Cerasus. R0SACE;E. 400 



Ccrasus serotina : but the figure of Plukenet (leaves only) bclonfrs to somolliing ap. 

 parontly ditTorent, und tlio fipeciin"-?ti is not to bo found in liis hr;rbarinm. An- 

 other specinion, labelled \>y LinniDus "Canadensis, llort. Ups." is the P. pumiia, 

 Linn, mant., to which the synonym of Duh;;inel is subsequently referred. 



3. CERASUS. Juss. gen. p. 340; DC.jrrodr. 2. p. 535. 



Flowers as in Prunus. Drupe globose, flesliy, destitute of blofmi ; the nu- 

 cleus or stone mostly globose, smooth. — Trees or slirubs. Leaves condupli- 

 eate in vernation. — Cherry. 



§ 1. Flowers from lateral leafiesshuds, appearing before r/r idth the leaves: 

 pedicels umbellate-fascicled {as in Prunus), or corymbose. — Eucerasus. 



Cerasophora and some species of Laurocerasus, DC. 



■f~ 1. C. pwmiZa (Michx.) : depressed-proslrate ; leaves oblanccoIale,obovate- 

 lanceolate, or sometimes oval, acute or ol)luse, sligluly and sjiarseiy serrate, 

 glabrous, whitish beneath ; umbels sessile, few-flowered ; drupes ovoid. — 

 Miaix. ! fi. 1. p. 286 ; Scringe, in DC. ! prodr. 2. p. 537 ; Ilooh. ji. Bor.- 

 Am. 1. p. 1G8. C. depressa,' Scringe, I. c. ; Hook. ! I. c. Prumis puinila, 

 Linn.! mant. p. 75 (excl. syn. ?) ; Willd. ! spec. 2. p. 990 ; Pursh ! fi. 1. 

 p. 538; Torr.lfi. I. p. AlO ; Guimp. Otto, &f Hayne, holz. t.Wd. P. de- 

 pressa, Pursh, I. c. ; Bigcl. ! fi. Bost. ed. 2. p. 192. P. Susquehannae, 

 IVilld. I enum. 1. p. 519. P. cuneata, Raf. ann. nat. p. 11. 



Rocky or sandy shores of lalies and streams, Canada ! as far north as the 

 Saskatchawan ! and Hudson's Bay ! to Virginia. West to Missouri ! and 

 Arkansas ! May. — Sterna trailing ; the ascending branches 3 or 4 to 20 inches 

 high. Leaves variable in form. Fruit about the size of C. serotina, dark 

 red, etlible. — Sand Cherry. 



'" 2. C. Pcnnsylvani.ca{X'0\s,.'\): leaves oval or oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, 

 membranaceous, finely serrate, tlie teeth mostly glandular, glabrous and 

 shining when old, mostly biglandular at the base ; umbels somewhat pedun- 

 culate and corymbose, manv-flowered ; the pedicels long and slender ; drupe 

 small, ovoid-subglobose.— ".SVr?«^e, in DC. I. c. (cpioad syn.) ; Hook. ! fi. 

 Bor.-Am. \. p. 168. C. borealis, Michx.! fi. 1. p. 286; Michx.f. sylv. 2. 

 p. 212, t. 90 ; Se-ringe ! I. c. Prunus Pennsylvanica, Linn. ! suppl. p. 252 ; 

 Ait.! Keic.{ed. 1.) 2. p. 165; iViUd. ! spec. 2. p. 992; Torr. ! fi. I. c. 

 P. lanceolata, Willd. ! arb. t. 3,f. 3. P. borealis, Pursh, I. c. ; Bigel. I. c. 



Saskatcliawan ! and Newfoundland to Virginia ! North Western States ! 

 to tlie northern part of the Rocky Mountains. April-May.— A small tree, 

 with reddish bark, marked with white dots, and regular branches. Leaves 

 when fully grown 2-5 inches long; the margins very glandular. Fruit 

 small, red, edible, but austere.— The fruit of this species is said by Pursh to 

 he caWed Choke-cherries : but this name is ordinarily applied to a different 

 species ; and the present is called Wild Red Cherry or Bird Cherry. 



■' 3. C. umbcllata (Ell. under Prunus) : umbels terminal, many-flowered ; 

 leaves lanceolate, sliglitly acuminate, serrulate, glabrous, with 2 glands at 

 the base ; calyx pubescent. Ell. sk. I. p. bM. 



" In very dry sandy soils. March. (Ripens its fruit in .July and August.) — 

 A small tree with expanding branches, forming a compact round head. . . 

 Leaves short, generally with a slight acumination. Flowers in fascicles, 

 terminating the rigid lateral brandies. Peduncles about an inch long. . . 

 Fruit small, spherical, red (pleasantly acid, and is employed in preserves) 

 Its flowers always expand and fall before the leaves unfold." Elliott. 



52 



