Cotoneaster. | XXVI. ROSACEA. 149 
and under side of the leaves covered with a short, dense, white cottony 
down. Leaves shortly stalked, small, ovate or orbicular, entire, glabrous 
on the upper side. Flowers greenish-white, small, solitary or few together, 
in short drooping racemes, on very short leafy branches or buds, Calyx 
glabrous, with short broad teeth. Styles usually 3. Fruit small, reddish. 
In rocky situations, chiefly in limestone regions, in central and southern, 
and especially eastern Europe, and in central and Russian Asia, extending 
- to the Arctic Circle, and ascending high up into mountain-ranges, even to 
the edges of glaciers, In Britain, only known on the limestone cliffs of the 
Great Orme’s Head. Fl. spring. 
XVII, MESPILUS. MEDLAR. 
A single species, distinguished as a genus from Crategus on account of 
its large flowers, with more foliaceous divisions to the calyx, and of its 
fruit, of which the bony cells are more exposed at the top of the fruit, and 
more readily separable from each other. 
1, M.germanica, Linn. (fig. 340). Common Medlar.—A shrub or 
small tree, more or less thorny when wild, but losing its thorns in cultiva- 
tion. Leaves undivided, nearly sessile, lanceolate or oblong, with very 
small teeth, usually downy, especially on the under side. Flowers large, 
white or slightly pink, solitary and sessile on short leafy branches. Styles 
glabrous and distinct, usually 5. Fruit nearly globular or pear-shaped, 
crowned by a broad hairy disk, from whence the 5 bony cells very slightly 
protrude. 
In hedges and thickets, common in southern Europe to the Caucasus, 
extending more or less into central Europe, but in many cases only as 
escaped from cultivation. In Britain, apparently wild in several localities 
in southern England, but probably not truly indigenous. 27. spring. 
The Calycanthus, occasionally planted in shrubberies, and Chimonan- 
thus, often trained against walls, belong to the small North American and 
Asiatie Calycanthus family, allied on the one hand to Rosacea, on the other 
to Magnoliacea. The common Myrtle, a south European shrub, is one of 
the very large tropical family of Myrtacee, with the indefinite perigynous 
stamens of the Rosacee, but with opposite leaves, and a completely syncar- 
pous inferior ovary. 
XXVII. ONAGRACEZ. THE CGINOTHERA FAMILY. 
Herbs, or, in some exotic genera, shrubs, with the leaves, 
especially the lower ones, frequently opposite, almost always 
undivided (except when immersed in water), and toothed, 
without stipules. Flowers in terminal spikes or racemes, or 
the lower ones solitary in the axils of the leaves. Calyx-tube 
adhering to the ovary, sometimes prolonged considerably above 
it ; the limb of 4 or sometimes 2 lobes, not overlapping each 
other in the bud. Petals as many, inserted on the calyx below 
its lobes, or occasionally wanting. Stamens 8, 4, or 2, inserted 
