XIV. BRACTEATÆ.
CONSPECTUS OF THE ARBORESCENT SPECIES.
Leaves oval to broad-obovate, subcoriaceous; corymbs many-flowered; stamens 10—20, usually 20; fruit bright red or orange-red.118. [C. Harbisonii] (C). Leaves broad-ovate or rarely obovate, thin; corymbs 3—10-flowered; stamens 20; fruit bright red.119. [C. Ashei] (C).
118. [Cratægus Harbisonii] Beadl.
Leaves oval to broad-obovate, acute at apex, cuneate or rounded at the entire base, and coarsely serrate above with straight glandular teeth, when they unfold roughened above by stout, rigid pale hairs, and soft and pubescent below, nearly fully grown early in May when the flowers open, and then thin, dark yellow-green above and pale below, and at maturity subcoriaceous; pale on the lower surface, 2′—2½′ long, and 1′—1½′ wide, with a stout midrib and primary veins deeply impressed on the upper side of the leaf, and conspicuous reticulate veinlets; petioles stout, villose, more or less winged above, ¼′—½′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots broad-ovate, cuneate and decurrent on their stouter petiole, 3′—4′ long, and 2½′—3′ wide, with lunate coarsely glandular-dentate stipules frequently ½′ long. Flowers ¾′ in diameter, in broad loose usually 10—12-flowered corymbs, with broad acute conspicuous glandular-serrate bracts and bractlets; calyx-tube broadly obconic, densely villose at the base and glabrous or pubescent above, the lobes elongated, gradually narrowed from a broad base, acute, bright green, more or less hairy, coarsely glandular-serrate, with large stipitate dark red glands; stamens 10—20, usually 20; anthers large, light yellow; styles 3—5. Fruit ripening and falling early in October, subglobose, often rather longer than broad, bright red or orange-red, marked by numerous large dark dots; calyx enlarged, with spreading glandular lobes often deciduous before the fruit ripens; flesh yellow, thick, dry and mealy; nutlets 3—5, narrowed at the ends, ¼′ long.
A tree, sometimes 25° high, with a trunk 10′—12′ in diameter, covered with light gray or gray-brown bark, and often armed with straight or much-branched spines, wide-spreading light gray or reddish branches forming a rather open symmetrical head, and slender branchlets coated when they first appear with long spreading white hairs, pubescent or glabrous and light red-brown or orange-brown during their first season, becoming dark or light gray the following year, and furnished with numerous usually stout straight dark reddish brown shining spines 1½′—2′ long.
Distribution. Dry limestone hills and ridges; West Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee; common.
119. [Cratægus Ashei] Beadl.
Leaves broad-ovate or occasionally obovate, acute and generally short-pointed at apex, gradually or abruptly narrowed and cuneate and usually entire at base, coarsely and occasionally doubly serrate above with straight or incurved teeth tipped with small dark glands, when they unfold roughened on the upper surface with short pale hairs and pubescent below, nearly fully grown and membranaceous when the flowers open early in May, and at maturity thin but firm in texture, pale and puberulous on the lower surface on the slender midrib and primary veins, about 2′ long and 1½′ wide; petioles stout, broadly winged above, glandular, pubescent early in the season but ultimately nearly glabrous, about ½′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots usually broadly oval or nearly orbicular, rounded or short-pointed at apex, 2½′—3′ long, and 2′—2½′ wide. Flowers ¾′ in diameter, on slender hairy pedicels, in 3—10-flowered simple or compound corymbs, with broad conspicuous glandular bracts and bractlets; calyx-tube broadly obconic, thickly coated with long matted reflexed white hairs, the lobes broad, acute, nearly glabrous on the outer surface, villose on the inner surface, glandular with small stout stipitate glands; stamens 20; anthers small, yellow; styles 3—5, surrounded at base by a narrow ring of pale hairs. Fruit ripening and falling late in September or early in October, on stout villose or glabrous pedicels, in few-fruited clusters, subglobose or rather longer than broad, bright red, marked by large scattered dots, more or less villose toward the ends, about 1′ in diameter; calyx conspicuous, with elongated coarsely glandular-serrate, erect incurved or reflexed lobes; flesh thick and yellow; nutlets 3—5, thin, acute at the ends, ⅓′ long.
A tree, rarely more than 20° high, with a slender trunk covered with smooth light gray or red-brown bark becoming fissured and scaly on old individuals, stout ascending branches forming a pyramidal or oval head, and slender branchlets coated when they first appear with long pale matted reflexed hairs, soon becoming nearly glabrous, lustrous, orange-brown or reddish brown, and light gray or gray tinged with red during their second season, and armed with straight or slightly curved thin dark red-brown shining spines 1′—1½′ long.
Distribution. Abandoned fields, and woods, growing usually on clay soils; near Montgomery, Montgomery County, and Gallion, Hale County, Alabama.