Pyrus 



*57 



source of most of the cultivated apples, though some of these have arisen from var. 

 sylvestris, and others from crosses of the two forms. 



It is impossible here to enter into any account of the apples cultivated for their 

 fruits ; but the following peculiar varieties may be briefly noticed. 



3. Var. astracanica, Loudon, Arb. et Frut. Brit. ii. 893 (1838). 



Malus astracanica, Dumont de Courset, Bot. v. 426 (1811). 

 Pyrus astracanica, De Candolle, Prod. ii. 635 (1825). 



Leaves large, coarsely serrate and in part bi-serrate, tomentose beneath. 

 Flowers and fruits on long stalks. On account of the length of the peduncles, this is 

 considered by Schneider and by Ascherson and Graebner, to be a hybrid between 

 P. Malus, var. pumila, and P. baccata ; but this is very doubtful. A tree cultivated 

 at Kew under this name agrees with a herbarium specimen, which was collected 

 by Schrenk in Songaria. Loudon states that this variety is " a native of about 

 Astrachan, on the testimony of gardeners," and mentions two kinds, one with red 

 fruit, the other with wax-coloured fruit. 



4. Var. Niedzwetzkyana, Ascherson and Graebner, op. cit. 78 (1906). 



Pyrus Niedzwetzkyana, Hemsley, in Bot. Mag. t. 7975 (1904). 



Adult leaves tinged with red on the midrib and nerves. Flowers deep pink. 

 Fruit with a crimson skin and pale purple flesh. Nearly all the other parts of the 

 tree, as the wood and bark, are also coloured red. 



This remarkable variety was obtained by Dieck, 1 who introduced it in 1891, 

 from Kashgar and the plateau of Talgar, near Vernoie, in south-west Siberia. 

 Goeze 2 states that a similar tree is cultivated in the Caucasus. This variety is hardy 

 at Kew, where it flowers and produces fruit. 



5. Var. apetala, Ascherson and Graebner, op. cit. 78 (1906). 



Pyrus apetala, Muenchhausen, Hausv. v. 247 (1770). 



Pyrus dioica, Moench, Verz. Weissenst. 87 (1785): Loudon, Arb. et Frut. Brit. ii. 892 (1838). 



Flowers with two rows of sepals and 10 to 15 styles; without petals or 

 stamens. Fruit seedless. 



The origin of this is unknown. It was said by Loudon to have been in con- 

 tinental gardens in his time ; but was not introduced in 1838. There is a specimen 

 at Kew, but I have seen no flowers or fruit. 3 



6. Schneider mentions var. pendula, a tree with pendulous branches and 

 branchlets ; and var. aucubcefolia, in which the leaves are spotted with yellow. 



Distribution 



The common apple is widely distributed throughout nearly all Europe, Asia 

 Minor, the Caucasus, north Persia, south-western Siberia, Turkestan, and the 



1 Ntuh. Offer. Nat. Arb. Ziischen, 1891, p. 16, where the name is given as Malus Medwictzkyana, which was afterwards 

 changed by Dieck to the spelling given above. 



2 Card. Chron. ix. 461 (1891). Cf. also Graebner, in Mitt. Deut. Dend. Ges. 191 1, p. 254, who mentions a fine 

 specimen at Karlsruhe. Young plants vary much in the colour of the leaves. 



3 Bailey, Cycl. Amer. Hort. 1473 (1901), states that it is figured and described in American Gardening, x. 244, 279, 

 and xi. 6 (figs.), 624. 



