Trccfi of New York State 231 



ROSACEAE 



Pyrus communis L. 



Pear 



Habit — A slow-growing, long-lived tree attaining under optimum condition"? 

 a height of 75 feet with a trunk diameter of 2 feet, usually much smaller 

 in cultivation. Bole straight, continuous into the crown, bearing short, 

 stout, ascending branches wliich form an oblong or pyramidal crown. 



Leaves — Alternate, ovate-oblong to oval or obovate, 2-4 inches long, %-iy2 

 inches vnde, acute or acuminate at the apex, obtuse or rounded at the 

 base, finely serrate or entire, at maturity thick, smooth, dark green and 

 lustrous above, paler and smooth below, borne on slender petioles ll^-4 

 inches long. 



Flowers — Appearing in April and May with the leaves, perfect, %-l inch 

 in diameter, borne on slender, usually downy pedicels in few- or many- 

 flowered, umbel-like cymes on short spur-like branches of the previous 

 season. Calyx gamosepalous, um-shaped, pubescent, 5-lobed, the lobes 

 acuminate, as long as the tube and ciliate on the margin. Petals white, 

 broadly obovate, rounded at the apex, contracted at the base, inserted 

 ■\\'ith the stamens on the cah^-tube. Stamens about 20, shorter than the 

 petals. PistU consisting of an inferior 5-celled ovary and 5 styles which 

 are connate at the base and bear capitate stigmas. 



Fruit — A pyriform or subglobose, waxy-green pome, about 2 inches long in 

 the wild form, marked at the top by the persistent calyx-lobes and stamen- 

 filaments, borne on a slender stalk about 1 inch long, ripening and turn- 

 ing yellowish green in the autumn. Flesh in the ^lld form rather dry, 

 sour, permeated with grit cells. Carpels coriaceous, enclosing 2 lustrous 

 bro^^^l seeds. 



Winter characters — Twigs stout, nearly smooth and somewhat lustrous, 

 brownish red with scattered, pale yellow lenticels. Short spinescent twigs 

 commonly present. In addition fruiting-trees have stout, slow-growing 

 fruit spurs marked by numerous leaf-scars. Terminal buds conical, 

 sharply acute, smooth or slightly pubescent at the tip, chestnut-bro"svn, 

 about Vs of an inch long. Mature bark thin, grayish brown, at first 

 smooth, at length dissected by shallow fissures into broad, flat, scaly 

 rid 



Habitat — Tliiekets, open woods, fence rows, old pastures and waste lands, 

 occurring as an escape. Seeds often disseminated by cattle which eat the 

 acidulous fruit. 



Range — Native to Eurasia but now widely cultivated in its various varieties 

 for its fruit throughout the temperate regions of the world. Widely 

 naturalized in the northeastern states as an escape. Zones A, B, and C. 



Uses — Not a timber species. Wood hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, red- 

 dish brown with paler sapwood. Used occasionally for tool handles, knife 

 handles, wood engraving, and for fuel. The value of the species lies in 

 its horticultural and ornamental varieties. 



