394 



TREES OF NORTH AMERICA 



and mountainous regions of eastern and western North America; it occurs with one species 

 in southern Europe, northern Africa and southwestern Asia, and with another in central 

 and western China and Japan. Only three species, all North American, attain the habit 

 and size of trees. The fruit of nearly all the species is more or less succulent, and several 

 are cultivated in gardens for the beauty of their early and conspicuous flowers, and oc- 

 casionally for their fruit. The name is of doubtful origin. 



CONSPECTUS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN ARBORESCENT SPECIES. 



Leaves finely serrate, acute or acuminate at apex; flowers on elongated pedicels in nodding 

 racemes; summit of the ovary glabrous; winter-buds lanceolate, long-acuminate. 

 Leaves densely white tomentose while young; flowers appearing before or as the leaves 

 unfold in silky tomentose racemes; calyx-lobes ovate, acuminate or nearly triangu- 

 lar and acute; fruit dry and tasteless. 1. A. canadensis (A). 

 Leaves slightly pubescent as they unfold, soon glabrous, dark red-brown while young; 

 flowers appearing after the leaves are nearly half grown in glabrous racemes; calyx- 

 lobes lanceolate or subulate, long-acuminate; fruit sweet and succulent. 



2. A. laevis (A). 



Leaves coarsely serrate usually only above the middle, rounded at apex, oblong-ovate 

 or oval; flowers on shorter pedicels in short erect or spreading racemes; summit of the 

 ovary covered with hoary tomentum; winter-buds ovoid or ellipsoid, acute or short- 

 acuminate. 3. A. florida (F, C, G). 



1. Amelanchier canadensis Med. Service Berry. Shad Bush. 

 Amelanchier canadensis var. tomentula Sarg. 



Leaves ovate-oval, oblong-obovate or rarely lanceolate or oblanceolate, acuminate and 

 often abruptly short-pointed at apex, rounded, slightly cordate or occasionally cuneate 

 at base, and finely serrate with acuminate teeth pointing forward; thickly coated when 



Fig. 350 



they unfold with silvery white tomentum, more or less densely pale pubescent below 

 until midsummer, later becoming glabrous or nearly glabrous, yellowish green on the 

 upper surface, paler on the lower surface, usually 2'-4' long and !'-#' wide, southward 

 sometimes up to 6' in length, with a slender midrib, and thin primary veins; petioles 

 slender, hoary-tomentose at first, usually becoming glabrous by midsummer, H'-2' in 



