Genus CERASUS, Juss. 



Rosaceae. 

 Sytt. Nat. 



Synonymes. 



Cerasus, Laurocerasus, Frunus, 



Cerisier, 



Kirschbaum, 



Ciliegio, Ceriegio, 



Cerezo, Cerezezo, 



Cerejeira, 



Wischnaija, 



Cherry-tree, 



Icosandria Monogynia. 



Syst. Lin. 



Of Authors. 

 France. 



GERiMANY. 



Italy. 



Spain. 



Portugal. 



Russia. 



Britain and Anglo-America. 



JJenvations. The generic name, Cerastts, is so called from the ancient town of that name, in Asia, whence the cultivated 

 cherry was first brought to Rome, by Lucullus. Most of the other names appear to be derived from the Latin cue. 



Generic Characters. Drupe globose, or with a hollow at its base ; nut sub-globose, even, its covering 

 fleshy, juicy, and with a surface glabrous, and not covered with a gray bloom. Young leaves folded 

 flatwise. Flowers upon pedicels, either in groups resembling umbels, and produced before the leaves, 

 or in racemes terminal to the shoots, protruded along with them. Loudon, Arboretum. 



I HE trees and shrubs of this genus are mostly deciduous, with 

 smooth, serrated leaves, and white flowers. There is much confu- 

 sion among botanists, in all the species, more particularly as regards 

 those which are natives of North America. The common garden 

 cherries, and all their varieties cultivated for their fruit, according 

 to Linna3us, and nearly all the writers up to the time of De Can- 

 dolle, have been referred to the Prunus avium and the Prunus cerasus, both of 

 which, in the opinion of Mr. Loudon, are only varied forms of one species ; the 

 former being the tnerisier of the French, and corresponding with the small, wild, 

 black, English cherry (Cerasus sylvestris) ; and the latter, the French cerisier. 

 and corresponding with the common red, sour cherry of the English (Cerasus 

 vulgaris.) To these two species, De Candolle, in the " Flore Fran^aise," has 

 added two others, the Cerasus Juliana, which he considers as including the gnig- 

 niers ; and the Cerasus duracina, under which he includes the bigarrcaiis, or 

 hard cherries. But as this arrangement did not appear sufficiently distinct t*^ 

 Mr. Loudon, he thought proper to adopt in his "Arboretum," that of the author 

 of the article "Cerasus," in the " Nouveau Du Hamel," as much more simple 

 and satisfactory, referring all the cultivated varieties of the garden cherry to 

 the same species as Linnaius, substituting for Prunus avium, Cerasus sylvestris ; 

 and for Prunus cerasus, Cerasus vulgaris. Among the Asiatic trees of this 

 genus particularly deserving of cultivation for ornament or for their timber, are 

 the Yung-To, or Chinese double cherry, (Cerasus serrulata,) distinguished for 

 its double, white flowers, slightly tinged with red ; the Chinese false cherry-tree, 

 (Cerasus pseudo-cerasus,) noted for its early flowers and easy propagation; the 

 Puddum cherry-tree, (Cerasus puddum.) a native of Nepal, growing to a height of 

 twenty or thirty feet, and celebrated for its rose-coloured flowers, edible fruit, 

 and for the useful properties of its wood; also the goat-killing bird cherry, 

 (Cerasus capricida,) native of Nepal, a handsome, showy, evergreen tree, which 

 would probably retain its verdure in many parts of the union; and the true bird 

 cherry-tree, (Cerasus })adiis,) aKso found in several countries in Europe, as well 

 as the Mahaleb or perfumed cherry, and is much admired for the beauty of its 



