Plants -- Identification; Wild flowers -- Great Britain
The Maple (_Acer campestre_) is a much smaller tree, with a very
rugged, corky bark. In woods it often reaches a height of fifteen to
twenty feet, though it produces flowers and fruit long before it is
fully grown; and it is often seen, more or less trimmed and stunted,
among hedgerow shrubs. Its leaves are opposite, two to four inches wide,
on slender stalks, palmately veined, and divided to about the middle
into five obtuse, entire or crenate lobes. The greenish flowers are much
like those of the Sycamore, and appear at the same time, but grow in
loose, erect, axillary racemes; and the wings of the fruit always spread
horizontally in a straight line. On p. 337 is a photograph of a
twig of this tree in fruit.
The Spindle Tree (_Euonymus europæus_), the only British member of the
order _Celastraceæ_, is a moderately common wood and hedgerow shrub
which is usually from four to ten feet high, when untrimmed, bearing
yellowish-green flowers during May and June. Its branches are smooth,
green and angular; and its leaves are opposite, shortly-stalked, oval,
acute, finely toothed, with a shining surface. The flowers are usually
from three to five together in loose axillary clusters. They have a
small, flat calyx of four short sepals; four spreading petals, about a
sixth of an inch long; four stamens, about half the length of the
petals; and an ovary of from three to five cells embedded in the fleshy
disc. The fruits are very pretty, and often form a conspicuous feature
of the hedgerow during late summer. They are lobed capsules which open
at the angles, exposing the bright orange mace that encloses the seeds.
Several of the prettiest of our trees and shrubs belong to the order
_Rosaceæ_, and among these we may name the Dwarf Cherry, Bird Cherry,
Gean, Sloe, Bullace, Hawthorn, Wild Pear, Crab Apple, Service Tree,
White Beam Tree, and Mountain Ash. The first of these, known variously
as the Wild Cherry, Dwarf Cherry, and Red Cherry (_Prunus Cerasus_),
grows from four to eight feet high, and bears white flowers, in almost
sessile umbels, during May and early June. Its bark is of a reddish
colour, and numerous suckers arise from its root. The leaves are
oval-oblong, smooth, firm, and nearly erect; and the fruit is round,
juicy, and red. Although in the wild state the fruit is very acid, this
is the tree from which our sweet, cultivated cherries have been derived.
In order to distinguish this from other similar species, it should be
noted that the tube of the calyx is _not_ contracted at its mouth.
The Bird Cherry (_P. Padus_) is found principally in North England,
where it is moderately common in parts. It is larger than the last,
often reaching a height of fifteen feet. Its leaves are narrow,
somewhat egg-shaped, smooth, with a doubly-serrate margin. The flowers,
which appear in May or June, are white, and arranged in pendulous
racemes; and the fruit is oval, almost black, and bitter.
[Illustration: THE WILD CHERRY.]
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