132 



WEEDS AND USEFUL PLA^^TS. 



Stem 6-12 feet high, much branched; branches rugged, armed with tapering thorng 

 about half an inch in length. Leaves an inch to an inch and a half long, and about as \x'v\q 

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

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

 many flowered. Style mostly sohtary. Fruit about }^ of an inch in diameter, purple when 

 mature. 



Cultivated and naturahzed. Xative of Europe. Fl.llaj. i^^-. October. 



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

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

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

 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, especially 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'EUS, L. Pear and Apple. 



[The Latin name for the Pear.] 



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

 base. Pome 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. 

 I 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 upper 

 surface smooth ; peduncles corymbose ; fruit turbinate. 



Common 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. Leaves 2-3 inches long ; petioles 1-2 inches in length. Petals white. Fruit 

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

 obovoid, tapering to the peduncle, often somewhatc curved or obhque. 



Cultivated. Native of Europe. FUslay. 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. Apfelbaum. Span. Manzauo. 



stem lb -2b or 30 feet high, branching ; branches mostly spreading and often genicu- 

 late, forming a broad bushy top. Leaves 2-3 inches long ; petioles an mch. or more in 



