A STUDY IN PLANT VARIATION 251 



The flowers, which appear from the middle of April to the middle of 

 May before or with the unfolding of the leaves, are borne in 2 to 4 flowered 

 umbels, 10 to 15 mm. broad when fully expanded; pedicels and calyx 

 rather strongly pubescent, pedicels 7 to 15 mm. long; calyx tube campan- 

 ulate 2 to 4 mm. deep, calyx lobes ovate, rounded at the apex with in- 

 flexed edges, pubescent on both sides. Petals white or pinkish, oblong 

 or oblong ovate, 7 mm. long and 4 mm. broad, contracted to claws at 

 the base. Stamens 25 to 35, filaments of two lengths; style stout, 10 

 to 15 mm. long, glabrous and truncate at the tip. Carpel ellipsoid, 

 glabrous containing two pendulous ovules. The fruit which is frequently 

 produced in great quantities, ripens from August 1 to October 1; it 

 is borne on short stout stems, usually of the previous year's growth 

 sub-globose to slightly oval, and varies in size from 1.0 to 1.7 cms. in 

 diameter to 1.0 to 1.6 cms. long. The skin is thick and rather tough, 

 blue, purple, red or yellow, covered with a light waxen bloom and abund- 

 dantly flecked; the flesh is of a watery greenish yellow, juicy astringent 

 and decidedly free from the turgid stone which is rounded or compressed. 

 The stone varies in size from 6.5 x 5.4 mm. to 11. 0x7. 3 mm in diameter 

 and 7.8 to 12.5 mm. long, pointed at both ends, ridged on the ventral, 

 slightly grooved on the dorsal suture. 



1. Primus maritima var. coerulea magna 

 (Large Blue Black) 



Form A low spreading bush 3 to 6 feet high forming dense thicket 



like patches, branching very irregular with short, stout 

 branches which usually stand erect, giving it the aspect 

 of gnarled and stunted in its habit of growth. 



Bark Old stem rather stout, rough, cracked into thin dark gray 



plates which tend to persist, mostly lichen covered. Young 

 branches smooth, dark purplish brown, numerous light 

 colored lenticels, and numerous spinescent lateral branches. 

 Youngest twigs smooth, numerous, elongate and rather 

 stout, puberulous, epidermis silvery gray and when shed 

 uncovers a light reddish brown bark. 



Lenticels Numerous, small, conspicuous, irregularly distributed over 

 the branches, rounded and more elevated on the youngest 

 twigs, darker and flattened on the young branches. 



Buds Alternate, conical shaped, sharp pointed, brown to gray 



covered with numerous triangular scales, puberulous along 

 the margins; covered with a silvery gray waxy coating 

 which is shed in early spring. 



