to and southwards from Shiraz, where it usually forms a 
smal shrub with stiff spreading or tortuous branches, found 
it as variable there as in Mesopotamia as regards pubescence 
and fruit. Herbarium material shows that from Syria and 
Western Kurdistan to Chorassan and Southern Persia it 1s° 
everywhere as variable. Dr. Stapf therefore concludes that 
P. microcarpa should be treated as a species very variable 
not only in habit and stature, which depend greatly on 
the physical conditions under which it grows, but as to 
pubescence, length of fruit-stalk, size of leaf and size and 
colour of fruit which vary independently. The form depicted 
represents a state which most resembles Cerasus tortuosa, 
Boiss. & Hausskn., but differs therefrom in having, even 
in the unfolding buds, practically glabrous leaf-blades, 
though the petioles, like the twigs, are pubescent. This 
form comes from Asia Minor. Under cultivation it loves 
sunshine and should be given a scuthern exposure. It 
appears perfectly hardy and flowers prettily in May. 
Under our dull skies it fails to fruit freely, and such fruits 
as do form are liable to fall while still green. 
DEscrIPTION.—Shrub, often dwarf, at most 7 ft. high, 
very variable in habit, branches virgate or spreading, rigid 
or tortuous, usually at first pubescent, occasionally glabrous, 
_ bark dark brown or tawny. Leaves wide ovate or ovate- 
elliptic or lanceolate-oblong, subacute, serrate, 1-14 in. long, 
4-3 in. wide, glabrous cr more or less pubescent; petioles 
thinly pubescent, 1-3 lin. long; stipules } in. long, subu- 
late from a fimbriate base. lowers very tew, often only 2, 
on sliort leafy twigs appearing with or shortly before the 
foliage ; pedicels thinly pubescent or glabrous, }—3 in. long. 
fteceptacle reddish, wide cylindric, narrowed in the middle 
after the fruit has set, 1-2 lin. long, glabrous or pubescent 
at the base. Sepals ovate, ciliate, under 1 lin. long. Petals 
pale rose or white, obovate, about 24 lin. long. uit 
ovoid, rather pointed, 3-5 lin. long, coloured as in our 
figure when about to fall; in wild plants sometimes red, 
sometimes yellow. 
Fig. 1, base of a leaf with stipules; 2, flower; 3, longitudinal section of © 
receptacle, showing 2 ovaries-anomalous; 4 and 5, stamens:—all enlarged. 
