Pyrus 1567 



on account of its large pink flowers, about 2 in. across, which appear early in 

 the season. Forms with double flowers occur, one of which with very large 

 flowers is known as var. Riversii. 



Pyrus prunifolia, Willdenow, Phytog. i. 8 (1794); J. D. Hooker, in Bot. Mag. 

 t. 6158 (1875). 



Young branchlets tomentose. Leaves usually elliptic, about 3 in. long and 

 2 in. broad (occasionally a few are sub-orbicular and smaller), contracted above 

 into a cuspidate acuminate apex, tomentose on the midrib and nerves beneath 

 and on the petiole, conspicuously glandular on the midrib above; margin 

 with irregular serrations, which are crenate or bluntly triangular. Fruit 

 globose or ovoid, about an inch in diameter, yellow on one side, bright red 

 on the other, depressed at the base, crowned by the persistent sepals, which 

 are united together at their base. 



P. prunifolia has never been found in the wild state, and is of uncertain 

 origin. It was reputed, when introduced in 1753, to have come from Siberia. 

 It closely resembles P. baccata, differing mainly in the persistent calyx of the 

 fruit; and is supposed by Bailey^ to be a hybrid between that species and 

 P. Malus. It is cultivated at Kew ; and at Bayfordbury there is a fine 

 specimen, 35 ft. by 5 ft. 7 in., with the stem forked a few feet from the ground. 

 . Pyrus Sckeideckeri, Spath, in Gartenflora, liii. 417, t. 1529 (1904). 



Young branchlets slightly pubescent. Leaves ovate, acuminate, about 3 in. 

 long, with scattered pubescence on the under surface and hairy petioles ; margin 

 coarsely and sharply serrate and biserrate. Fruit, f in. in diameter, globose, 

 usually crowned by the persistent calyx, occasionally some of the sepals being 

 deciduous. 



This originated in Scheidecker's nursery at Munich, as a seedling of 

 P. floribunda, but is evidently a hybrid, the other parent being probably 

 P. prunifolia. It is a small tree, producing large flowers, white tinged 

 with pink, in great abundance ; and is in cultivation at Kew. 



** Calyx not persistent on the fruit. 

 . Pyrus baccata, Linnaeus, Mant. 75 (1767). 



Branchlets glabrous. Leaves ovate-oblong, 2\ to 3 J in, long, i|- to 2 in. 

 wide, contracted above into a cuspidate acuminate apex; glabrous beneath, 

 except for slight pubescence on the midrib ; glandular on the midrib above ; 

 margin with shallow usually crenate serrations. Fruit globose, f in. in 

 diameter, hollowed at the base and apex, the apex being marked with a circular 

 brown scar, no trace of the calyx remaining. 



This species,^ which is usually known as the Siberian crab, is widely 

 distributed in eastern Siberia, Manchuria, central and northern China, and 

 throughout the Himalayas at 6000 to 10,000 ft. altitude. It was introduced 

 in 1784. 



1 



Cycl. Amer. Hort. 1472 (1901). 

 2 Figured by Sir J. D. Hooker in Bot. Mag. t. 61 12 (1874), who states that, in the western parts of the Himalayas, 

 this species becomes more pubescent in all its parts. 



VI 2 H 



