Leaves broad-ovate, acute, truncate, cordate or slightly rounded at the broad base, coarsely and generally doubly and irregularly serrate above with straight teeth tipped with large dark glands, unequally lobed usually with 2 or 3 pairs of acute or acuminate lateral lobes, about one third grown when the flowers open at the end of May, and then light yellow-green, conspicuously plicate, roughened on the upper surface with short stiff white hairs and glabrous on the lower surface, and at maturity smooth and glabrous, dark green above, pale below, 2′—2½′ long, and almost as wide as long, with a slender midrib and 4 or 5 pairs of thin primary veins; petioles slender, somewhat glandular, at first villose, soon glabrous, often dark red toward the base after midsummer, 1′—2′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots often 4′—5′ long, and frequently rather broader than long. Flowers 1′—1⅛′ in diameter, on slender elongated hairy pedicels, in broad, loose, usually 8—12-flowered slightly villose corymbs, with lanceolate bracts and bractlets glandular like the inner bud-scales with dark red glands; calyx-tube broadly obconic, covered toward the base with matted pale hairs, nearly glabrous above, the lobes broad, acuminate, coarsely glandular with large scattered red glands, glabrous on the outer surface and generally slightly villose on the inner surface; stamens 20; anthers large, rose color; styles usually 5, surrounded at base by small tufts of white hairs. Fruit ripening and falling early in September, on slender pedicels, in many-fruited drooping clusters, subglobose, bright scarlet, marked by numerous small dark dots, about ¾′ in diameter; the calyx much enlarged, with spreading coarsely serrate lobes bright red on the upper side toward the base; flesh thin, sweet and yellow; nutlets 5, thin, rounded and prominently ridged on the back, about ¼′ long.
A tree, occasionally 20° high, with a tall straight trunk, covered with light gray-brown scaly bark, branches spreading into a wide round-topped symmetrical head, and short glabrous slightly zigzag branchlets armed with few stout straight light brown shining spines 1′—2′ long.
Distribution. Eastern Massachusetts, coast of Rhode Island, western Vermont, in the neighborhood of Albany, New York, and near Montreal, Province of Quebec.
Leaves nearly orbicular to oval or rarely to oblong, short-pointed at apex, broad and rounded or broad-cuneate at the entire base, sharply doubly serrate above with slender straight or incurved glandular teeth, and often divided above the middle into 3 or 4 pairs of short acute lobes, when they unfold pale yellow-green and somewhat villose on the upper surface toward the base and below in the axils of the principal veins, about a third grown when the flowers open during the first week of June, and at maturity thin and firm in texture, dull dark green above, paler below, usually about 1½′ long and broad, with a slender midrib and 4 or 5 pairs of thin primary veins; petioles slender, slightly glandular, more or less winged above, ⅝′—1′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots nearly orbicular to oval, more coarsely serrate and more deeply lobed, and frequently 3′ long and wide, their petioles often broadly winged and conspicuously glandular. Flowers ¾′ in diameter, on short stout pedicels, in compact 6—12-flowered glabrous corymbs; calyx broadly obconic, the lobes gradually narrowed from a broad base, long, acuminate, entire or occasionally obscurely denticulate; stamens 20; anthers small, rose color; styles 5, surrounded at base by a broad ring of hoary tomentum. Fruit falling in October without becoming mellow, on short rigid pedicels, in few-fruited erect clusters, subglobose, often rather longer than broad, about ⅝′ in diameter, dull red more or less blotched with green, or often wholly green on one face, or scarlet in one form; calyx enlarged, prominent, with a broad deep cavity and nearly entire wide-spreading lobes; flesh yellow, thin, dry and hard; nutlets 5, broad and thick, narrow and rounded at the ends, obscurely and unequally grooved on the back, about ¼′ long.
A tree, rarely more than 15°—20° high, with a well-developed trunk 5′—6′ in diameter, stout spreading branches forming a broad low flat-topped head, and stout branchlets orange-brown in their first season, becoming dark gray-brown the following year, and armed with thick straight or slightly curved bright chestnut-brown shining spines 1′—2′ in length.
Distribution. Low limestone ridges opposite Lachine near the south bank of the St. Lawrence River, and on the Island of Montreal, Province of Quebec; near Cornwall, Ontario.
