356 TREES IN WINTER 



QUINCE 



Cydonia vulgaris Pers. 

 Pyrus Cydonia L. 



HABIT — A low bushy strag-gling rounded shrub or small tree rarely- 

 exceeding- 15 ft. in height with crooked distorted branches. 



BARK — Dark gray, finely streaked, becoming with age more or less 

 roughened with large flaky scales. 



TAVIGS — Slender, dark reddish-brown, often with tinge of green; in 

 protected places and especially toward the tip of the twig generally 

 more or less densely covered with pale wool, bright-shining where 

 smooth; mostly tasteless. LENTICELS — small, numerous, becoming con- 

 spicuous brownish dots on older growth. PITH — narrow, greenish. 



LEAF-SCARS — Alternate, more than 2-ranked, small, crescent-shaped 

 to inversely triangular, raised' on a somewhat shrivelled projection 

 slightly darker than the twig and containing at its outer edges the 

 roundish, rather inconspicuous stipule-scars at either side of the leaf- 

 scar. BUNDLE-SCARS — 3. 



BUDS — Terminal bud absent; lateral buds minute, about 3 mm. or 

 often less in length, ovate, blunt, flattened and appressed against 

 twig; smoothish or somewhat hairy at base, with dense pale-rusty hairs 

 within showing through at apex. BUD-SCALES — not easily distin- 

 guished, about 2 visible, reddish-brown to light reddish, breaking away 

 at the tip. 



FRUIT — A large, firm, fleshy, downy pome. 



COMPARISONS — The twigs and buds of the Quince resemble some- 

 what those of the Apple but the twigs are much more slender and 

 the buds show a distinctive tuft of rusty hairs. The bushy habit of 

 growth further will distinguish the Quince from the other cultivated 

 fruit trees. 



DISTRIBUTION — A tree native of Europe, cultivated for the fruit and 

 escaped to a slight extent in some localities. 



W'OOD — The wood is of no commercial importance. The fruit is 

 valued for preserving. The raw fruit and mucilaginous seed are used 

 In domestic medicinal practice. 



