Trees of Indiana Part 17

=MALaCEAE.=[51] The Apple Family.

The trees of this family that occur in our area have simple, alternate leaves; perfect, regular flowers, 5-merous calyx and corolla; fruit a more or less fleshy pome.

Flowers in racemes, cavities of mature fruit twice as many as the styles, seeds less than 4 mm. (1/8 inch) long 2 Amelanchier.

Flowers in cymes or corymbs, cavities of mature fruit as many as the styles, seeds more than 4 mm. (1/8 inch) long.

Fruit green, mature carpels papery 1 Malus.

Fruit red, orange, blue-black or yellow, mature carpels bony 3 Crataegus.

=I. MaLUS.= The Apples.

_Malus angustifolia_ has been reported from the State, but it is a species of more southern range. Both _Malus ioensis_ and _Malus lancifolia_ may easily be mistaken for this species.

Leaves and petioles glabrous or only slightly p.u.b.escent; calyx tube and outside of calyx lobes glabrous or only slightly p.u.b.escent.

Leaves distinctly lobed, at least those of vigorous shoots; petioles p.u.b.escent above 1 M. glaucescens.

Leaves serrate, not lobed; petioles glabrous 2 M. lancifolia.

Leaves (at least the lower surfaces) and petioles densely tomentose; calyx lobes densely tomentose on both sides 3 M. ioensis.

=1. Malus glaucescens= Rehder. American Crab Apple (_M. fragrans_ Rehder). Plate 72. Bark reddish, fissured and scaly; leaves on glandless petioles, petioles usually 2-4 cm. (3/4-1-1/2 inches) long, leaves narrow ovate to almost triangular, those on the lateral branchlets of the ovate type, those of the terminal branchlets and vigorous shoots of the triangular type, 3-8 cm. (1-1/2-3 inches) long, acute at the apex, mostly rounded or somewhat cordate at the base, sometimes tapering, those of the triangular type usually truncate, margin of the ovate type of leaves more or less sharply serrate, the basal third of the leaf with shallow teeth or entire, margins of the triangular type more deeply serrate to almost lobed, hairy above and below when they expand, becoming smooth both above and below, sometimes a few hairs are found on the veins beneath at maturity, bright green above, paler beneath; flowers appear in May when the leaves are about half grown, usually 5 or 6 in a cl.u.s.ter, white or rose-color, very fragrant, 3-4 cm. (1-1/2-2 inches) broad when fully expanded; calyx lobes lanceolate-ac.u.minate, tomentose on the inside, glabrous outside; fruit depressed-globose, without angles, yellow-green, 2-4.5 cm. (3/4-2 inches) thick, 2-2.5 cm.

(3/4-1 inch) long, very fragrant and covered with a waxy bloom.

=Distribution.=--Central New York, lower peninsula Michigan, western New Jersey to northern Alabama and Missouri. Found in all parts of Indiana.

No doubt in the original forests it was rare, but the removal of the large trees has been favorable to its growth until today it is somewhat frequent in moist open woods, along streams and neglected fences. It is most frequent among the hills in southern Indiana, and in all its distribution it is usually found in clumps.

In our area it is a small tree about 10-20 cm. (4-8 inches) in diameter and 4-6 m. (12-18 feet) high, with a spreading crown. An exceptionally large tree is located on the south bank of Round Lake in Whitley County which measures 1.3 m. (51 inches) in circ.u.mference at one meter (3 feet) above the ground where the first branch appears.

Specimens which were collected by the person whose name follows the county have been seen by the writer from the following counties of Indiana: Allen (Deam) 1919; Brown (Deam) 1911; Clark (Deam) 1913; Daviess (Deam) 1910; Decatur (Deam) 1911; Delaware (Deam) 1911; Floyd (Very) 1896; Fountain (Deam) 1919; Hamilton (Mrs. Chas. C. Deam) 1913; Kosciusko (Deam) 1910; Laporte (Deam) 1911; Morgan (Deam) 1910; n.o.ble (Deam) 1919; Owen (Deam) 1911; Posey (Deam) 1911; Randolph (Deam) 1916, 1919; Steuben (Deam) 1905; Warren (Deam) 1911; Wayne (Deam) 1919; Wells (E. B. Williamson) 1896, (Deam) 1898, 1907, 1916, 1919.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 72.