Leaves ovate or slightly obovate, acute, gradually and abruptly narrowed and mostly concave-cuneate at the entire base, sharply and often doubly serrate above with straight or incurved glandular teeth, and frequently slightly divided above the middle into short acute lobes, nearly fully grown when the flowers open at the end of May, and then thin, light yellow-green, smooth and glabrous above with the exception of a few short white scattered hairs on the midrib, and pale and glabrous below, and at maturity thin and firm in texture, glabrous, 2′—2½′ long, and 1½′—1¾′ wide, with a slender yellow midrib, and 5 or 6 pairs of thin primary veins extending obliquely to the point of the lobes; petioles slender, wing-margined above, glandular, at first slightly hairy, becoming glabrous and rose color toward the base, ¾′—1′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots broad-ovate to suborbicular, full and rounded or broad-cuneate at the wide base, deeply divided into broad lateral lobes, and 2′—3′ long and wide. Flowers about ¾′ in diameter, on long slender pedicels, in broad usually 10—12-flowered glabrous corymbs; calyx-tube narrowly obconic, glabrous, the lobes gradually narrowed from a broad base, acuminate, glandular-serrate often only below the middle, glabrous on the outer surface, slightly hairy on the inner surface; stamens 20; anthers rose color; styles 3—5. Fruit ripening early in September, in few-fruited drooping clusters, subglobose, crimson, pruinose, marked by numerous pale dots, about ⅝′ in diameter; calyx enlarged, with a deep broad cavity, and closely appressed serrate lobes villose on the upper side; flesh thick, yellow, dry and mealy; nutlets 3—5, rounded at base and narrowed and rounded at apex, rounded and sometimes ridged on the back with a high rounded ridge, about 5/16′ long.
A tree, sometimes 20° high, with a tall trunk 8′—10′ in diameter, covered with pale scaly bark, heavy ascending and spreading branches forming a broad open head, and stout ascending glabrous branchlets dark orange color when they first appear and light orange-brown and lustrous during their first winter, and armed with numerous slender straight or slightly curved bright red-brown shining spines 1½′—2′ long; sometimes a broad bush, with numerous stout spreading stems.
Distribution. Rolling hills in the valley of the Hudson River, near Albany, Albany County, New York.
Leaves broad-ovate, acute, full and rounded or truncate at base, sharply and often doubly serrate with straight glandular teeth, and divided above the middle into short acute lobes, as they unfold conspicuously plicate, very lustrous, yellow-green, and villose on the lower side of the midrib with a few short pale hairs usually persistent during the season, about half grown when the flowers open early in May, and at maturity thin and firm in texture, rather rigid, dull dark green and smooth on the upper surface, pale on the lower surface, 2½′—3′ long, and 2′—2½′ wide, with a thin pale yellow midrib deeply impressed above and often bright red toward the base after midsummer, and slender primary veins arching to the point of the lobes; turning late in October gradually bright orange and scarlet; petioles glandular on the upper side with minute-stalked dark red glands, at first villose, soon glabrous, often bright red or pink toward the base, ¾′—1′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots more or less cordate at base and usually 3½′—4′ long and wide. Flowers ¾′ in diameter, in very compact 5—7-flowered glabrous or slightly villose corymbs, with coarsely serrate oblong-obovate acute bracts and bractlets, conspicuously glandular with large bright red glands; calyx-tube broadly obconic, glabrous, the lobes gradually narrowed from a broad base, acute and coarsely glandular-serrate; stamens 20; anthers large, deep rose color; styles 5, surrounded at base by a ring of pale tomentum. Fruit ripening early in October and falling gradually during a month or six weeks, on stout pedicels, in few-fruited compact erect clusters, subglobose, much flattened at the ends, often obscurely angled, dark crimson, very lustrous, marked by numerous large pale dots, ¾′ long, and ⅞′ wide; calyx much enlarged and conspicuous, with spreading or erect lobes bright red on the upper side near the base; flesh thick, firm, subacid, more or less deeply tinged with red; nutlets 5, comparatively small, light-colored, narrow at the ends, acute at apex, rounded at base, rounded and slightly ridged on the back, about ⅓′ long.
