen ; but there are intermediate forms. 



C. SPLENDENS, Loddiges. Loudon makes this synonymous with C. Crus- 

 galli var. arbutifolia, a quite glabrous tree, whereas all the trees I have seen 

 under the name of C. splendens are simply C. prunifolia as described above, 

 i.e. with invariably downy flower-stalks, and leaves smooth, except sometimes 

 on the chief veins beneath. 



C. PUNCTATA, Jacquin. 



A tree 20 to 35 ft. high, with a rounded head of often horizontal branches 

 more in diameter ; trunk 10 to 20 ins. through ; branches more or less armed 

 with spines 2. to 3 ins. long ; young shoots grey, hairy at first, then smooth. 

 Leaves broadly ovate, rounded or rather abruptly pointed at the apex, always 

 tapered at the base ; 2 to 4 ins. long, i^ to 2| ins. wide ; toothed, the larger 

 leaves of the barren shoots more or less lobed above the middle ; veins parallel 

 in five to ten pairs, deeply sunk above ; upper surface dark green, both surfaces 

 at first downy, afterwards almost or quite smooth above, more persistently 

 downy beneath ; stalk f in. or less long. Flowers white, f in. diameter, 

 opening early in June on corymbs up to 4 ins. across ; the calyx-tube, the 

 inner surface of the narrow, almost entire lobes, and the flower-stalk hairy ; 

 stamens twenty ; styles five. Fruit deep red, specked with pale dots ; f to I 

 in. diameter, slightly pear-shaped or almost globose. 



Native of Eastern N. America ; introduced in 1746. It is certainly one of 

 the most attractive and well-doing of American thorns, giving great crops of 

 its white blossom and crimson fruits. Perhaps the finest example in the 

 country is at Aldenham, Herts, a tree planted in 1845 being now 33 ft. high, 

 its head of branches over 40 ft. across. The following varieties are in 

 cultivation : 



Var. RUBRA. Fruit of a deep cherry-like red, becoming almost black before 

 falling. 



Var. STRIATA. Fruit red, with yellow streaks near the base. 



Var. XANTHOCARPA, Jacquin (var. aurea, PursK). Fruits bright yellow. 

 In all the forms of C. punctata the leaves are conspicuously parallel-veined and 

 the fruits are marked by small pale dots. Leaves and fruits fall in October. 