MALUS GLAUCESCENS Rehder. American Crab Apple. ( 1/2.)]

=2. Malus lanciflia= Rehder. Narrow-leaved Crab Apple. (_M.

coronaria_ of manuals, in part.) Plate 73. Leaves ovate, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 1.5-3 cm. (1/2-1-1/4 inches) wide, 3.5-8 cm. (1-1/2-3 inches) long, acute or shortly ac.u.minate at the apex; rounded or broadly cuneate at the base, finely serrate often doubly serrate, slightly tomentose when young, becoming entirely glabrous; bright yellow-green on both sides. Flowers 3-3.5 cm. broad, 3-6 in a cl.u.s.ter, pedicels slender, glabrous. Calyx lobes oblong, lanceolate, glabrous outside, slightly villous inside, fruit subglobose, 2-3 cm. (3/4-1-1/3 inches) in diameter, green.

=Distribution.=--Pennsylvania to the mountains of North Carolina, west to Indiana and south to Missouri.

Specimens have been seen from the following counties of Indiana: Allen (Deam) 1919; Daviess (Deam) 1919; Delaware (Deam) 1911; Dubois (Deam) 1919; Fountain (Deam) 1919; Henry (Deam) 1917, 1919; Jay (Deam) 1919; Jennings (Deam); Knox (Deam) 1918, 1919; n.o.ble (Deam) 1919; Posey (Deam) 1919; Spencer (Deam) 1919; Starke (Deam) 1911; Union (Deam) 1919; Vermillion (Deam) 1911.

=3. Malus ioensis= (Wood) Britton. Western Crab Apple. Iowa Crab Apple.

Plate 74. Leaves oblong to ovate-oblong, 4-10 cm. (1-1/2-4 inches) long, 2-8 cm. (3/4-3-1/4 inches), wide, obtuse or acute at the apex, rounded or broadly cuneate at the base, dentate-crenate or doubly so, slightly p.u.b.escent above, becoming glabrous, dark green, slightly rugose above, densely white-tomentose below, remaining so at least along the veins; petioles 1.5-4 cm. (1/2-1-1/2 inches) long, densely white-tomentose; corymbs 2-5 flowered, pedicels p.u.b.escent; calyx densely white-tomentose, calyx lobes lanceolate-ac.u.minate, densely tomentose on both sides; flowers similar to those of _Malus coronaria_; fruit globose, without angles, green, 2-3.5 cm. (3/4-1-1/2 inches) thick, 2-3 cm. (3/4-1-1/4 inches) long.

=Distribution.=--Indiana, central Kentucky, Louisiana, Wisconsin, southern Minnesota, eastern Kansas and Texas. A tree in habit, similar to _Malus glaucescens_.

Specimens have been seen from Allen (Deam) 1915; Benton (Deam) 1919; Ca.s.s (Deam) 1916; Daviess (Deam) 1919; Delaware (Deam) 1911; Floyd (Very) 1896; Huntington (Deam); Jasper (Deam) 1919; Knox (Deam) 1917; Lake (Deam) 1919; Lagrange (Deam) 1915; Laporte (Deam) 1913, 1919; Newton (Deam) 1919; Porter (Deam) 1915; Posey (Deam) 1919; Putnam (Grimes); Sullivan (Deam) 1917, 1919; Tippecanoe (Dorner) 1900, (Deam) 1917; Vigo (Deam) 1917, 1919; Warren (Deam) 1919; White (Deam) 1916; Whitley (Deam) 1919.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 73.

MALUS LANCIFOLIA Rehder. Narrow-leaved Crab Apple. ( 1/2.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 74.

MALUS IOENSIS (Wood) Britton. Western Crab Apple. ( 1/2.)]

=Malus ioensis lancifolia= n. hyb. Specimens collected by Deam in Grant County in 1907 and Huntington County in 1919 appear to be this cross. It would be strange indeed if such closely related species as these _Malus_ and many _Crataegus_ would not cross.

