290 ICOSANDRIA DI-PENTAGYNIA 



Stem 30 to 50 or 60 foet high, and often 2 feet or more in diameter at base, wiiii 

 irregular spreading branches. Leaves 2 to 4 inches long, and 1 to 2 inches wide, 

 shining green above, paler beneath, the serraiures appressed or incurved, with a 

 minute callous point; petioles half an inch to 3 quarters in length, smooth, mostly 

 with 2 to 4 glands near the leaf (sometimes but 1, and occasionally none). Flowers 

 in simple lateral racemes, from tho branches of the preceding year ; common pe- 

 duncle 1 to 2 inches long, often bearing 1, 2, or 3 leaves ; raceme 2 to 4 inches long, 

 smooth ; pedicels 2 to 4 lines long, spreading. Calyx-segments short, acute, erect, 

 smooth. Petals white, orbicular-obovate. Drupe globose, small (2 or 3 lines in 

 diameter), dark purple, or purplish black, when mature, bitter and mawkish to the 

 taste. 



Ilab. Fence-rows ; banks of streams, &c. frequent. Fl. May. Fr. August* 



Obsn The teo<xlo( this is variegated, close-drained and hard, taking a good polish; 

 and isjmuch used by Cabinet-makers. The bark is a rather unpalatable, but valu- 

 able tonic,— especially in those cases of debility which often succeed catarrhal 

 affections. The leaves are a favorite food of caterpillars, and the trees arc often 

 completely stript by those voracious animals. Prof. Ilookcr doubts whether this 

 and the C. serotina aro really distinct. They certainly have a strong resemblance ; 

 but Dr. Torrey has noted the true distinction between them,— especially with re- 

 spect to the serraiures of the leaves,— which in C. serotina are more spreading, un- 

 equal, and acuminate, and approach nearer the C.Padus, of Europe, than in our C. 

 Tirgi:i:ana. The pubescence along the midrib, beneath, is not entirely to be relied 

 on ; as it occurs occasionally in our plant. Four or five additional species arc en- 

 umerated in the U. States; but, like the Plums^ they require a revision,— and can 

 only be settled by a careful Monograph. 



LCrauegus cms galli, and C. oxyacantha, in the following order.] 



Order S&. Di-Pentagynia. 



a. Ovary inferior : Fruit a Pome. 



231. CRATAEGUS. L. Mitt. Gen. 437. 

 [Greek, Eratos, strength ; in allusion to the strength, or firmness of the wood.] 



Calyx with the tube adnate to the ovary, urccolatc ; limb 5-cleft. 

 Petals 5, orbicular, spreading. Ovary 1 or 2 to 5-celled. Styles 1 

 or 2 to 5, smooth. Pome subovoid, flesh} 7 , or somewhat farinaceous, 

 closed by the teeth of the calyx, or incrassated disk, 1 or 2 to 5-celled ; 

 cells bony, 1-seeded. 



Small trees, or shrubs: spinose; leaves alternate, stipular, simple, serrate, or 

 angulate-lobed ; flowers mostly in terminal corymbs; bracts subulate, deciduous. 

 Nat.OraWi. Lindl. Pomacbjb. 



* Leaves eerrate, not lobed. 



1. C. cutis galli, L. Leaves obovate-cuneaie, or lance-oval, subses- 

 sile, coriaceous, smooth, shining above; corymbs smooth; calyx 

 smooth, segments lanceolate, subserrate; styles 2, or often solitary. 

 Becky Bot. p. 111. var. a. splendens, and var. b. pyracanthifolia ! 

 Ait. DC. 



Mespilus cms galli. Also? M. cuneiformis. Marsh. Arbust. p. 88. 



Cockspur Cratjsgus. Vulgo — Cockspur Thorn. New Castle Thorn. 



