=10. Crataegus víridis= Linnæus. Southern Thorn. Plate 86. Bark gray to
light orange; spines uncommon, 2-5 cm. (3/4-3-1/4 inches) long; leaves
oblong-ovate, 2-8 cm. (3/4-3-1/4 inches) long, 2-5 cm. (1/2-2 inches)
wide, acute, acuminate or even obtuse at the apex, serrate or doubly
serrate, often with acute or obtuse lobes towards the apex, dark green,
shining and slightly impressed veined above, sometimes pubescent along
the veins beneath; petioles 1-2 cm. (3/8-3/4 inch) long, slightly
winged above; corymbs glabrous, many flowered; flowers appear in May,
1-1.5 cm. (1/2-2/3 inch) broad; stamens about 20; anthers usually
yellow, sometimes pink; styles and nutlets 4 or 5; calyx lobes
lanceolate-acuminate, entire, slightly pubescent inside; fruit ripens in
October, globose or compressed-globose, bright red or orange, glaucous,
4-6 mm. (1/4 inch) thick, flesh thin, hard, edible.
=Distribution.=--Moist, alluvial soil along streams and lakes,
southeastern Virginia to northern Florida and southwestern Indiana to
eastern Kansas and Texas.
A tree from 6-11 m. (20-35 feet) high, with ascending branches and a
broad crown.
Specimens have been examined from the following counties: Dubois (Deam);
Gibson (Schneck), (Deam); Knox (Schneck); Posey (Deam).
=11. Crataegus nítida= (Engelmann) Sargent. Shining Thorn. Plate 87.
Bark dark and scaly; spines occasional, 3-5 cm. (1-2 inches) long;
leaves oblong-ovate to oval, 3-8 cm. (1-1/4-3 inches) long, 2-6 cm.
(3/4-2-1/4 inches) wide, acute at the apex, cuneate at the base,
coarsely serrate or twice serrate with acute lobes towards the apex,
dark green and shining above, glabrous; petioles 1-2 cm. (3/8-3/4 inch)
long, slightly winged above, slightly villous when young; corymbs
glabrous, many-flowered; flowers appear in May, 1.2-2 cm. (1/2-3/4 inch)
broad; stamens about 20; anthers light yellow; styles and nutlets 3-5;
calyx lobes lanceolate-acuminate, entire; fruit ripens in October,
globose to short-ellipsoidal, dark dull red, 6-9 mm. (1/4-1/2 inch)
thick; flesh yellow, mealy, hard.
=Distribution.=--River bottoms southwestern Indiana to southern
Illinois. A tree sometimes 9 m. (30 feet) high, with ascending and
spreading branches and a broad crown.
Specimens have been seen from Gibson (Schneck); Posey (Deam).
[Illustration: Plate 87.