134 



WEEDS AND USEFUL PLANTS. 



Crown Pyrus. Crab Apple. Sweet-scented Crab-tree. 



stem 10-15 feet high, branching ; branches spreading, rugged with short spurs, form- 

 ing a rather bushy top. Leaves 2-3 inches long -^petioles half an inch to an inch and a half 

 iu length. Flowers large and fragrant ; petals pale rose red. Fruit rather small (about 

 an inch in diameter), umbilicate at both ends, fleshy but firm and hard, smooth, pale 

 greenish yellow and very fragrant when mature — yet extremely acid. 



Borders of woodlands, road-sides, &c. New York to Louisiana. Fl. May. Fr. Sep- 

 tember. 



Obs. This native apple is now becoming scarce in tlie older settle- 

 ments of Pennsylvania. In former times the ripe fruit was sought after, 

 by notable housewives, for the purpose of making preserves. 

 § 2. Leaves odd-pinnate cymes compound ; styles separate ; fruit berry- 

 like, small. (Sorbus.) 



4. P. America'na, DC. Leaflets 13-15, lanceolate, taper-pointed, 

 sharply serrate, smooth ; cymes large, flat ; fruit red. 

 American Pyrus. American Mountain Ash. 



Small tree, 10 -2b feet high, sometimes 4-6 inches in diameter, with a smooth bark, 

 ieai-es 8 - 12 inches or more in length; leaJlds2-3 inches long, pubescent when young, 

 smooth with age. Flowers white; corymbs very compound, 4-10 inches iu diameter; 

 fruit acid. 



Mountain woods. New England to Wisconsin. June. 



Obs. This elegant tree is often seen in cultivation, and is especially 

 conspicuous in the autumn, its large bunches of scarlet berries remain- 

 ing, after the leaves have fallen, even through the winter. It is very 

 nearly related to the European Mountain Ash, (P. au cup aria), which 

 is also much cultivated. Both species are valuable as ornamental trees, 

 whether for the beauty of their foliage or fruit. 



12. CYDO'NIA, Tournef. Quince. 



[The name of a city of Crete, — whence it was obtained.] 



Calyx-tube subturbinate ; limb 5-lobed,— the lobes sometimes foliaceous. 

 Styles 5. Pome fleshy, containing 5 cartilaginous carpels. Seeds sev- 

 eral in each carpel or cell, covered with mucilaginous pulp. Small trees 

 or shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple, entire or serrate. Flowers large, 

 solitary, or subumbellate. 



1. C. vulga'ris, Pers. Leaves oblong-ovate, obtuse at base, very en- 

 tire, tomentose beneath ; fruit sub-turbinate, tomentose. 

 Common Cydonia. Quince. Quince-tree. 



Fr. Le Cognassier. Germ. Der Quittenbaum. Span. Membrillero. 



stem 8-12 or 15 feet high, with spreading branches. Leaves 2-3 inches long ; petioles 

 about half an inch long. Flmuers terminal, solitary. Petals reddish white. Stamens in 

 a single series. Fruit 2 inches or more in diameter, somewhat obovoid, umbilicate at 

 apex, abruptly tapering or produced at base, yellow when mature. 



Cultivated. Native of Southern Europe. i-'L May. i^r. September -October. 



Obs. The fruit of this is chiefly used for making preserves, — for 

 which it is excellent. It is supposed to be the golden apple of the Hes- 



