138. [Cratægus brachyacantha] Sarg. & Engelm. Pomette Bleue.
Leaves oblong-lanceolate to ovate or rhombic, acute or rounded at apex, gradually narrowed to the concave-cuneate entire base, and crenulate-serrate above with minute incurved glandular teeth, slightly puberulous when they unfold on the upper surface and glabrous on the lower surface, nearly fully grown when the flowers open at the end of April and early in May, and at maturity subcoriaceous, glabrous, dark green and lustrous, 1′—2′ long, and ½′ to nearly 1′ wide, with a thin inconspicuous midrib and veins; petioles slender, narrowly wing-margined above, ½′—¾′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots sometimes broad-ovate or almost triangular, cuneate, truncate or cordate at the broad base, more or less deeply lobed, frequently 2½′ long and 2′ wide, with foliaceous broadly ovate to triangular acute stalked stipules sometimes 1′ long. Flowers ⅓′ in diameter, on slender pedicels, in crowded glabrous many-flowered corymbs; calyx-tube narrowly obconic, glabrous, the lobes short, nearly triangular, gradually narrowed to the gland-tipped apex, entire; petals turning bright orange color in fading; stamens 15—20; anthers yellow; styles 3—5. Fruit ripening and falling the middle of August, on erect pedicels, in few-fruited clusters, subglobose or obovoid, bright blue, covered with a glaucous bloom, ⅓′—½′ in diameter; calyx slightly enlarged, with spreading lobes; flesh thin; nutlets 3—5, narrowed and acute at base, full and rounded at apex, rounded and slightly grooved on the back, about ¼′ long.
A tree, 40°—50° high, with a trunk 18′—20′ in diameter, covered with thick dark brown deeply furrowed scaly bark, and divided usually 5°—10° from the ground into stout spreading light gray branches forming a broad compact round-topped head, and branchlets light green and slightly pubescent early in the season, soon becoming glabrous and pale red-brown, and ultimately ashy gray, and armed with numerous short stout generally curved or sometimes straight slender spines ⅓′—⅔′ long, and also often terminal on the lateral branchlets of vigorous shoots.
Distribution. Borders of streams in rich moist soil; southwestern Arkansas (Ashtown, Little River County, and Texarkana, Miller County) to the valley of the Trinity River (Livingston, Polk County), eastern Texas, and to western Louisiana (Caddo, Webster, Ouachita, Natchitoches, St. Landry and Jefferson Davis Parishes); in eastern Louisiana (Glen Gordon, Covington, St. Tammany Parish; common); a few miles west of Opelousas, Louisiana, surrounding with dense groves low wet prairies and a conspicuous and beautiful feature of arborescent vegetation.
139. [Cratægus saligna] Greene.
Leaves narrow-rhombic to oval, gradually narrowed at the ends, acute or acuminate and apiculate at apex, entire toward the base, finely serrate above with incurved teeth tipped with minute bright red glands, nearly fully grown when the flowers open toward the middle of June, and then light yellow-green, covered above with short pale hairs and pale and glabrous below, and at maturity thick and firm, dark green, glabrous and lustrous above, pale below 1½′—2′ long, and ¾′—1′ wide, with a stout midrib rose color on the upper side, dark obscure forked veins, and reticulate veinlets; turning late in the autumn to brilliant shades of orange and bright scarlet; petioles slender, glandular near the base, with 2 or 3 large stipitate dark red caducous glands, and about ⅓′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots lanceolate, acuminate, coarsely serrate, often irregularly and deeply divided into 2 or 3 acute lateral lobes, 3′—3½′ long, and 1¼′—1½′ wide. Flowers about ⅝′ in diameter, on short slender pedicels, in compact glabrous few or many-flowered corymbs; calyx-tube glabrous, the lobes nearly triangular, entire, often bright red toward the apex; stamens 20; anthers small, yellow; styles 5. Fruit ripening toward the end of September, on stout pedicels, in compact drooping clusters, globose, ¼′ in diameter, dull vinous red and very lustrous when fully grown, ultimately blue-black; calyx small, with reflexed persistent lobes; flesh thin, yellow, dry and sweet; nutlets 5, thick, rounded and slightly ridged on the back, ⅛′—3/16′ long.
A tree, occasionally 20° high, with a short stem, long slender spreading branches gracefully drooping at the ends, covered with bright red or reddish brown bark, separating on old trunks near the ground into long slightly attached narrow plate-like gray scales, and slender glabrous bright red lustrous branchlets armed with numerous straight slender spines ¾′—1½′ long; often forming clumps or small thickets with numerous stems 8°—15° tall springing from a single root.
Distribution. Banks of the Cimarron, Gunnison, White, Tomichi, Eagle, San Juan, and other Colorado streams on both slopes of the continental divide at altitudes of 6000°—8000° above the sea.