458 



The Thorn Trees 



Fig. 405. Shining Thorn. 



15. SHINING THORN Crataegus nitida (Engelmann) Sargent 



Cratcegus viridis nitida Engelmann. Cratcegns denaria Beadle 



This species occurs in bottom lands from southern Illinois (east St. Louis and 



Wabash county), south to eastern Miss- 

 issippi. It is a tree sometimes 9 meters 

 high, the lower branches spreading and 

 the upper ones erect, making a rounded 

 crown; the bark is dark, scaly, the twigs 

 orange-brown to reddish brown, becom- 

 ing gray, smooth, and are occasionally 

 armed with brown spines from 3 to 5 cm. 

 long. 



The leaves are oblong-ovate to oval, 

 from 3 to 8 cm. long, 2 to 6 cm. wide, 

 sharply pointed at both ends, or some- 

 times bluntish, coarsely doubly toothed, 

 often lobed, half-leathery, green and 

 shining above, paler beneath, smooth ex- 

 cept for a few hairs at the junction of 

 the veins on the under side of the young leaves; the leaf-stalks are winged above, 

 glandular, long-hairy towards the blade when young, i to 2 cm. long. The flowers 

 are about 2 cm. broad in many- flowered, smooth corymbs; calyx- lobes linear- 

 lanceolate, remotely glandular-toothed; stamens 10 to 20; anthers yellow; styles 3 

 to 5. The fruit ripens late; it is from 6 to 9 mm. thick, dull yellowish red to 

 brick-red, glaucous, with erect calyx- 

 lobes; the flesh is yellow, firm, mealy; it 

 contains 3 to 5 nutlets 4.5 to 7 mm. long, 

 ridged on the back, the nest 5 to 7 mm. 

 thick. 



16. HARBISON'S THORN 

 Crataegus Harbisoni Beadle 



Harbison's thorn occurs commonly 

 on the limestone hills about Nashville, 

 Tennessee. It is a tree sometimes 8 me- 

 ters high, with spreading branches form- 

 ing an open symmetrical crown; the bark 

 is gray-brown; the twigs are reddish 

 brown, hairy, becoming smooth and are 

 armed with dark reddish brown spines 3 to 5 cm. long. 



The leaves are elliptic-obovate to orbicular, 3 to 10 cm. long, 2 to 9 cm. wide, 



Fig. 406. Harbison's Thorn. 



