[ 35° ]
P Y R U S domeftica.
Service Tree.
3 /
1 C O S A N D R J A Pentagynia.
G en. C har. Cal. 5-cleft. Petals 5. Apple inferior,
with fi cells and feveral feeds.
Spec. Char. Leaves pinnate : leaflets equal, downy
beneath, ferrated towards the point. Flowers in
panicles.
Syn. Sorbus domeftica. Linn. Sp. PI. 684. Hudf. Fl.
An. 215. With. Bot. Arr. 514. Crantz. Stirp.
fafc. 2. 48. tab. 2. ƒ. 3.
Sorbus. Rail Syn. 452.
W e have been favoured by Lord Vifcount Valentia with
frefh wild fpecimens of this rare Britifh plant, gathered from
a folitary tree in the middle of Wire foreft, near Bewdley,
Worcefterfhire, the fame probably that was obferved by Mr.
Pitts in Ray’s time. It is faid to grow alfo in the mountainous
parts of Cornwall and Staffordfhire, and may now and then be
met with in old gardens, having been formerly cultivated for
the fake of its fruit, which is like, but inferior to, a Medlar.
It flowers in May.
The tree is of a middle fize, not unlike the Mountain
Alh, of very flow growth, not flowering till it arrives at
a great age, and the wood is very hard. Leaves alternate,
compofed of about 7 or 9 pair of oppofite, felfile, ovate or oblong
leaflets, with an odd terminal one of the fame fize; all
entire at the bafe, ferrated from about half way to the end,
fmooth above, downy beneath, but that downinefs goes off towards
autumn. Flowers in panicles, cream-coloured. \ Calyx
very woolly. Petals concave, with hairy claws. Stamina numerous.
Styles always 5, with oblique concave ftigmas. Fruit
pear-fhaped, reddifh and fpotted, extremely auftere, and not
eatable till it is quite mellowed by froft or time, when it becomes
brown and veryfoft. Cells 5, with one feed in each. .
' Every botanical principle whatever obliges us to remove this
tree from the genus of Sorbus, as Crantz alfo obferves, who
would have been more regarded in many cafes than he is, if he
had written with more temper. From an accurate examination
of the half-ripe fruit, we have found it a genuine Pyrus, having
indeed only one feed in each bivalve capfule of the apple,
but that is not peculiar to this fpecids. The pinnated leaves
are (as to habit) a much more important objection.