Crataegus

Crataegus, a genus of Rosaceæ, sub-order Pomeæ, very nearly allied to Mespilus (Medlar) and Pyrus (Pear, Apple, &c.), but distinguished by the acute calycine segments, and by the round or oval fruit, closed at the apex, and concealing the upper end of the bony cells. The species are pretty numerous, natives of the temperate parts of the northern hemisphere, and in general have flowers in beautiful terminal corymbs. They are all large shrubs or small trees, more or less spiny, whence the name Thorn has been very generally applied to them. The only native of Britain is the common Hawthorn (q.v.), (Crataegus Oxyacantha). Most of the species resemble it considerably in habit, size, form of leaf, &c. A number of them are now frequent in plantations and shrubberies in Britain, of which perhaps the most common is the Cock's-spur Thorn (C. crus-galli), a native of North America from Canada to Carolina. Its leaves are not lobed; its fruit rather larger than that of the hawthorn. The Azarole (C. Azarolus), a native of the south of Europe, and the Aronia (C. Aronia), a native of the Levant, are occasionally cultivated for their fruit, which is about the size of the Siberian crab, and is used either for dessert or for pies. C. orientalis (or odoratissima) and C. tanacetifolia have also fruit of considerable size. The latter is much eaten in Armenia. C. mexicana has a large fruit, like a small apple, but not eatable. It is, however, very ornamental. The wood of most of the species much resembles that of the hawthorn. It is common to graft the rarer species on the hawthorn.—C. Pyracantha differs much in appearance from most of the genus; being a pretty evergreen shrub, with lanceolate crenate leaves, and rich clusters of red berries, which remain on it all winter; a native of rocky places in the south of Europe and the Caucasus. It is often employed in Britain as an ornamental covering for walls, and is known as the Pyracantha.