A tree, sometimes 20° high, with a stem 8′—10′ in diameter, covered with dark brown scaly bark, stout spreading light gray branches forming a broad handsome head, and stout nearly straight glabrous bright chestnut-brown very lustrous branchlets armed with thick dark reddish purple shining spines 1½′—2′ long.
Distribution. Dry woods in the neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri; in eastern Kansas.
Coccineæ Sarg.
Cratægus coccinea var. rotundifolia Sarg.
Leaves elliptic or obovate, acute or acuminate, gradually narrowed from above the middle to the cuneate entire base, finely and often doubly serrate above with incurved or straight teeth tipped with minute dark glands, and divided above the middle into several short acute lateral lobes, about half grown when the flowers open at the end of May, and then thin, light yellow-green and glabrous, and at maturity coriaceous, dark green, smooth and lustrous on the upper surface, paler on the lower surface, 1½′—2′ long, and 1′—1½′ wide, with a thin midrib, and 4 or 5 pairs of primary veins extending to the point of the lobes; petioles slender, glandular, slightly winged at apex, glabrous, often dark red toward the base, ¾′—1′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots oblong-ovate, oval or often nearly orbicular, more deeply lobed, and frequently 2½′—3′ long and wide. Flowers ½′—¾′ in diameter, on slender pedicels, in broad loose many-flowered glabrous corymbs; calyx-tube broadly obconic, glabrous, the lobes gradually narrowed from a broad base, acute, coarsely glandular-serrate, glabrous, often bright red toward the apex; stamens 10; anthers small, pale yellow; styles 3 or 4. Fruit ripening and falling late in October, on short stout pedicels, in drooping many-fruited glabrous clusters, subglobose but occasionally rather longer than broad, dark crimson, marked by scattered dark dots, about ½′ in diameter; calyx enlarged, conspicuous, the lobes bright red on the upper side toward the base, wide-spreading or erect; flesh thin, yellow, dry and sweet; nutlets 3 or 4, rounded at the ends, about ¼′ long.
A bushy tree, occasionally 20° high, with a short trunk 8′—10′ in diameter, covered with dark red-brown scaly bark, stout ascending branches forming a broad round-topped symmetrical head, and slender glabrous branchlets light green when they first appear, bright red-brown and lustrous during their first year, and ultimately ashy gray, and armed with many stout straight or slightly curved chestnut-brown shining spines 1′—1½′ long.
Distribution. Nova Scotia, southern Quebec and Ontario to Manitoba and Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), and southward through New England, eastern and northern New York, the southern peninsula of Michigan and northern Indiana; in Pennsylvania (Lackawanna, Bucks, Northampton and Blair Counties); common in the New England coast region; a form (var. pubera Sarg.) with young leaves covered above with soft pale hairs and pubescent on the under side of the midrib and veins and villose petioles, flowers with a pubescent calyx-tube, in villose corymbs, becoming pilose when the fruit ripens, and young branchlets covered with long matted pale hairs, ranges from Newfoundland to the shores of Lake St. John, Province of Quebec, northern Ontario, Winnipeg and Manitoba, and southward through the maritime provinces of Canada, New England to southern Connecticut, northern and western New York (near Buffalo, Essex County), the northern peninsula of Michigan, northeastern Wisconsin; in central Minnesota (St. Cloud, Stearns County); common northward.
Leaves elliptic to ovate, acute, gradually narrowed or broad-cuneate at the entire base, coarsely doubly serrate above with spreading or incurved teeth tipped with deciduous dark red glands, and usually divided above the middle into 2 or 3 pairs of short acute or acuminate lobes, more than half grown when the flowers open during the first week of June, and then membranaceous and coated with soft pale hairs most abundant on the under side of the midrib and principal veins, and at maturity thick and coriaceous, dark green and lustrous on the upper surface, pale and puberulous on the lower surface, 3′—4′ long and 2′—3′ wide, with a stout midrib, 4—6 pairs of primary veins and conspicuous secondary veinlets; petioles stout, more or less winged toward the apex, villose, ultimately glabrous, tinged with red below the middle, 1½′—2′ in length, after midsummer often twisted at base, bringing the lower surface of the leaf to the light; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots usually more coarsely serrate and much more deeply lobed, with broadly winged petioles, and falcate coarsely glandular-serrate stipules sometimes 1′ in length. Flowers 1′ in diameter, on long slender pedicels, in broad loose lax many-flowered tomentose corymbs; calyx-tube narrowly obconic, tomentose, the lobes abruptly narrowed from a broad base, long, acute, entire, villose; stamens 10; anthers large, rose color; styles 2, or generally 3, surrounded at base by a narrow ring of pale tomentum. Fruit ripening usually early in October, on slender elongated pedicels, in broad many-fruited drooping glabrous or puberulous clusters, short-oblong to oblong-obovoid, rounded at the ends, bright carmine-red, marked by occasional large dots, ¾′—1′ long, and ¾′ in diameter; calyx conspicuous, with enlarged and elongated closely appressed lobes; flesh thick, yellow, sweet and mealy; nutlets 3 or rarely 2, thick, narrowed and acute at base, full and broad at apex, rounded and ridged on the back with a high broad ridge, about 7/16′ long.
