acute, brown. Leaves elliptic or obovate, shortly and 
suddenly acuminate, obtuse at the base, serrate-crenate, the 
largest almost 3 in. long and 14 in. broad, sparingly hairy 
on the upper side, greyish- or fulvous-tomentose below, with 
5-7 oblique lateral nerves on each side; petiole } in. long; 
stipules filiform-subulate, bifid almost to the base, glandular- 
fimbriate, } in. long. lowers from one-flowered buds, 
1 or 2, rarely more, fascicled with the young leaves on 
very much shortened branches; bud scales ovate-rotundate, | 
brown, ciliolate. Pedicels tomentose, up to } in. long. 
Receptacle short, tubular, slightly widened above, glabrous 
without, hairy within at the insertion of the stamens. 
Sepals herbaceous, broad-ovate, subacute or obtuse, glabrous 
on both sides. Petals white or tinged with pink, broad- 
ovate, clawed, about } in. long. Stamens about 25. Ovary 
hairy in the upper part. J’ruit a small, sparingly hairy 
cherry, 4 in. long, bright red.—Orro Srapr. 
Cutrrvation.— Prunus tomentosa is one of the earliest- 
flowering species of its genus. It is usually in full blossom 
during March, and is one of the most attractive of hardy 
shrubs at that season. The species is not common in 
gardens, but is well worth cultivating for its early flowers 
and its neat habit. It makes a low, rounded, dense bush, 
somewhat wider than it is high. Its only defect as a garden 
shrub is that its beauty is rather fleeting. The petals are 
fragile and unable to withstand the pelting showers which 
frequently prevail in late March and early April. The 
plants at Kew occasionally ripen a few fruits, but these are 
too infrequent to afford a reliable means of increase. The 
species can, however, be propagated by means of cuttings. 
The plant from which our figure was made has long been 
in the collection at Kew.—W. J. Bean. 
Fig. 1, a young leaf; 9, a stipe’ ip ee peas ane cai balsa laid open to show 
the pistil; 4, ovary :—all enlarged. PSTN Le ~ #9: s ae 
