Vou. I1.] PLUM FAMILY. 251 
13. Prunus Bésseyi Bailey. Western 
Sand Cherry. Bessey’s Cherry. 
(Fig. 2019.) 
Prunus Besseyi Bailey, Bull. Cornell Agric. Exp. 
Sta. 70: 261. 1894. 
A shrub, 1°-4° high, the branches diffuse, 
spreading or prostrate, not strict. Leaves ellip- 
tic, oblong or oval, the teeth appressed, the apex 
and base mostly acute; petioles 2’/-3/’ long; stip- 
ules of young shoots often longer than the peti- 
ole; flowers in sessile umbels, expanding with 
the leaves, 4/’-5’’ broad; fruit 6’/-8’’ in diameter, 
on stout pedicels usually not more than 6’ long, 
bitterish and astringent, black, mottled or yel- 
lowish. 
Prairies, Manitoba and Minnesota to Kansas and 
Utah. April-May. 
14. Prunus Cérasus I, Sour Cherry. 
Egriot. (Fig. 2020.) 
Prunus Cerasus I,. Sp. Pl. 474. 1753. 
A tree, reaching in cultivation the height of 
50°, with trunk diameter of 314°, but usually 
smaller. Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, vari- 
ously dentate, abruptly acute or acuminate at 
the apex, rounded at the base, glabrous on both 
sides, very resinous when young; flowers white, 
8//-12/’ broad, in sessile, lateral, very scaly um- 
bels, expanding with the leaves or before them; 
pedicels little over 114’ long in flower; drupe glo- 
bose, 4’’-6’’ in diameter (larger in cultivation), 
black or red, sour, without bloom; stone globose. 
In woods and thickets, southern New York and 
Pennsylvania, escaped from cultivation. Native of 
Europe. Wood strong, reddish-brown; weight per 
cubic foot541bs. April-May. Fruit June-July. Its 
leaves unfold several days later than those of P. 
Avium when growing with it. This, and the follow- 
lowing species, in the wild state, are the originals of 
most of the cultivated cherries. 
a, 
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15. Prunus Avium L. Wild or Crab 
Cherry. Mazard. Gean. Sweet 
Cherry. (Fig. 2021.) 
Prunus Avium I,. Fl. Suec. Ed. 2, 165. 1755: 
A large tree, often 70° high, the trunk reach- 
ing 4° in diameter. Leaves ovate, oval, or 
slightly obovate, abruptly short-acuminate at 
the apex, obtuse or sometimes narrowed at the 
base, irregularly serrate or doubly serrate, pu- 
bescent on the veins beneath, or over the entire 
lower surface when young; flowers white, about 
1’ broad, in scaly lateral umbels, expanding with 
the leaves; pedicels slender, 1/-2%4’ long in 
flower; drupe globose, black or dark red, sweet. 
In thickets and woodlands, escaped from cultiva- 
tion, Connecticut to Pennsylvania and Virginia. 
Native of Europe. April-May. 
