ROSACEAE 



ROSE FAMILY 



RED HAW 



Crataegus mollis (T. & G.) Scheele 



There are many kinds of Crataegus, at least 20 of which 

 are in Illinois, and some are very difficult to identify. 

 All are thorny shrubs or small trees with simple alternate 

 leaves, white 

 flowers, and fruits 

 that resemble 

 small apples. 

 This is one of the 

 commonest spec- 

 ies in the state and 

 is also the largest 

 fruited. 



The Red Haw 

 grows in rich, pref- 

 erably moist soil from 

 southern Ontario to 

 South Dakota, Kan- 

 sas and Kentucky. 

 The bark is grayish 

 brown and somewhat 

 scaly and furrowed, 

 and the curved thorns are 1-2 inches 

 long. The leaves are densely covered 

 with short hairs beneath. 



The white flowers appear in May 

 and the tree is strikingly beautiful in full bloom. The green calyx 

 is 5-lobed and the 5 white petals and about 20 stamens are at- 

 tached above the ovaries. There are usually 5 styles and the fruit 

 contains 5 little bony nutlets, each with i seed. The fruits shown 

 are not mature. When they ripen in September they are smooth, 

 scarlet, about i inch in diameter and with thick yellow flesh. 

 They are eaten raw or made into jelly. 



The Cockspur Thorn, Crataegus Crus-galli L., is another com- 

 mon species the small flowers of which are pretty because of the 

 wine red anthers. The leaves are sharply toothed but not lobed, 

 and the small greenish red fruits have a hard dry flesh. There 

 are about 10 stamens and 1-3 styles, and the fruits contain usually 

 2 nutlets. 



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