Species List


Mespilus germanica L.

Pomaceous Fruit: Medlar



Transversal section

  Diffuse- to slightly semi-ring-porous. Numerous pores, mostly solitary, relatively small, more or less regularly distributed. Growth ring boundaries distinct to indistinct, dependent on distribution of pores, which varies with growth conditions. Ground tissue fibres relatively thick-walled. Diffuse apotracheal parenchyma, rarely in short, uniseriate tangential bands. Sometimes gum deposits in heartwood vessels.

Radial section

  Simple perforation plates. Fine spiral thickenings occur occasionally in the vessels, often only in vessel element tails. Rays homogeneous to heterogeneous, often with one or more rows of square marginal and upright cells. Both prismatic crystals and druses sometimes present in rays or in axial parenchyma (idioblasts). Fibre-tracheids present, libriform fibres absent.

Tangential section

  Rays generally bi- to triseriate, up to 4-seriate. Uniseriate rays mostly composed from oval, square or upright cells. Ray cells regularly round to oval elongated. Average ray height: 5 to 20 cells.

Key characters

  Diffuse- to semi-ring-porous. Rays generally biseriate, homogeneous to heterogeneous. Simple perforation plates. Vessel pits opposite, in horizontal rows.


  Mespilus germanica can be distinguished from other Pomoideae species by the frequent presence of tri- to 4-seriate rays. This species was introduced in Italy by the Romans and was probably cultivated in Central Europe in the Middle Ages.

  © / authors / citation / 03.05.06