298 ICOSANDRIA DI-PENTAGYNIA 



Obs. Numerous varieties of this favorite fruit are cultivated. The branches 

 (of id frequently the whole tree) are subject to a sudden blight,— the cause of which 

 is not well understood* Two or three additional species, as the genus is at present 

 constituted, are enumerated as natives of the U. States. 



234. CYDONIA. Tournef. DC. Prodr. 2. p % f>38. 

 [So named from Cydonia, a city of Crete ; whence it was obtained.] 



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

 Styles 5. Pome closed, 5-celled; cells cartilaginous, many-seeded. 

 Seeds covered with a mucilaginous pulp. 



Small trees, or shrubs : mostly unarmed ; leaves simple, alternate, very entire, 

 or serrate; Qowers mostly solitary. Nat. Ord. 71. Lindl. Pomacbjb. 



1. C. vulgaris, Pers. Leaves oblong-ovate, obtuse at base, very 

 entire, tomentose beneath; peduncles solitary, and, with the calyx, 

 lanu gi nous ; fruit sub-turbinatc, tomentose. DC. I.e. 

 Pyrus Cydonia. Willd, Sp. 2. p. 1020. Ait. Kcw. 3. p. 209. Muhl. 

 Catal. p. 49. Florul. Cestr. p. 126. Eat. Man. p. 291. 



Common Cidonia. Vulgo — Quince. Quince-tree. 



Gall. — Cognassier. Germ. — Her Quittenbatim. Hisp. — JSTembrillero. 



Stem 8 to 10 or 12 feet high, branching, and somewhat spreading. Leaves 2 to 3 

 itiches long, and \to2 i?iches wide, rather acute, smooth and given above, hoary. to- 

 mentose beneath; petioles about half an inch long, tomentose. Flowers terminal, 

 solitary, large ; peduncles {fourth to I third of an inch long. Calyx dense/;/ lanu- 

 ginous; segments ovate-oblong, subfoliaceous, glandular-serrulate. Petals red- 

 dish white, or pale blush color, obovate. Stamens in a single series, erect. Styles 

 smooth above* subconnate and densely lanuginous at base. Fruit a large Jleshy 

 and somewhat obovoidpome, umbilicate at apex, produced tU base, clothed with a 

 soft tomentum, yelloto when mature. 



Hab. Gardens; ditch banks, 5cc frequent. YX.May. Fr. Sept.— October. 



Obs. IVie fruit of this is supposed to be the golden apple of the Hesperides, so 

 celebrated i?i a?icient fable. It is chiefly used, here, for making preserves,— and, 

 occasionally, domestic wine. The (J. japonica, Pers. (Pyrus japonica, Willd.) 

 so much ail mi red for its beautiful floxcers, is sometimes to be met with in our gar- 

 dens. There are no native species in the U. States. 



b. Ovart superior : Fruit dry, — Carpels, or Jlkenes. 



235. 8PIR.«A. L. JSTutt. Gen. 442. 

 [Supposed to be from the Greek, Speira, a cord; in al lusion to its flexible branches ] 



Calyx 5-cleft, spreading, persistent. Petals 5, orbicular, equal. Sie- 

 mens exserted. Carpels 1, 3, or many, distinct, or rarely connate at 

 base, mostly sessile, with a short acumination at apex. Seeds 2, or 

 many, affixed to the inner suture. 



Shrubby, or herbaceous : leaves alternate, simple, or pinnately dissected, often 

 stipular; flowers corymbose, or racemose-paniculate. Nat. Ord. 73. Lindl. 

 Rosace.*. 



1. S. opulifolia, L. Shrubby; leaves mostly roundish-ovate and 3- 

 lobed, doubly crenatc-serrate, smoothish, stipular ; corymbs terminal, 



