0455 



APPLE TREE 



Family: ROSACEAE. 



Reproductive system: ICOSANDRY,PENTAGYNY. 



The common apple tree, Malm communis, Lam., is a medium sized tree that gets 

 to be fairly tall depending on the soil in which it grows. Its branches are irregular and on 

 wild trees they have thorns. The leaves are oval, slightly dentate on the margins and 

 cottony underneath. The large flowers are white, tinged with pink, and are formed in 

 umbels. The calyx is hairy and has five sections. The stamens are very numerous and 

 insert into the calyx. The ovary is adherent and is surmounted by five styles that are fused 

 at their base. It develops into a fruit that varies in size and shape. 



FLOWERS: in May. 



RANGE: France and a large part of Europe. 



Nomenclature. Malm is from mel or mat, Celtic for apple. German, der 

 apfelbaum, apfel, appel. Danish, aeble. English, apple-tree. Spanish, manzana. Russian, 

 jab/on. Hungarian, alma. Arabic, tyjfah. 



The Chinese flowering crab apple, Malm spectabilis, is a shrub cultivated in 

 parterres and in gardens. It's three or four feet high. The leaves are oval, oblong, toothed, 

 and smooth on top. The flowers are large, numerous, pink, and umbelliform. The corolla 

 consists of petals that have an unguis longer than the calyx. The ovary is surmounted with 

 styles that have a woolly base. 



FLOWERS: in early spring. 



RANGE: China; introduced into England in 1780 and from there into France. 



USES. Everyone knows the benefits of growing apple trees, 



