232. RED HAW or hawthorn (_Crataegus_ species) probably about four
species in the county. Three are easily distinguished by the shapes of
the leaves and the size of the fruits:
(a) Leaves: very wooly when young, broad near base and nearly as broad
as long, doubly toothed and often shallowly lobed; especially
susceptible to the cedar rust. Fruit: red, resembling large rose hips,
edible, mealy, about ¾ inch across, ripening in September and falling
early. Grows in the vicinity of White Rock Creek and Lake. Leaves and
flowers in early April.
(b) Leaves: usually obovate, tapering at base and somewhat blunt at tip,
darker and smoother than (a). Fruit: about ½ inch or less across,
ripening October or November, clinging late into winter. Flowers and
leaves both smaller and appearing later than (a). Same region.
(c) Leaves: deeply and sharply cut. Fruit: ¼ inch or less across, many
in a drooping cluster. River bottoms in southeastern part of county.
A fourth species is distinctive for its loose, flaky bark.
Wood: tough and hard but all trees in this region too small to be of
commercial importance.
233. PRAIRIE ROSE (_Rosa setigera_ Michx.) rare, climbing or trailing,
vine-like shrub of low sandy land. Leaves: compound leaflets; mostly
three, or five. Stems: green, with stout, scattered prickles, sometimes
20 feet long, usually much less. Flowers: bright pink, styles united
into a column. Fruit: rounded, red in autumn, nearly ½ inch in diameter.
B (Vol. II, p. 283.)
234. PASTURE ROSE (_Rosa foliolosa_ Nutt.) a common, very low shrub.
Habitat: meadows, roadsides, open woods, White Rock Lake, etc. Flowers:
white or pale pink, solitary, sweet-scented. Stem: 6 to 12 inches tall,
reddish, slender, with few prickles. Fruits: red, haw-like, in fall and
winter. Leaves: pinnately compound, small leaflets 7 to 11, red in
autumn or green and tardily deciduous. D (p. 106.)
235. DEWBERRY (_Rubus trivialis_) abundant trailing “shrub” of woods,
roadsides, thickets and ditches. Leaves: compound, 3 to 5 leaflets,
rose-like, evergreen or nearly so. Stems: green, prickly, usually lying
on the ground, several feet long. Flowers: white, 5 petals, like small
single roses. Fruit: black, many-seeded, juicy, ripe April-May, popular
with birds, boys and redbugs.
236. WILD BLACK CHERRY (_Prunus serotina_ Ehr.) a rare, small tree
observed in low, sandy woods. Leaves: oval or longer, pointed at tip,
finely serrate, dark red glands at base; glossy above, paler below. 2-6
inches long. Flowers: in grape-like clusters, drooping, white, in late
March. Fruit: resembling small grapes, bitter but edible. Bark: of
branches and young trunks glossy, reddish brown, marked with white,
horizontal lines, finally becomes rough and broken into irregular
plates. Wood: is second in value only to black walnut, reddish brown,
fine grained, used for furniture, and interiors. Fruit: used to flavor
rum, the bark in medicines.
237. WILD PLUM (_Prunus mexicana_ S. Watson) common tree in woodlands,
especially in low, rich ground. Leaves: oval, finely toothed, 2 to 3
inches long, downy or smooth but not shiny. Flowers: white,
sweet-scented, in February and March. Fruit: oval, about 1 inch
diameter, red, with a bloom; makes a delicious, tart jelly; different
trees ripen from August into October. Winter TWIGS: smooth, dark
purplish, the smaller ones often thorny-tipped. Bark: smooth on branches
but peeling, finally rough and dark gray. J (p. 565.)
238. DWARF PLUM (_Prunus angustifolia_ var. _varians_ Wight & Hedr.) a
shrub, often flowering when 1 or 2 feet high, rarely a very small tree,
common on dry hillsides, meadows and fence rows, often forming thickets.
Leaves: slightly narrower than those of the tree plum, smooth or shiny
above, often tending to fold together lengthwise. Flowers: small, white,
in March. Fruit: about ½ inch in diameter, bright red, ripe in
midsummer. Twigs: very glossy and dark reddish purple, with sharp
thorns. J (p. 570.)
239. PEACH (_Prunus persica_ (L.) Sieb & Zucc.) an uncommon escape from
cultivation, growing readily from seeds along roadsides, etc. These
trees usually bear small, hard, flavorless fruit but may be used as
parent stock on which to graft desirable cultivated varieties. Flowers:
showy, pink.