A tree, sometimes 20° high, with a tall trunk often a foot in diameter, covered with dark brown scaly bark, ascending or spreading branches forming a broad open irregular head, and stout branchlets tomentose early in the season, becoming orange-brown, glabrous and very lustrous during their first summer, and light gray the following year, and armed with stout straight or curved chestnut-brown shining spines 2′—3′ long and usually pointed toward the base of the branch.
Distribution. Rocky shores of sounds and bays; coast of Maine, Islesboro and Belfast Bay to the island of Mount Desert (Waldo and Hancock Counties); in hedges, near Fredericton, York County, New Brunswick; Rivière du Loup, Kamouraska County, Province of Quebec (Brother Victorin).
Leaves broad-rhombic, oblong-obovate or rarely ovate, acute or rounded at apex, gradually narrowed and usually entire below, coarsely often doubly crenately-serrate above with usually glandless teeth, and divided above the middle or frequently only at apex into short broad rounded or acute lobes when the flowers open in May, thin and roughened above by short pale hairs and glabrous below, and at maturity firm and rather leathery in texture, or subcoriaceous, glabrous, smooth, dark green and somewhat lustrous on the upper surface, pale on the lower surface, 1′—1¼′ long, and 1′ wide, with a yellow midrib, and 3—5 pairs of primary veins extending obliquely to the point of the lobes; petioles slender, often slightly winged toward the apex, glandular at first with minute dark red caducous glands, ½′—1′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots broad-ovate or semiorbicular, usually more deeply and more generally lobed, often 3′ long and 2′—3′ wide. Flowers about ¾′ in diameter, on long slender pedicels, in 3—12-flowered thin-branched slightly villose corymbs; calyx-tube narrowly obconic, slightly villose toward the base, or glabrous, the lobes gradually narrowed from below, acuminate or short-pointed at apex, finely and irregularly glandular-serrate, glabrous or villose on the inner surface; stamens usually 20; anthers small, light yellow; styles 2 or 3, surrounded at the base by a narrow ring of pale tomentum, and villose below the middle with occasional long spreading hairs. Fruit ripening and falling at the end of September, in few-fruited drooping clusters, short-oblong, rounded at the ends, or subglobose and flattened at the ends, dull dark red or rusty orange-red or rarely yellow, marked by occasional dark dots, and about ½′ long; calyx only slightly enlarged, the lobes spreading or erect and frequently deciduous before the fruit ripens; flesh thin, yellow, dry and mealy; nutlets 2 or 3, broad and rounded at base, acute at apex, conspicuously grooved and ridged on the back with a broad rounded ridge, about ¼′ long.
A tree, occasionally 25° high, with a straight trunk 4′—6′ in diameter, covered with thin dark gray-brown bark, small rather erect branches forming a narrow open head, and slender branchlets, orange-green, glabrous or sometimes pubescent when they first appear, becoming bright chestnut-brown and lustrous, and ashy gray or gray tinged with red during their second year, and armed with thin straight or slightly curved bright chestnut-brown spines ¾′—1½′ long.
Distribution. Central Iowa (Steamboat Rock, Harden County, Cedar Rapids, Linn County), southward to Missouri (Hannibal, Marion County, Webster, St. Louis County to the neighborhood of Springfield, Greene County), and eastward to northeastern Illinois (Downers Grove, Dupage County); through north central Indiana to southern Michigan (Kalamazoo and Ingham Counties); through central and southern Ohio to the southeastern part of the state (Washington County); southeastern Ontario (London and Oakwood); in central Tennessee (West Nashville, Davidson County).
