1916] Fernald, — correct Name of the Choke Cherry 141 



Cerasi similis arbuscula mariana, padi folio, flore albo 

 parvo racemofo. Pluk. mant. 43. t. 339. Catesb. 

 car. i. p. 28. t. 28. 

 Habitat in Virginia." l 



From this description it appears that Linnaeus gave an original 

 diagnosis and originated the name virginiana, and that to the species 

 described and so named he ascribed as synonyms the earlier " Cerasus 

 sylvestris" of Gronovius and of Royen and the ' Cerasus similis arbus- 

 cula" etc. of Plukenet and of Catesby. The description by Grono- 

 vius and the identical description by Royen leave no question that 

 they were referring to the Black Cherry. In fact, Gronovius, in his 

 second edition, cites Clayton No. 627, which, as shown by the type 

 material examined by Dr. Gray in 1869, was the Black Cherry, 

 indicated by Dr. Gray in his notes as " Prunus serotina!" Similarly, 

 Catesby's figure and description belong clearly to P. serotina as 

 recently understood; but the Plukenet figure, as recorded by Dr. 

 Gray in a manuscript upon the original sources, is " Itea virginica!" 

 In the first half of the 19th century the name Prunus serotina was 

 used for the Choke Cherry and P. virginiana for the Black Cherry, 

 just the reverse of recent usages, so that it is not surprising that there 

 has been much confusion as to which name belonged to either species. 

 The original Linnean element of Prunus virginiana, however, the 

 plant which furnished the Linnean diagnosis and which Linnaeus 

 marked "Virginiana" in his herbarium, differs from the material 

 which he cites in synonymy, and is the true Choke Cherry. This is 

 indicated by Dr. Gray's manuscript notes made upon examination of 

 the Linnean herbarium at different times. Three times he specially 

 notes this type, once, in 1839, when the Choke Cherry was generally 

 called Prunus serotina, saying "Prunus Virginana! Linnaeus' speci- 

 mens are Prunus serotina [in the old sense] (Choke-Cherry !) with the 

 sharply mucronate serrations, erect racemes, etc." The other two 

 records, made in 1869 and in 1881, merely reaffirm the conclusions of 

 the earlier examination by recording in manuscript: "Prunus Vir- 

 giniana = Choke cherry." From this evidence it would appear that 

 the real type of Prunus virginiana is the Choke Cherry and that only 

 confusion can arise by changing the long established and correct 

 application of the name. 

 Gray Herbarium. 



i Linnaeus, Sp. PI i. 473 (1753). 



