CLASS Xir. ORDER I.] CERASUS. 685 



the cuticle splitting horizontally, and closely curling up. Leaves from 

 alternate buds, ovate or ovate lanceolate, petiolated, with a mid-rib 

 and numerous lateral branches, the margins copiously serrated and 

 tipped with small oblong glands, smooth above, more or less hairy 

 beneath, especially in a young state, and at the base of the leaf there 

 is mostly a pair of small glands, sometimes they are upon the footstalk. 

 Floivers mostly numerous, in nearly sessile umbels, from buds at the 

 base of the leaves, the peduncles long, slender, smooth. Calyx bell- 

 shaped, with a limb of five smooth ovate lanceolate reflexed segments. 

 Petals five, white, cordate, with a short claw. Stamens with filaments 

 of various lengths, and round two celled anthers. Style longer than 

 the stamens, with an obtuse stigma. Fruit almost ovate, depressed, 

 the flesh very juicy and sweet, often coloured. Nut hard, smooth^ 

 sub-globose. 



Habitat. — Woods and hedges. 



Tree; flowering in May. 



According to Pliny, the Cherry (Cerasus) was brought into Italy 

 from Cerasus, a city in Pontus, in Asia, by Lucullus, in the year 680, 

 A.C., and that in 120 years after their introduction into Italy, other 

 lands had them, even as far as Britain. It is, however, believed, not- 

 withstanding this account of Pliny's, that the Cherry is an indigenous 

 plant to this country, from the circumstance of its being found in such 

 situations, especially in Scotland, as to remove any suspicion of its being 

 cultivated in that part of Britain ; but no seeds are more readily conveyed 

 uninjured by birds than those of the cherry, and as they are a favourite 

 food of many of them, they may have been thus conveyed, and the 

 plant have established itself in almost inaccessible situations: it is not 

 improbable that Virgil had this in view in his Georgics ii., where 

 he says — 



" Some trees their birth to bounteous Nature owe ; 



For some without the pains of planting grow. 



With osiers thus the banks of brooks abound, 



Sprung from the watery genius of the ground. 



From the same principles grey willows come, 



Herculean poplar, and the tender broom. 



But some, from seeds enclosed in earth, arise ; 



For thus the mastful chestnut meets the skies. 



Hence rise the branching beech and vocal oak, 



Where Jove of old oraculously spoke. 



Some from the root a rising wood disclose ; 



Thus elms, and thus the salvage cherry grows : 



Thus the green bay, that binds the poet's brows, 



Shoots and is sheltered by the mother's boughs." 



Dryden, 



The Cherry appears to have been a very favourite fruit with the 



Romans, of which they had eight varieties ; but now in the catalogue 



of the London Horticultural Society 219 are enumerated, and of these 



about forty are commonly cultivated in our gardens and orchards. Of 



4 u 



