FLOWERING TREES AND SHRUBS 149 



ornamental Crab, bearing a great abundance of rosy-pink 

 or nearly white flowers. It is a shrub-like tree, reaching a 

 height of 20 feet, and with an upright habit of growth. 

 Bark of a rich, reddish-brown colour. It is one of the 

 most profuse and persistent bloomers of the whole 

 family. 



P. Smithii (syn Mespilus Smiihii and M. grandiflora). — 

 Smith's Medlar. Caucasus, 1800. The habit of this tree 

 closely resembles that of a Hawthorn, and although the 

 flowers are only half the size of those of the Common 

 Medlar, they are produced in greater profusion, so that the 

 round-headed tree becomes a sheet of white blossom daring 

 May and June. The reddish-brown fruits are small for a 

 Medlar, and ripen in October. 



P. toeminalis. — Wild Service Tree. A native species 

 of small growth, with ovate-cordate leaves, and small 

 white flowers. P. torminalis pinnatifida, with acutely- 

 lobed leaves, and oval-oblong fruit may just be men- 

 tioned. 



P. vestita. — Nepaul White Beam. Nepaul, 1820. In 

 this species the leaves are very large, ovate-acute or 

 elliptic, and when young thickly coated with a white 

 woolly-like substance, but which with warm weather 

 gradually gives way until they are of a smooth and shining 

 green. The flowers are borne in woolly racemose corymbs, 

 and are white succeeded by greenish-brown berries as 

 large as marbles. It is of pyramidal growth, and attains 

 to less than 20 feet in height. 



Other species of less interest are P. varidosa, P. salici- 

 folia, P. salvsefolia, P. Bollwylleriana, and P. Amygdali- 

 formis. They are all of free growth, and the readiest 

 culture, even in smoky localities, and being perfectly hardy 

 are well worthy of a much larger share of attention than 

 they have heretofore received. 



