III. ÆSTIVALES.
CONSPECTUS OF THE ARBORESCENT SPECIES.
Leaves glabrous with the exception of small axillary tufts of pale hairs on the lower surface, oblong-obovate; stamens 15—20; anthers pink or pale rose color.38. [C. æstivalis] (C). Leaves hoary-tomentose below early in the season, becoming villose with rufous hairs most abundant on the midrib and veins; stamens 20; anthers deep rose color. Leaves oblong-obovate, acute or broad and rounded at apex, often slightly lobed above the middle, lustrous above; pedicels villose-pubescent.39. [C. rufula] (C). Leaves elliptic to oblong-cuneiform, narrowed at apex, dull above; pedicels glabrous.40. [C. opaca] (C).
38. [Cratægus æstivalis] Sarg. May Haw. Apple Haw.
Mespilus æstivalis Walt.
Leaves oblong-obovate, rounded or acute at apex, gradually narrowed and cuneate at base, glabrous with the exception of small axillary tufts of pale hairs, and coarsely crenately serrate above the middle with gland-tipped teeth, beginning to unfold as the flowers open the middle of March, and when the fruit ripens at the end of May thin, dark green and lustrous above, yellow-green below, 1¼′—2′ long, and ⅓′—¾′ wide, with a slender yellow midrib and obscure primary veins; petioles slender, narrow wing-margined to below the middle, rarely furnished with occasional deciduous glands, about ¼′ in length; leaves at the ends of vigorous shoots elliptic to oblong-obovate, acute and usually abruptly short-pointed at apex, concave-cuneate at base, often lobed with one or two lateral lobes. Flowers ¾′ in diameter, on pedicels about ⅓′ long, in compact 2 or 3-flowered corymbs; calyx-tube narrowly obconic, glabrous, the lobes gradually narrowed from a broad base, short, entire, without glands, acute or acuminate and often red at apex, persistent and red on the fruit; stamens 15—20; anthers large, pink or pale rose color; styles usually 3. Fruit on a short slender erect pedicel, about ⅓′ long, usually solitary, short-oblong, scarlet, lustrous, about ⅓′ in length, the calyx persistent with erect lobes; flesh yellow, juicy, acidulous; nutlets usually 3, acute at ends, rounded and slightly ridged on the back, ¼′ long.
A slender tree, 20°—25° high, with a tall stem 6′—8′ in diameter, covered with pale flaky bark, erect or slightly spreading branches forming a narrow head, and slender straight or slightly zigzag branchlets chestnut-brown and lustrous during their first season, and dull gray-brown the following year, and armed with stout straight gray spines ½′—1¼′ in length.
Distribution. Low river banks, the borders of swamps and in depressions filled with water during most of the year; banks of the Ogeechee River near Meldrim, Effingham County, and near Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia; swamp of the Combahee River near Yemassee, Hampton County, and near Aiken, Aiken County, South Carolina; pond holes eight or nine miles west of Newbern, Craven County, North Carolina; passing into var. maloides Sarg. with young leaves tinged with red and villose along the upper side of the midrib, those at the end of vigorous shoots sometimes broad-obovate, rounded and divided at apex into 3 short rounded lobes, longer acuminate calyx-lobes and dark red anthers. Wet prairies, Volusia County, Florida; and into var. cerasoides Sarg. differing in the presence of short white hairs on the upper surface of the young leaves, in the longer acuminate calyx-lobes slightly villose on the inner surface and often minutely serrate near the middle, in the dark rose-colored anthers, and the late ripening fruit up to ½′ in diameter, on drooping pedicels often ½′ in length. An arborescent shrub with a round-topped head 30°—40° across, numerous large erect and spreading stems often 30° high, covered with smooth pale bark separating into thin plate-like scales, in falling disclosing the dull red inner bark, and slender nearly straight glabrous branchlets armed with straight slender spines 1′—1½′ in length. Fruit ripening late in July and in August. Low, wet, often inundated prairies near Sewall, Valusia County, Bradfordville, Leon County, Jasper, Hamilton County, and Quincy, Gadsden County, Florida. A form of this variety growing in Valusia County (f. luculenta Sarg.) differs in the more numerous hairs on the upper surface of the young leaves, in the rather smaller flowers, smaller and less juicy fruit ripening at the end of June or early in July, and in its often arborescent habit.
39. [Cratægus rufula] Sarg.
Cratægus æstivalis Torr. & Gray in part, not Mespilus æstivalis Walt.
