136 THE SHRUBS OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



fruit is red, about § inch long. This is our best 

 species for hedging. But it should be remembered 

 that none answers well if left at random to an up- 

 ward growth, and is not well laid and so regularly 

 trimmed or cut in as to take a lateral growth and to 

 branch freely near the ground. 



5. Black Thorn. (C. tomentosa, Linn.) — A 

 shrub or small tree in the Middle and Upper Districts, 

 with large clusters of flowers, which are f inch or 

 more broad, and a round or pear-shaped, edible fruit, 

 which is orange-red and about f inch long. The 

 leaves are 3 to 5 inches long, of an oval or oblong 

 form, finely toothed and sometimes cut at the summit, 

 somewhat hairy on the underside, and more or less 

 furrowed along the veins above. 



There is a form of this (var : punctata, Gray) very 

 common on the tops of our mountains, with the 

 leaves smaller, more narrowed towards the base, and 

 the furrows on the upper surface deeper, and the 

 veins more prominent beneath. The fruit is round, 

 yellowish or* dull red, sprinkled with whitish dots. 



6. Narrow-Leaved Thorn. (C. spathulata, 

 Michx.) — Not uncommon in the Lower and Middle 

 Districts, 10 to 15 feet high, with quite small flowers 

 and fruit, but rather ornamental. The leaves are 

 smooth and shining, i to 1£ inch long, £ to i inch 

 wide, toothed at the upper end and tapering from 

 near the top down to the stem. The fruit is red and 

 in numerous clusters. 



7. Summer Haw. (C. flava, Ait.) — A small tree 



