132 



WEEDS AND USEFUL PLANTS. 



Stan 6-12 feet high, mucli branched; branches rugged, armed with tapering thortiii 

 about half an inch in length. Leaves an inch to an inch and a half long, and about as wide 

 as long, variously lobed, often 3-5 lobed, with the terminal lobe trifld. Stipules of the 

 young plant foliaceous, obhquely falcate-reniform. Corymbs terminal on the short branches, 

 many flowered. Style mostly solitary. Fruit about X of an inch in diameter, purple when 

 mature. 



Cultivated and naturalized. Native of Europe. i^^L May. J'r. October. 



Obs. This, the Hawthorn so often mentioned by English writers, and 

 so interwoven in English poetry, is often used for hedges, and is to some 

 extent naturalized. Like the other species of the genus, it has a m.arked 

 tendency to "sport" or form varieties, and over thirty varieties are 

 mentioned in the English works on horticulture. Some of them flower 

 very late in the season, others have red flowers, and there are those with 

 pendulous and with erect branches. It is capable of being trained into 

 a neat compact tree, and growing thus, especialiy the red-flowered va- 

 riety, when filled with its fragrant flowers, is really charming. The 

 ripe fruit or " haws," are a favorite food of the birds. * 



11. PY'RUS, L. Pear and Apple. 



[The, Latin name for the Pear.] 



Calyx-tube urceolate ; h'mb 5-lobed. Styles mostly 5, often united at 

 base. Po7ne fleshy,— containing 2-5 cartilaginous or nearly membrana- 

 ceous carpels. Seeds 2 in each carpel or cell ; testa chartaceous or car- 

 tilaginous. Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple or pinnate. 

 Flowers in terminal spreading cymes or corymbs. 

 ^ 1. Leaves simple. 



* Styles 5, distinct ; fruit not sunk in at the attachment of the stalk. (Pyrus.) 



1. P. commu'nis, L. Leaves lance-ovate, slightly serrate, the uppei 

 surface smooth ; peduncles corymbose ; fruit turbinate. 



CoMMOisr Pyrus. Pear. Pear-tree 



Fr. Le Poirier. Germ. Der Birnbaum. Span. El Peral, 



stem 15-30 feet high, branching ; branches virgate, rather erect, forming an oblong or 

 conical top. Xeaues 2-3 inches long ; peitoZtes 1 -2 inches in length. PetaZs white. Fruit 

 of various size (1-2 or 3 inches in diameter), fleshy or succulent, umbilicate at apex, 

 obovoid, tapering to the peduncle, often somewhat* curved or oblique. 



Cultivated. Native of Europe. i^Z. May. Fr. August -November. 



Obs. Many varieties of this luscious fruit have been obtained by 

 long culture, — in which the French seem particularly to excel. 



^* Styles 5, united at base; fruit sunk in at the base. (Malus.) 



2. P. Ma'lus, L. Leaves ovate-oblong, serrate, the upper surface 

 pubescent ; peduncles subumbellate villous ; fruit depressed, globose, or 

 oblong. 



Apple Pyrus. Common Apple. Apple-tree. 



Fr. Le Pommier. Germ. Der Apfelbaura. Span. Manzano. 



stem 15-25 or 30 feet high, branching ; branches mostly spreading and often genicu- 

 late, formiag a broad bushy top. Leaves 2-3 inches long ; petioles an inch or more \v 



