ROSACEAE 



Sweet Crab. American Crab 



Pyrus coronaria, L. [Malus coronaria, Mill.] 



HABIT. Often a bushy shrub, but frequently a small tree 

 15-25 feet high, with a trunk 8-12 inches in diameter; forming 

 a broad, rounded crown of rigid, contorted branches bearing 

 many short, spur-like branchlets. 



LEAVES. Alternate, simple, 3-4 inches long, almost as 

 broad; ovate to nearly triangular; sharply and deeply serrate, 

 sometimes lobed ; membranaceous ; bright green above, paler be- 

 neath, glabrous both sides; petioles long, slender, often with two 

 dark glands near the middle. 



FLOWERS. May, after the leaves; perfect; i l / 2 -2 inches 

 across; very fragrant; borne on slender pedicels in 5-6-flowered 

 umbels; calyx urn-shaped, 5-lobed, tomentose; petals 5, rose 

 colored to white; stamens 10-20; ovary hairy; styles 5. 



FRUIT. October; a depressed-globose pome, i-i l / 2 inches 

 in diameter, pale green, very fragrant, with a waxy surface. 



WINTER-BUDS. Terminal bud *-% inch long, obtuse, 

 bright red ; lateral buds smaller. 



BARK. Twigs at first hoary-tomentose, becoming glabrous, 

 red-brown; thin, red-brown, breaking into longitudinal fissures 

 on the trunk. 



WOOD. Heavy, rather soft, close-grained, weak, red- 

 brown, with thick, yellow sapwood. 



DISTRIBUTION. Southern portion of the Lower Pen- 

 insula as far north as Roscommon County. 



HABITAT. Rich, moist, but well-drained soil in thickets 

 and along streams. 



NOTES. An excellent ornamental tree or shrub for small 

 gardens and shrubberies. The fruit is sometimes gathered for 

 making preserves. 