Leaves oblong-obovate, acute or rounded at apex, gradually narrowed, cuneate and entire at base, finely crenately glandular-serrate, and often slightly lobed above the middle; with short rounded lobes, covered above with soft pale hairs and whitish tomentose below when they unfold, and at maturity thick, dark green, lustrous and glabrous or slightly pubescent along the midrib on the upper surface, rufous-pubescent especially on the midrib and veins on the lower surface, 1½′—2′ long, and ¾′—1¼′ wide, rarely not more than 1′ long and ½′ wide; petioles slender, villose-pubescent with rufous hairs, occasionally glandular, ¼′—⅓′ in length; leaves at the ends of vigorous shoots oblong-obovate, rounded and short-pointed to elliptic and acuminate, laterally lobed, or deeply 3-lobed at apex, often 2½′ long and 1½′ wide. Flowers appearing from the 10th to the end of March, ¾′—1′ in diameter, in mostly 3—5-flowered clusters, on villose-pubescent pedicels about ⅓′ in length; calyx-tube broadly obconic, glabrous or villose-pubescent sometimes in the same cluster, the lobes gradually narrowed from a broad base, acuminate, entire or slightly glandular-serrate nearly to apex, glabrous or slightly pubescent on the outer surface; stamens 20; anthers dark rose color; styles 3—5, surrounded at base by a ring of white tomentum. Fruit ripening at the end of May, often solitary on glabrous erect pedicels ¼′—½′ long, subglobose, scarlet, lustrous, about ½′ in diameter, the calyx persistent with erect lobes; nutlets only slightly grooved on the back, about ¼′ long.
A tree, sometimes 30° high, with a tall trunk 8′—10′ in diameter, covered with rough deeply furrowed dark bark, paler and less deeply furrowed on smaller and younger stems, stout ascending and spreading branches forming a broad round-topped head, and slender slightly zigzag branchlets covered when they first appear with pale tomentum, glabrous or rusty tomentose until the early summer, becoming chestnut-brown, lustrous and glabrous before autumn and dull gray in their second year, and unarmed or armed with slender or stout straight spines ½′—1½′ in length.
Distribution. Depressions filled with water except at midsummer, sandy borders of ponds and streams and low wet prairies, Cottondale and Round Lake, Jackson County, and Quincy, Gadsden County, Florida; near Bainbridge, Decatur County, and Albany, Dougherty County, Georgia; near Dothan, Houston County, Alabama; pond holes along the Neuse River near Goldsboro, Wayne County, North Carolina.
40. [Cratægus opaca] Hook.
Cratægus æstivalis Torr. & Gray in part, not Mespilus æstivalis Walt.
Leaves elliptic to oblong-cuneiform, gradually narrowed and acute or bluntly pointed at apex, cuneate at the often glandular base, finely crenately serrate above the middle with minute glandular teeth, pilose above and hoary-tomentose below when they unfold, and at maturity dull dark green and glabrous or slightly hairy on the midrib on the upper surface, pubescent on the lower surface with rusty brown hairs most abundant on the midrib and veins, 2′—2½′ long, and ½′—1′ wide; petioles slender, villose-pubescent, about ¼′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots elliptic to oblong-ovate, often irregularly laterally lobed, and 2½′—3′ long and wide. Flowers appearing in February and March before or with the unfolding of the leaves, 1′ in diameter, on glabrous pedicels ½′ long, in 3—5-flowered corymbs; calyx-tube broadly obconic, glabrous, the lobes narrowed from a wide base, short, nearly triangular, acute and tipped at apex with a conspicuous gland, entire or minutely serrate, glabrous, often deeply tinged with red; stamens 20; anthers large, deep rose color; styles 3—5, surrounded at base by a broad ring of pale tomentum. Fruit ripening early in May, in usually 2—3-fruited clusters, depressed-globose, scarlet, lustrous, dotted with pale spots, ½′—⅔′ in diameter, with a small narrow cavity surrounded by the erect calyx-lobes; nutlets 3—5, rounded at the ends, rounded and slightly grooved on the back, ¼′ long.
A tree, 20°—30° high, with a tall stem occasionally 1° in diameter, covered with deeply fissured bark, divided into dark red-brown persistent scales, slender mostly erect branches forming a narrow round-topped head, and slender branchlets villose-pubescent when they first appear, soon glabrous, lustrous and bright chestnut-brown during their first season, becoming dull gray in their second year, and armed with stout straight chestnut-brown spines ½′—1′ in length, or more often unarmed; occasionally with several stems forming a large shrub.
Distribution. In deep depressions filled with water for most of the year, low river banks and borders of swamps; near Mt. Vernon, Mobile County, and near Selma, Dallas County, Alabama; southern Mississippi (Meridian, Lauderdale County, and Hattiesburg, Forest County); eastern Louisiana; sometimes in St. Tammany Parish covering large tracts almost to the exclusion of other plants; western Louisiana from the coast to nearly the northern border of the state, and eastern Texas to the valley of the Trinity River; rare and local east of the Mississippi River; common westward. The fruit is largely used in making preserves and jellies.