Tree medium to large, variable in vigor, upright becoming slightly spreading, dense-topped, hardy, productive; trunk shaggy; branches thick, zigzag, marked by numerous elongated lenticels; branchlets strongly curved, with short internodes, dark brownish-red mingled with green, mottled with scarf-skin, smooth, glabrous, with small, elongated or roundish, conspicuous, raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, pointed, plump, usually free; leaf-scars prominent. Leaves 3 in. long, 1⅜ in. wide, thin; margin occasionally glandular, finely serrate or entire; petiole 1½ in. long, slender. Flower-buds large, long, pointed, plump, free, singly on short spurs; flowers open late, with an unpleasant odor, 1⅝ in. across; pedicels 1⅛ in. long.
Fruit ripens in late October and November; medium in size, acute-pyriform to oblong-pyriform, symmetrical; stem short, thick, curved; cavity obtuse, shallow, narrow, russeted, often wrinkled and occasionally lipped; calyx large, open, rounded and with a deeply-set center; basin obtuse, smooth, symmetrical; skin very tough, roughened with thick russet; color greenish-yellow, usually entirely overspread with solid, dark russet, changing to golden russet on the cheek exposed to the sun, with mottlings and flecks of russet; dots numerous, small, russet, obscure; flesh yellowish-white, fine, melting, rich, juicy, sweet; quality very good. Core large, closed, axile; calyx-tube short, wide, broadly conical; seeds large, wide, long, plump, acute.
MADELEINE
1. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:124, Pl. IV. 1768. 2. Pom. Mag. 2:51, Pl. 1829. 3. Prince Pom. Man. 1:13. 1831. 4. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 341, fig. 138. 1845. 5. Proc. Nat. Con. Fr. Gr. 51. 1848. 6. Elliott Fr. Book 331, fig. 1854. 7. Mas Le Verger 2:59, fig. 28. 1866-73. 8. Guide Prat. 62, 287. 1876.
Sainte Madelaine. 9. Knoop Pomologie 76, Tab. 1, fig. 1771.
Grüne Sommer-Magdalene. 10. Dochnahl Führ. Obstkunde 2:150. 1856. 11. Lucas Tafelbirnen 47, fig. 1894.