CHAP. XLII. 



i?OSA v CE7E. AMELA'nCHIER. 



875 



ii. p. G32.) A shrub, or low tree, closely resembling the preceding species ; 

 and by some botanists considered as only a variety of it. In America, it 

 grows to the height of 30 ft. or 40 ft., with a 

 trunk lOin. or 12 in. in diameter. The flowers 

 expand in the beginning of April ; and they are suc- 

 ceeded by small fruit of a purplish colour, and of 

 an agreeable sweet taste, which ripens in the be- 

 ginning of June, before that of any other tree or 

 shrub. Of this fruit the largest tree rarely yields 

 more than half a pound. The wood of the tree is 

 white, and it exhibits no difference between the 

 heart and the sap : it is longitudinally traversed by 

 small bright red vessels, which intersect each other, 

 and run together ; a physiological peculiarity which, 

 Michaux observes, occurs also in the red birch. 

 In British gardens, it may be found from 12 ft. to 

 20 ft. high, covered with its white flowers in early 

 spring, and very ornamental in autumn, from the 

 fine dark red which its leaves assume before dying 

 off. 



¥ 3. A. (v.) sangui'nea Dec. The blood-coloured Amelanchier. 



Identification. Dec. Prod., 2. p. 633. ; Lindl. in Bot. Reg., 1. 1171. : Hook. Fl. Bor. Amer., 1. p. 203. ; 



Don's Mill., 2. p. 604. 

 Synonymes. Pfrus sangufnea" a P ursh Fl. Amer. Sept., 1 p. 340. ; Arbnia sanguinea Nutt.; Mespilus 



canadensis y rotundifolia Michaux Fl. Bor. Amer., 1. p. 391. 

 Engravings. Bot. Reg., 1. 1171. ; and our figs. 630, 631. 



Spec. Char., dye. Leaves oval, obtuse at both ends, mucronate, finely ser- 

 rated, somewhat heart-shaped at the base. Flowers few in a raceme. Calyx 

 glabrous. Petals linear, obtuse. Fruit eatable. (Dec. Prod., ii. p. 633.) 



f\ 631 



This plant differs principally from A. (v.) Botryapium in the fewer flowers, 

 much shorter raceme, and shorter, broader, and more ovate petals ; and in the 

 young leaves being perfectly destitute of pubescence. According to Pursh, 

 it is a small tree with blood-red branches ; whence, probably, the specific 

 name; though in Don's Miller it is called the bloody-fruited Amelan- 

 chier. It is a native of Hudson's Bay, and was introduced into Britain 

 in 1824. Judging from the plant in the Horticultural Society's Garden, we 

 are strongly inclined to think it only a variety of A. (v.) Botryapium ; but, 

 though we are of this opinion, and, in fact, consider all the amelanchiers 

 known as only different forms of one species, in the same manner as Pyrus 

 nivalis, P. sinaica, P. salicifolia, P. elaeagnifolia, and others, are only dif- 

 ferent states of the wild pear (P. communis), yet, as in the case of that 

 species, we think they are as well worth keeping distinct, and of being 

 cultivated, as if they were species. What advantage, then, it may be asked, 

 is gained by calling them varieties, instead of species ; or even by proving 

 them to be only varieties, if that could be done ? To this we answer, first, 



