458 



The Thorn Trees 



Fig. 405. — Shining Thorn. 



15. SHINING THORN — Crataegus nitida (Engelmann) Sargent 



Cratcegus viridis nitida Engelmann. Cratagus denaria Beadle 



This species occurs in bottom lands from southern Illinois (east St. Louis and 



Wabash county), south to eastern Miss- 

 issippi. It is a tree sometimes 9 meters 

 high, the lower branches spreading and 

 the upper ones erect, making a rounded 

 crown; the bark is dark, scaly, the twigs 

 orange-brown to reddish brown, becom- 

 ing gray, smooth, and are occasionally 

 armed with brown spines from 3 to 5 cm. 

 long. 



The leaves are oblong-ovate to oval, 

 from 3 to 8 cm. long, 2 to 6 cm. wide, 

 sharply pointed at both ends, or some- 

 times bluntish, coarsely doubly toothed, 

 often lobed, half-leathery, green and 

 shining above, paler beneath, smooth ex- 

 cept for a few hairs at the jimction of 

 the veins on the under side of the yoimg leaves; the leaf-stalks are winged above, 

 glandular, long-hairy towards the blade when young, i to 2 cm. long. The flowers 

 are about 2 cm. broad in many-flowered, smooth corymbs; calyx-lobes linear- 

 lanceolate, remotely glandular-toothed; stamens 10 to 20; anthers yellow; styles 3 

 to 5. The fruit ripens late; it is from 6 to 9 mm. thick, dull yellowish red to 

 brick-red, glaucous, with erect calyx- 

 lobes; the flesh is yellow, firm, mealy; it 

 contains 3 to 5 nutlets 4.5 to 7 mm. long, 

 ridged on the back, the nest 5 to 7 mm. 

 thick. 







16. HARBISON'S THORN 

 Crataegus Harbisoni Beadle 



Harbison's thorn occurs commonly 

 on the limestone hills about Nashville, 

 Tennessee. It is a tree sometimes 8 me- 

 ters high, with spreading branches form- 

 ing an open symmetrical crown; the bark 

 is gray-brown; the twigs are reddish 

 brown, hairy, becoming smooth and are 

 armed with dark reddish brown spines 3 to 5 cm. long. 



The leaves are eUiptic-obovate to orbicular, 3 to 10 cm. long, 2 to 9 cm. wide. 



Fig. 406. — Harbison's Thorn. 



