Part 47

+Mountain Ash+

Pyrus americana (Marsh.) DC. [Sorbus americana Marsh.]

HABIT.--A small tree 15-20 feet high, with a trunk diameter of not over a foot; branches slender, spreading, forming a narrow, rounded crown.

LEAVES.--Alternate, compound, 6-9 inches long. Leaflets 9-17, 2-3 inches long and 1/2-3/4 inch broad; sessile or nearly so, except the terminal; lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, taper-pointed; finely and sharply serrate above the entire base; membranaceous; glabrous, dark yellow-green above, paler beneath, turning clear yellow in autumn. Petioles slender, grooved, enlarged at the base.

FLOWERS.--May-June, after the leaves; perfect; 1/8 inch across; borne on short, stout pedicels in many-flowered, flat cymes 3-5 inches across; calyx urn-shaped, 5-lobed, puberulous; petals 5, white; stamens numerous; styles 2-3.

FRUIT.--October, but persistent on the tree throughout the winter; a berry-like pome, subglobose, 1/4 inch in diameter, bright red, with thin, acid flesh; eaten by birds in the absence of other food.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud about 1/2 inch long, ovoid, acute, with curved apex; lateral buds smaller, appressed; scales rounded on the back, purplish red, more or less pilose above, gummy.

BARK.--Twigs at first red-brown and hairy, becoming glabrous, dark brown; thin, light gray-brown on the trunk, smooth, or slightly roughened on old trees; inner bark fragrant.

WOOD.--Light, soft, close-grained, weak, pale brown, with thick, lighter colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Ludington and northward, principally along the shore of L. Michigan, but common throughout the Upper Peninsula.

HABITAT.--Prefers rich, moist soil on river-banks and on the borders of cold swamps; rocky hillsides and mountains.

NOTES.--More often a shrub. Easily transplanted, but slow of growth. One of the most beautiful trees of our northern forests.

1. Winter twig, × 1. 2. Portion of twig, enlarged. 3. Leaf, × 1. 4. Flowering branchlet, × 1/2. 5. Vertical section of flower, enlarged. 6. Fruiting branchlet, × 1/2.]

+ROSACEAE+

+Serviceberry+

Amelanchier canadensis (L.) Medic.

HABIT.--A small tree 25-40 feet in height, with a tall trunk 6-12 inches in diameter; forming a narrow, rounded crown of many small limbs and slender branchlets.

LEAVES.--Alternate, simple, 3-4 inches long and about one-half as broad; ovate to obovate; finely and sharply serrate; glabrous, dark green above, paler beneath; petioles slender, about 1 inch long.

FLOWERS.--April, when the leaves are about one-third grown; perfect; large, white, borne in drooping racemes 3-5 inches long; calyx 5-cleft, campanulate, villous on the inner surface; petals 5, strap-shaped, white, about 1 inch in length; stamens numerous; styles 5, united below.

FRUIT.--June-August; globular, berry-like pome, 1/3-1/2 inch long; turning from bright red to dark purple with slight bloom; sweet and edible when ripe.

WINTER-BUDS.--Yellow-brown, narrow-ovoid to conical, sharp-pointed, 1/4-1/2 inch long; bud-scales apiculate, slightly pubescent.

BARK.--Twigs smooth, light green, becoming red-brown; thin, pale red-brown on the trunk, smoothish or divided by shallow fissures into narrow, longitudinal, scaly ridges.

WOOD.--Heavy, very hard, strong, close-grained, dark red-brown, with thick, lighter colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Common throughout the state.

HABITAT.--Prefers rich soil of dry, upland woods and hillsides.

NOTES.--Hardy throughout the state. Grows in all soils and situations except in wet lands.

Crataegus punctata Jacq.

1. Winter twig, × 1. 2. Leaf, × 1. 3. Flowering branchlet, × 1/2. 4. Vertical section of flower, enlarged. 5. Fruit, × 1.]