Leaves broad-ovate to oval, acute, rounded or cuneate at the entire glandular base, sharply and often doubly serrate above with glandular teeth, and frequently divided into 2 or 3 pairs of short broad acute lateral lobes, when they unfold deep bronze-red, slightly glandular and viscid, nearly fully grown when the flowers open early in May, and then membranaceous and glabrous or occasionally slightly pilose, and at maturity subcoriaceous, glabrous, yellow-green on the upper surface, pale on the lower surface, 1′—2½′ long, and 1′—2′ wide, with a thin pale yellow midrib and 4—7 pairs of slender veins; petioles stout, glandular often to the base with bright red glands, slightly winged above, usually about ½′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots often as broad as long, truncate or cordate at base, and more coarsely dentate and more deeply lobed. Flowers about ¾′ in diameter, on short slender pedicels, in compact 4—10-flowered compound corymbs; calyx-tube broadly obconic, the lobes abruptly narrowed from a broad base, acute or rounded at apex, entire or obscurely and irregularly glandular-serrate above the middle; stamens 10; anthers large, pale yellow; styles 3—5, surrounded at base by a broad thick ring of hoary tomentum. Fruit ripening and falling early in October, on short stout pedicels, in few-fruited erect clusters, depressed-globose, more or less angled, yellow-green flushed with russet-red, marked with small dark dots, usually about ½′ in diameter; calyx prominent, the large spreading lobes often deciduous before the fruit ripens; nutlets 3—5, acute or acuminate at apex, rounded at the narrow base, about ¼′ long.
A tree, occasionally 20° high, with a tall straight trunk 6′—8′ in diameter, sometimes armed with long gray compound spines, stout ascending branches forming a narrow open irregular or occasionally a round-topped head, and glabrous branchlets furnished with many thin nearly straight light chestnut-brown spines 1½′—2′ long; or more often a shrub, with numerous stems.
Distribution. Banks of streams, the borders of fields and upland woods in the southern Appalachian foothill region from southern Virginia to northern Georgia; in northern Alabama, southeastern Kentucky, and eastern Tennessee; sometimes ascending to altitudes of 3000° above the sea.
Leaves broad-ovate or oval, acute, rounded or subcordate or narrowed and concave-cuneate at the entire base, coarsely often doubly serrate above with straight glandular teeth, and more or less incisely lobed with acuminate lateral lobes, more than half grown when the flowers open about the middle of May and then pale green and glabrous with the exception of a few caducous hairs on the upper side of the base of the midrib, and at maturity dark green above, paler below, 1½′—2′ long, and 1½′—2′ wide; petioles stout, conspicuously glandular above the base, wing-margined at the apex, glabrous, ½′—¾′ in length. Flowers about ¾′ in diameter, on slender glabrous pedicels, in compact 3—7-flowered simple corymbs, with conspicuously glandular bracts and bractlets; calyx-tube broadly obconic, glabrous, the lobes broad, acuminate, laciniately cut toward the apex, and glandular with stipitate glands; stamens 10; anthers pale rose color; styles 3—5, surrounded at base by tufts of pale hairs. Fruit ripening late in September or in October, subglobose, usually angled, red or russet-red, about ½′ in diameter; calyx little enlarged, with spreading or reflexed lobes; flesh thin, dry and mealy; nutlets 3—5, broad and rounded at base, rounded at the slightly narrowed apex, prominently ridged on the back, with a broad grooved ridge, about 5/16′ long.
A tree, often 25° high, with a trunk 4′—7′ in diameter and sometimes 10°—12° long, covered with gray or often dark brown scaly bark, stout spreading or ascending branches, and thick glabrous red-brown branchlets armed with thin straight shining spines ½′ long, becoming much longer and branched on the trunk and large branches.
Distribution. Southwestern Virginia, through western North Carolina to eastern Tennessee; usually at altitudes between 2000° and 3000°; common on wooded slopes with Oaks, Hickories, and Pines.
