36. [Cratægus Lettermanii] Sarg.
Leaves obovate, acute or acuminate or rounded and short-pointed at apex, gradually narrowed from near the middle and cuneate at the mostly entire base, coarsely often doubly serrate above with straight or incurved glandular teeth, and frequently slightly and irregularly divided above the middle into 3 or 4 pairs of short acute lobes, strongly plicate when they unfold and covered with a thick coat of pale tomentum, nearly half grown, roughened above by short pale hairs and pubescent below when the flowers open early in May, and at maturity thick, bright yellow-green and scabrate above, pale and pubescent below on the stout midrib and 4 or 5 pairs of primary veins, about 2′ long and 1½′ wide; petioles stout, more or less winged above the middle, at first tomentose, becoming pubescent or nearly glabrous, usually about ¾′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots broad-oval, acute or acuminate, more coarsely serrate, 2½′—3′ long, and 2′—2½′ wide. Flowers about ¾′ in diameter, on short villose pedicels in compact, many-flowered thick-branched densely villose corymbs; calyx-tube narrowly obconic, tomentose, the lobes narrow, acuminate, finely glandular-serrate, villose; stamens 10; anthers small, pale yellow; styles 5, surrounded at base by a broad ring of hoary tomentum. Fruit ripening early in October, on stout pubescent pedicels, in few-fruited spreading or drooping clusters, subglobose or occasionally slightly obovoid, rounded and puberulous at the ends, dull orange-red, marked by large pale dots, about ½′ in diameter; calyx broad, the lobes enlarged, coarsely glandular-serrate, reflexed, often deciduous before the fruit ripens; flesh thin; nutlets 5, prominently ridged on the back with a high rounded ridge, ¼′ long.
A tree, 18°—20° high, with a trunk 6′—8′ in diameter, with thin dark brown or nearly black bark separating freely into small plate-like scales, and often armed with thin much-branched spines frequently 7′—8′ long, small erect branches forming a wide open head, and branchlets coated when they first appear with hoary tomentum, dull red-brown, villose or pubescent during their first season, and furnished with stout straight bright red-brown shining spines 1½′—2′ long.
Distribution. Low rich soil inundated during several weeks in winter, among Oaks and Hickories; near Allenton, St. Louis County, Missouri.
37. [Cratægus pratensis] Sarg.
Leaves oblong-obovate, acute or rounded at apex, gradually narrowed below from near the middle to the cuneate entire base, sharply and often doubly serrate usually only above the middle with straight or incurved teeth tipped early in the season with a minute dark red caducous gland, and often more or less deeply divided toward the apex into short broad acute lobes, when they unfold bright bronze-yellow or dark red, and covered with short pale hairs, almost smooth and nearly fully grown when the flowers open at the end of May, and at maturity glabrous, thick, dark green and lustrous above, pale below, 1½′—2′ long, and 1′—1½′ wide, with a thin midrib, and 4 or 5 pairs of primary veins extending obliquely toward the end of the leaf, and raised and prominent below; petioles slender, glabrous, usually about ½′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots often oval or broad-ovate, frequently 3′ long and 2½′ wide. Flowers ⅓′ in diameter, on long slender pedicels, in broad loose many-flowered corymbs pubescent or puberulous at first but soon glabrous; calyx-tube narrowly obconic, coated toward the base with long matted pale hairs, the lobes narrow, acuminate, coarsely glandular-serrate, glabrous on the outer surface, villose on the inner surface; stamens 10; anthers small, rose color; styles 2 or 3, surrounded at base by a narrow ring of pale tomentum. Fruit ripening early in October and remaining on the branches until November, on elongated pedicels, in loose drooping many-fruited clusters, globose, bright scarlet, slightly pruinose, marked by occasional large pale dots, about ⅓′ in diameter; calyx prominent, with much enlarged coarsely glandular-serrate lobes often deciduous before the fruit becomes entirely ripe; flesh thin and yellow; nutlets 2 or 3, thick and broad, about ¼′ long.
A tree, occasionally 20° high, with a tall trunk 3′—7′ in diameter, often armed with long slender much-branched ashy gray spines, spreading branches forming a round-topped symmetrical head, and branchlets occasionally slightly villose when they first appear, soon glabrous, light orange-brown in their first season, and reddish or grayish brown the following year, and furnished with numerous thin straight or slightly curved shining chestnut-brown spines 2′—3′ long.
Distribution. Open woods near the banks of small streams in the prairie region of Stark and Peoria Counties, Illinois.