=2. AMELaNCHIER.= The Service Berries.

Leaves densely white tomentose when young, becoming green. 1 A. canadensis.

Leaves nearly or quite glabrous 2 A. laevis.

=1. Amelanchier canadensis= (Linnaeus) Medicus. Juneberry. Service Berry.

Plate 75. Leaves obovate, ovate, oval or oblong, 4-10 cm. (1-1/2-3 inches) long, 2.5-5 cm. (1-2 inches) wide, cordate at base, acute, or ac.u.minate at apex, sharply and doubly serrate; blades and petioles densely white tomentose when young, persisting particularly on petioles with age, green or yellowish green, not unfolded at flowering time; racemes short, dense, silky tomentose pedicels, 15-25 mm. (1/2-1 inch) long in fruit; petals linear or linear-oblong 10-14 mm, (3/8-5/8 inch) long; calyx 2.5-3 mm. broad, campanulate, glabrous or somewhat woolly, calyx lobes oblong-triangular, obtuse, tomentose 2-3 mm. long, abruptly reflexed at the base when the petals fall; summit of ovary glabrous; fruit scanty, maroon-purple, dry and tasteless; flowers in April or May; fruit ripening June or July.

=Distribution.=--Southern Maine to southern Michigan, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and south to Georgia and Louisiana.

Bushy tree or shrub sometimes 10 meters (35 feet) high.

Specimens have been seen from the following counties: Clark (Deam) 1913; Clay (Deam) 1913; Crawford (Deam) 1911; Floyd (Deam) 1913; Fountain (L.

A. Williamson) 1908; Jackson (Deam) 1911; Jefferson (Deam) 1918; Jennings (Deam); Lagrange (Deam) 1915; Tippecanoe (Dorner) 1900; Warren (Deam) 1911.

=2. Amelanchier laevis= Wiegand. Smooth Juneberry. Service Berry.

(_Amelanchier canadensis_ of Manuals, in part.) Plate 76. Leaves ovate-oval to ovate-oblong or sometimes obovate or elliptical, 4-6 cm.

(1/2-2-1/4 inches) long, 2.5-4 cm. (1-1-1/2 inches) wide, apex short, ac.u.minate, base cordate, rounded or sometimes acute, sharply serrate, glabrous or with a few hairs when young, dark green and slightly glaucous when mature, one-half or two-third grown at flowering time; petioles glabrous; racemes many flowered, drooping, glabrous or nearly so; fruiting pedicels 30-50 mm. (1-1/4-2 inches) long; petals oblong-linear, 10-18 mm. (3/8-3/4 inch) long; calyx campanulate, 2.75-5 mm. wide, glabrous, sepals triangular, lanceolate, 3-4 mm. long, abruptly reflexed at base when petals fall; summit of ovary glabrous; fruit purple to nearly black, glaucous, edible; flowers in April or May; fruit, June or July.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 75.

AMELANCHIER CANADENSIS (Linnaeus) Medicus. June or Service Berry.

( 1/2.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 76.

AMELANCHIER LAEVIS Wiegand. Smooth Juneberry or Service Berry.

( 1/2.)]

=Distribution.=--Newfoundland, northern Michigan, Kansas, Missouri and south in the mountains to Georgia and Alabama.

Specimens have been seen from the following counties: Brown (Deam) 1910; Dubois (Deam) 1912; Grant (Deam) 1916; Jackson (Deam) 1918; Jefferson (Deam) 1918; Lagrange (Deam) 1915; Lake (Deam) 1911; Laporte (Deam) 1911, 1913; Lawrence (Deam) 1918; Owen (Deam) 1912; Perry (Deam) 1919; Porter (Deam) 1911 and (Agnes Chase); Putnam (Mrs. Chas. C. Deam) 1913; Ripley (Deam) 1915; St. Joseph (Deam) 1916; Steuben (Deam) 1905; Wells (Deam) 1898.

Trees or shrubs, sometimes 13 meters (45 feet) high. In the mountains of Vermont the fruit is often abundant, very juicy and sweet, and in much demand both by man and the birds. The berries on the long racemes ripen at different times and are perhaps two weeks in maturing, thus furnishing food for some time.