Leaves oval to ovate or occasionally to oblong-ovate, acute, gradually or abruptly narrowed and cuneate or rounded at the entire base, finely serrate above with usually incurved glandular teeth, and frequently slightly and irregularly divided above the middle into 1—3 pairs of short broad acute lobes, when they unfold dark bronze color, with a few scattered pale caducous hairs on the upper surface, about half grown when the flowers open from the 20th to the end of April, and then yellow-green, smooth and glabrous, and at maturity dark dull green above, pale below, 2½′ long, and 1½′ wide, with a stout midrib and 4—7 pairs of thin primary veins; late in the autumn turning, especially those on leading shoots deep orange or scarlet; petioles stout, glandular, more or less winged above, ½′—¾′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots generally broad-ovate, rounded at base, deeply lobed with broad lobes, and often 3½′ long and 3′ wide. Flowers 1′ in diameter, on short pedicels, in 4—9-flowered compact corymbs, their bracts and bractlets like the inner bud-scales coarsely glandular-serrate and bright red before falling; calyx-tube broadly obconic, the lobes gradually narrowed from a broad base, acute, coarsely glandular-serrate often only below the middle; stamens 15—20, usually 15—17; anthers small, pale yellow; styles 3—5, surrounded at the base by a ring of pale hairs. Fruit ripening and falling from the 1st to the middle of October, on stout pedicels often 1′ long, in few-fruited clusters, short-oblong, rounded at the ends, dull red, often with a bright russet face, and marked by occasional large dark dots; calyx prominent, with a long tube, and spreading lobes often deciduous before the fruit ripens; flesh thick, yellow, dry and mealy; nutlets 3—5, narrow and acute at base, broad, about ¼′ long.
A bushy tree, often 25° high, with a short trunk a foot in diameter, furnished like the large branches with innumerable stout much-branched spines frequently 6′ long, and slender nearly straight glabrous dark chestnut-brown branchlets, armed with many stout straight or slightly curved dark chestnut-brown shining spines frequently pointing toward the base of the branch, and 1½′—2½′ long.
Distribution. Open Oak and Hickory-woods on the dry slopes of Red Mountain in the southern part of the city of Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama.
Leaves oblong-ovate to elliptic or rarely to ovate, acute or acuminate at apex, gradually or abruptly cuneate or rounded at the nearly entire base, irregularly doubly serrate above with straight or incurved glandular teeth, and usually irregularly divided into 3 or 4 pairs of short broad acute or acuminate lobes, nearly fully grown when the flowers open late in April, and then subcoriaceous, pale yellow-green, and villose on the midrib with scattered pale caducous hairs, and at maturity lustrous, dark yellow-green above, pale below, 2′—3′ long, and 1½′—2′ wide, with a thin midrib, 5—7 pairs of thin light yellow veins and conspicuous reticulate veinlets; turning in the autumn bright yellow and red; petioles slender, glandular, more or less broadly winged toward the apex, ½′—¾′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots oblong-ovate, concave-cuneate at base, often 3′ long and 2′ wide, their petioles broadly wing-margined to below the middle. Flowers nearly 1′ in diameter, on long thin slightly villose pedicels, in 2—5 usually 3-flowered simple corymbs, with coarsely glandular-serrate bracts and bractlets; calyx-tube narrowly obconic, glabrous or slightly villose, the lobes foliaceous, acute, coarsely glandular-serrate above the middle; stamens 20; anthers large, dark rose color; styles 3—5, usually 4, surrounded at base by a narrow ring of pale hairs. Fruit ripening and falling about the middle of September, often only a single fruit maturing from a flower-cluster, subglobose to short-oblong, rounded at the ends, yellow or orange-yellow, generally more or less flushed with red, marked by occasional large dark dots, ⅓′—½′ long; calyx prominent, with an elongated tube and closely appressed lobes; flesh yellow, thin and hard; nutlets 3—5, usually 4, about ¼′ long.
An intricately branched tree, rarely more than 20° high, with a tall trunk 6′—7′ in diameter, stout ascending branches forming a narrow or sometimes a round flat-topped head, and glabrous branchlets armed with thin straight or slightly curved dark chestnut-brown shining spines, ¾′—1½′ long; often a large shrub, with few or many stems.
