Tin Trees of Texas 10.~> 



rich lowlands, but is extensively planted in TVx;is as an orna- 

 mental shade tree on dry uplands, where it thrives very well. 

 The wood is heavy, hard, close-grained, but weak, takes 

 a high polish and is used to some extent for interior finishing. 

 The tree is not regarded in the northern states as desirable 

 for ornamental planting as the leaves are attacked by a fungus 

 which causes them to fall prematurely. In our area, how- 

 ever, the defoliation does not appear to be so severe from this 

 cause and it has been extensively used as a street shade tree. 

 It is undoubtedly superior to some trees which are more 

 abundantly grown. 



MALACEAE Small. The Apple Family. 



Trees with simple alternate leaves, regular perfect flowers, 

 and more or less fleshy, pomaceous fruits. 



Mature fruit green in color with mature carpels 



papery 1. Mains. 



Mature fruit red, orange, blue, black, yellow with 



mature carpels bony 2. Crataegus. 



MALUS. The Apples. 



Mains Soulardii (Bailey) Britton. Crab Apple. A small, 

 upright, stout tree reaching a height of 15-25 and a trunk 

 diameter of 6'-$', with rather stiff and dense rounded crown. 

 Bark reddish brown, fissured, and scaly, rather thin. Leaves 

 ovate, elliptic or obovate, blunt at the apex with rounded nar- 

 row base, irregularly toothed or sometimes lobed, very wooly at 

 first but becoming smooth above, remaining hairy beneath. 

 Flowers rather large, about I 1 /* '-2' in diameter when fully 

 expanded, rose pink, in dense Hat topped clusters. Fruit flat- 

 ' tened. globose about l 1 ^' long and l 1 /^' in diameter, greenish 

 yellow when mature, the flesh is firm and is acid to the taste. 



Minnesota southward to Texas. It occurs but sparingly 

 in the woods of east Texas. 



The tree is valuable for ornamental planting. 



CRATAEGUS. The Thorn Trees. Hawthorn. 



Small trees or shrub.-;, usually spiny; leaves simple, alternate, 

 toothed, notched or lobed; flowers mostly white; fruit fleshy, 



