Part 43

=Fruit=.—June-August; a berry-like, globular pome, one-third-½ inch long, borne in racemes, red to purple, sweet and edible.

=Bark=.—Smooth, or somewhat rough, with narrow scaly ridges on old trees.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, warps and checks easily, dark reddish-brown with thick whitish sapwood.

=Range=.—Newfoundland and Ontario, south to Florida and west to Louisiana and Kansas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in nearly all parts of the State.

=Habitat=.—Dry, light soils of upland woods and hillsides. Grows in a variety of soils and exposures.

=Notes=.—Service tree and Juneberry are two other names of this tree. The wood is rarely used for any purpose.

At least two shrubby species of Amelanchier are native to West Virginia.

COCKSPUR THORN

=Crataegus crus-galli=, L.

=Form=.—Height 10-25 feet, diameter 6-12 inches; trunk short; crown broad and flat-topped.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, ovate-obovate, 1-3 inches long, sharply serrate except toward the base, long tapering at the base, rounded or blunt-pointed at the apex, thick, dark green and glossy above, paler beneath.

=Flowers=.—June; perfect; white, two-thirds of an inch across, arranged in many-flowered corymbs; stamens 10; styles 1-3.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn; an ovoid or sub-globose pome two-fifths-½ inch long, greenish to dull red, containing usually 2 boxy nutlets which are 2-3-grooved on the back.

=Bark=.—Grayish brown, roughened on old trees by small scales.

=Wood=.—Hard, heavy, close-grained, reddish brown with thick light-colored sapwood.

=Range=.—Southern Canada to northern Georgia, west to Missouri and Michigan.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A common thorn throughout the State.

=Habitat=.—Borders of woods and abandoned fields on many kinds of soils.

=Notes=.—As indicated by the name, this species is armed with long, curved thorns. The taper-based, serrate, glossy leaves and the dull red-green fruits will help the student in identifying this common tree.

DOTTED THORN

=Crataegus punctata=, Jacq.

=Form=.—Height 10-35 feet, diameter 8-14 inches; trunk thick and short; crown very broad and flat-topped.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, oblanceolate-obovate, 1½-3 inches long, tapering at the base, rounded or blunt-pointed at apex, irregularly serrate or sometimes lobed, dull grayish-green and strongly impressed-veined above.

=Flowers=.—May-June; perfect; white, about ¾ of an inch across, in corymbs with tomentose stalks; stamens usually about 20.

=Fruit=.—Ripens in autumn; an ovoid pome, ½-1 inch thick, red (var. rubra, Ait.) or yellow, (var. aurea, Ait.) nutlets usually 3-4 with 2-5 ridges on the back.

=Bark=.—Gray, with thin scales on old trunks.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, close-grained.