Distribution. Rocky woods and bluffs in the foothill region of northwestern Georgia (cliffs of the Coosa River near Rome, Floyd County), southeastern Tennessee (near Chattanooga, Hamilton County, and Tracy City, Grundy County), and northeastern Alabama; very abundant in Alabama at Valley Head, De Kalb County, and on the low ridges extending southward to the neighborhood of Birmingham, Jefferson County.
Leaves oval to ovate or nearly orbicular, acute, gradually or abruptly narrowed and cuneate at the entire base, finely serrate above with incurved teeth, and usually divided above the middle into short acute, acuminate or rounded lobes, half grown when the flowers open the middle of April, and then glabrous with the exception of a few short caducous hairs on the midrib and veins, and at maturity light green on the upper surface, pale on the lower surface, 1½′ long, and 1¼′ wide, with a slender midrib, and 5 or 6 pairs of arcuate primary veins spreading to the point of the lobes; petioles narrowly winged at the apex, usually about ¾′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots sometimes rounded or nearly truncate at base and 1½′—2½′ long and broad. Flowers about ⅔′ in diameter, on short slender pedicels, in compact few-flowered glabrous corymbs; calyx-tube broadly obconic, glabrous, the lobes gradually narrowed from a broad base, acute, entire or sparingly glandular-serrate, tipped with dark red glands, glabrous on the outer surface, puberulous on the inner surface; stamens 20; anthers dark rose color; styles 3—5, surrounded at base by a narrow ring of snowy white tomentum. Fruit ripening about the 1st of October and then remaining on the branches for several weeks, on short stout pedicels, in compact few-fruited erect or drooping clusters, subglobose, often rather longer than broad, bright red, about ¼′ in diameter; calyx prominent, with a well-developed tube, and much enlarged closely appressed lobes often deciduous with the tube before the fruit becomes entirely ripe; flesh thin, yellow, dry and mealy; nutlets 3—5, thin, ⅛′ long.
A tree, 20°—25° high, with a tall, slender often spiny trunk covered with ashy gray bark nearly black at the base of old trees, spreading and ascending branches forming a rounded or oval usually open head, and thin nearly straight bright red-brown glabrous branchlets becoming gray tinged with red or brown in their second season, and armed with thin nearly straight bright chestnut-brown lustrous spines, 1′—1½′ long.
Distribution. Open woods in clay soil in the neighborhood of Greenville, Butler County, Alabama; common near Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida.
Leaves ovate, oval or obovate, acute or acuminate, entire or sparingly glandular below, finely serrate above with incurved glandular teeth, and incisely lobed above the middle with numerous short acute lobes, nearly fully grown when the flowers open at the end of March, and then membranaceous and dark yellow-green and lustrous, and at maturity yellow-green, 1½′—2′ long, and 1′—1½′ wide, with a slender yellow midrib, and thin primary veins extending very obliquely to the point of the lobes; turning in the autumn orange, yellow, or brown; petioles slender, slightly wing-margined toward the apex, sparingly glandular, ½′—1′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots broadly ovate, cuneate or nearly truncate at the wide base, deeply divided into broad lateral lobes, often 2′—3′ long and broad, with a stout broadly winged petiole frequently 1′ long. Flowers 1⅛′—1¼′ in diameter, on long slender pedicels, in 5—10-flowered glabrous corymbs, with large conspicuously glandular bracts and bractlets; calyx-tube narrowly obconic, glabrous, the lobes gradually narrowed from a broad base, glabrous, entire or sparingly serrate; stamens 20; anthers pale rose color; styles 3—5, surrounded at base by a narrow ring of pale hairs. Fruit ripening in September and October, on elongated, slender pedicels, in few-fruited drooping clusters, subglobose, orange-red, about ½′ in diameter; calyx-lobes deciduous before the maturity of the fruit leaving a narrow ring round the shallow cavity; flesh thin and firm; nutlets 3—5, broad, rounded at the ends, barely grooved on the rounded back, 3/16′ long and nearly as broad.
A tree, 20°—25° high, with a trunk 4′—6′ in diameter, covered with gray or brown scaly bark, spreading or ascending branches, and slender red-brown branchlets unarmed or armed with stout spines ¾′—1′ long; more often a large much-branched shrub, with one or more stems.
Distribution. Woods and borders of fields, northwestern Florida; common in the neighborhood of Tallahassee, Leon County.
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.
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.