152 
BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
acid. The wood, which is hard and of a fine close grain, is used for making wheels, and also for making 
wooden spoons and various other articles. When first cut it has a very strong smell, but it loses this when it 
becomes dry; and when dry, it is susceptible of a high polish. 
THE INTERMEDIATE WHITE BEAM TREE. (P. intermedia, Ehr.) 
This only differs from the preceding species in the leaves being lobed. 
THE HYBRID SERVICE TREE. (P. finnatifida, Ehr.) 
This is supposed by De Candolle to be a hybrid between P. intermedia and the Mountain Ash. 
* * Leaves pinnate. 
5.—THE TRUE SERVICE TREE. (Pyrus domestica, Smith.) 
Synonymes. —Sorbus domestica, Lin.; Pyrus Sorbus, Gcertn. I Specific Character. —Leaves pinnate ; leaflets uniform, downy 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 350 ; 2nd ed., t. 698 ; and our fig. 5, j beneath, serrated towards the point. Flowers panicled. Fruit obovate. 
in PI. 35. I (Smith.) 
Description, Sec. —The True Service is supposed not to be a true native of this country ; as in all the 
situations where it is found growing apparently wild there are evident traces of a garden. There are two 
distinct kinds of this species: the one with pear-shaped fruit, which has only been found in Wyre Forest, in 
Worcestershire ; and the other with apple-shaped fruit, which has been found in several places. The flowers 
are produced in May ; but the fruit is not eatable till it has been mellowed by the frost, in which state it bears 
a strong resemblance to that of the Medlar. 
6.— THE MOUNTAIN ASH. (Pyrus aucuparia. Gcertn.) 
Synonymes. —Sorbus aucuparia, Lin.; Mespilus aucuparia, All. ; 
the Quicken Tree ; Roan Tree. 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 337 ; 2nd ed., t. 699. 
Specific Character. — Leaves pinnate ; leaflets uniform, serrated, 
smooth. Flowers corymbose. Styles about three. Fruit globular. 
(Smith.) 
Description, &c. —The Mountain Ash is one of the commonest British trees, particularly in Scotland, 
where it is called the Roan or Rowan Tree. In England it rarely exceeds twenty feet in height, but in 
Scotland it is found sometimes forty or even fifty feet high. It was formerly believed to have extraordinary 
power against witches, as is recorded in one of the stanzas of a very ancient song, called “ The Laidley Worm 
of Spindleston Heughs — 
a Their spells were vain ; the boys return’d 
To the queen in sorrowful mood, 
Crying that ‘ witches have no power 
Where there is roan-tree wood.’” 
And even at the present time, the country people in some parts of Scotland and Wales hang a piece of 
Mountain Ash at their doors, particularly when they are churning, to keep away the evil spirits. The flowers, 
which are white, appear in large corymbs early in May ; and the small, round, bright red berries are ripe in 
September. The tree is of slow growth, but it is valuable for its timber, as its wood, though it is of a remarkably 
fine close grain, is easily worked. 
