244 XLVIli. ROSACE^E. PYRUS. 



small. Hedges, &c., sparingly naturalized. Shrub very branching, 8 18f 

 high. Thorns slender, very sharp, axillary, ' long. Leaves 1 2' long, nearly 

 as wide, lower ones deeply lobed; petioles 1' long, with 2 leafy stipules at 

 base. Flowers white. Fruit 2 3" diam., purple. Used for hedges (exten- 

 sively in Europe). There are several varieties. $ 



6. C. PARVIFLORA. Ait. (C. tomentosa. Michx. Mespilus laciniata. Walt.') 

 Thorns slender ; Ivs. coriaceous, pubescent, cuneate-obovate, subsessile, in- 



cisely serrate ; fls. subsolitary ; cal. with the pedicels and branchlets villous-to- 

 mentose; sep. laciniate, foliaceous; sty. 5; fr. large, roimdish-obovoid, with 5 

 bony, 1-seeded nuts. Sandy woods, N. J. and Southern States. A much 

 branched shrub, 4 7f high. Leaves 1 2' by ', the upper siirface shining 

 and nearly glabrous when old. Fruit greenish-yellow, near J' diam., and eata- 

 ble when ripe. Apr. May. 



7. C. CORDATA. Ait. (C. populifolia. Walt.) Washington Tlwrn. 



Thorn glabrous and glandless ; Ivs. cordate-ovate, somewhat deltoid, acu- 

 minate, incisely lobed and serrate, with long and slender petioles; sep. short: 

 ity. 5; fr. small, globose-depressed. Banks of streams, Va. to Ga., cultivated 

 in the Middle States for hedge-rows. Shrub 15 20f high, the branches with 

 very sharp and slender thorns 2 3' long. Leaves often deeply 3 5-lobed, about 

 2' by !'. Pomes $' diam., numerous, red. Jn. . 



7. PYRUS. 



Celtic per en; Anglo-Saxon pere ; Fr. poire: Lat. pyrtis; Eng. pear. 



Calyx urceolate, limb 5-cleft; petals 5, roundish ; styles 5 (2 or 3), 

 often united at base ; pome closed, 2 5-carpcled, fleshy or baccate ; 

 carpels cartilaginous, 2-seeded. Trees or shrubs. Lvs. simple or pin- 

 nate. Fls. white or rose-colored, in cymose corymbs. 



Leaves simple. Cyme simple. Styles united at base. 



1. P. CORONARIA. (Malus. Mill.) Crab Apple. Sweet-scented Crab-tree. 

 Lvs. broad-ovate, rounded at base, incisely serrate, often sublobate, smooth- 



ish, on very slender petMes ; pet. unguiculate ; sty. united and wooly at the 

 base: fr. as well as the fls. very fragrant, corymbose. Borders of woods, Mid. 

 West, and South. States. A small tree, 10 20f high, with spreading branches. 

 Leaves 2 3' long, f as wide, resembling those of Cratasgus coccinea ; petioles 

 1' long. Flowers very large, rose-colored, in loose corymbs of 5 10. Fruit 

 as large (1 !' diam.) as a small apple, yellowish, hard and sour, but esteem- 

 ed for preserves. May. 



2. P. ANGUSTIFOLIA. Ait. (Malus. Michx.) 



Glabrous; Ivs. lance-oblong, acute at base, slightly dentate-serrate, shin- 

 ing above; sty. distinct; fr. small. Penn. and S. States. A tree 15 20f high, 

 resembling the last, but with smaller leaves and fruit. Apr. May. 



3. P. MALUS. Common Apple Tree. Leaves ovate, or oblong-ovate, serrate, ' 

 acute or short-acuminate, pubescent above, tomentose beneath, petiolate ; co- 

 rymbs subumbellate : pedicels and calyx villose-tomentose ; pet. with short claws 

 sty. 5, united and villose at base ; pome globose. Native in Europe and almost 

 naturalized here. Tree 20251' high (in thickets 25 40). Branches rigid, 

 crooked, spreading. Bark rough and blackish. Leaves 2 3' long, f as wide, 

 petioles \ V long. Flowers expanding with the leaves, fragrant, large, clothing 

 the tree in their light roseate hue, making ample amends for its roughness and de- 

 fonnity. The Romans had 22 varieties (Pliny) but the number is now greatly 

 increased. Probably nearly 1000 varieties are cultivated in the U. S. 



4. P. COMMUNIS. Pear Tree. Leaves, ovate-lanceolate, subserrate, glabrous 

 above, pubescent beneath, acute or acuminate ; corymbs racemose ; cal. and pe- 

 dicels pubescent; sty. 5, distinct and villose at base; pome pyriform. Tree 

 usually taller than the apple, 20 35f high. Bark rough, blackish. Branches 

 ascending. Leaves 2 3V long, f as wide ; petioles 1 2' long. Flowers white, 

 small. Native in Europe, where, in its wild slate, the fruit is small and im- 

 palatable. The Romans cultivated 36 varieties (Pliny), but, like the apple, 

 varieties without end are now raised from the seed of this delicious fruit. 



