240 XLVIII. ROSACEiE. Cehasus, 



Suborder I.— A MYGDAL<EJE. 

 Ovary solitary. Fruit a drupe. Seeds mostly solitary. Calyx deciduous. 



1. CERAS US. Juss. 

 Name from Cerasiis, a town in Pontus, whence originated the garden cherry. 



Calyx 5-cleft, regular, deciduous ; petals much spreading ; stamens 

 15 — 30; drupe globose, succulent, very smootli, destitute of a glau- 

 cous bloom ; nucleus subglobose, smooth. — Trees or shrubs. Lvs. con- 

 duplicate in astivation. 



* Flowers in racemes. 



1. C. sEROTlNA. DC. (C. Virginiana. Michx. Prunus. Ehrh.) Black 

 or Wild Cherry. — Dvs. deciduous, oval-oblong, acuminate, unequally serrate, 



smooth, shining above; petioles wilh 2 — 4 glands ; roc. .spreading, elongated.— A 

 large forest tree, throughout the U. S. Trunk 50— 80f high, of uniform size and 

 undivided to the height of 20— 30f, 2 — 4f diam. Bark black and rough. Leaves 



3 5' long, J as wide, with 1 — 2 pairs of reddish glands at base. In May and 



June it puts forth numerous cylindric clusters of white flowers. Fruit nearly 

 black when mature, bitterish, yet pleasant to the taste, and is greedily devoured 

 by birds. — The wood, extensively used in cabinet-work, is compact, fine-grained, 

 aiid receives a high polish. The bark has a strong, bitter taste, and has been 

 used in medicine as a tonic. 



2. C. Virginiana. DC. (C. serotina. Hook. Prunus. Linn.) Choke Cherry. 



Lvs. smooth, sharply serrate, oval, deciduous, the lower serratmes glandu- 

 lar, veins bearded on each side towards the base ; petiole with 2 glands ; rac. 

 lax, short, spreading ; pet. orbicular. — A small tree or shrub, 5 — 20f high, in 

 woods and hedges. Bark grayish. Leaves 2 — 3' long, § as wide, with a short, 

 abrupt acumination, and spreading, subulate serratmes. FloAvers white, ap- 

 pearing in May. The fruit (cherries) is abundant, of a dark red color, very 

 astringent to the taste, yet on the whole agreeable. 



* * Flowers suhumbellate or solitary. 



3. C. Pennsylvanica. Ait. (Prunus borealis. Ph.) Wild Red Cherry. 

 Lvs. oblong-ovate, acuminate, finely serrate, membranous, smooth ; urn'bcis 



corymbose, with elongated pedicels ; drupe small, ovoid-subglobose. — A small 

 tree, common in woods and thickets in the Northern States. The trunk rarely 

 exceeds 25f in height, with a diameter of 6—8'. Bark smooth, reddish-brown. 

 Leaves 2—5' long, J as wide, the fine teeth mostly glandular, apex tapering to 

 a long acumination. Flowers white, on long (2i') slender pedicels collected 

 into a sort of umbel. Fruit red, very acid. — This tree is of raj)id growth, and 

 quickly succeeds a forest-clearing if neglected. May. 



4. C. FUMiLA. Michx. (Prunus depressa. Ph.) Sand Cherry. 



Lvs. lanceolate, oval or obovate, acute, subserrate, smooth, paler beneath ; 

 umbels few-flowered, sessile; driipe ovoid. — A small, trailing shrub, in gravelly 

 soils. Can. and U. S. Branches ascending, 1 — 2f high. Leaves 2 — 3' long, | 

 as wide, veiy acute at each end. Flowers white, 3, 4 or 5 in each umbel, the 

 pedicels smooth, 1' in length. Fruit small, dark red, acid but agreeable to the 

 taste. May. 



5. C. Avium. McEnch. (Prunus. Linn.) Duke Cherry. Ox-heart. English 

 Cherry. Bigajreau, <^c., d^c. — Branches erect or ascending; lvs. oblong-obovatf^, 

 acuminate, iiairy beneath; ww^^efc sessile, with i-ather long pedicels; drupe ovoid- 

 globose, subcordate at base. — Cultivated in gardens, fields, &c., common. Trunk 

 20 — 50f in height, with an oblong or pyramidal head. Leaves 3—6' long, t as 

 wide, on petioles 1 — 2' lung, often with 2 glands. Flowers expanding withthe 

 leaves, white. Drupes various .shades of red, firm but juicy. May. — The fruit 

 is well known and appreciated. About 75 varieties are published in American 

 catalogues. :j: 



/ 6. C. VULGARIS. Mill. (Prunus Cerasus. Linn.) Smir CJwrry. Large Red 

 I Cherry. Morello, <^c. — Branches spreading; lvs. ovate-lanceolate, acute at apex, 

 •'narrowed at base, nearly smooth ; U7nbels subse.ssile, with short pedicels; drupes 



