Prunus. XLVI. ROSACEA. 241 
globose.—A smaller tree than the preceding, much cultivated. Trunk 15—20f 
high, with a roundish, compact head. Branches slender. Leaves 2—3’ long, 
3 as wide, unequally serrate, on petioles } as long, with 2 glands. Flowers 
white, expanding sooner than the leaves, 2 or 3 from each bud, on pedicels 3’ 
long. Fruit large, various shades of red, acid or subacid. Apr.—In Prince’s 
Catalogue, 1844, these two species are transposed (perhaps by mistake). About 
125 varieties are there published, of which 50 belong to the present species. + 
2 PRUNWUS.~ Tourn. 
Calyx 5-cleft, regular, deciduous ; petals much spreading ; stamens 
15—30; ovary 2-ovuled ; drupe ovate, fleshy, smooth, generally coy- 
ered with a glaucous bloom; nucleus compressed, smooth.—Small 
trees or shrubs. Lvs. convolute in vernation. 
1. P. Americana. Marsh. (Cerasus nigra. Loisel.) Red Plum. Yellow Plum. 
Somewhat thorny; lvs. oblong-oval and obovate, abruptly and strongly 
acuminate, doubly serrate ; drwpes roundish-oval, reddish-orange, with a thick, 
coriaceous skin——Hedges and low woods, U.S. and Can., often cultivated for 
its sweet, pleasant fruit, which is about the size of the damson. Shrub 10—15f 
high. Leaves 2—3’ long, 2 as wide, petioles }—3’ long, mostly with 2 glands at 
the summit. Flowers preceding the leaves, 3—4 in each of the numerous um- 
bels, white. Drupes nearly destitute of bloom, ripe in Aug. Flowers in May. + 
2. P. insititia. Wild Bullace Tree. - 
Lvs. ovate-lanceolate or oblanceolate, tapering to the petiole, acute, serrate, 
pubescent-villous beneath; branches somewhat spiny; fis. naked, generally in 
pairs; cal. segments entire, obtuse; pet. obovate; fruit globular—A European 
shrub or small tree, 15—20f high, naturalized “ on the banks of Charles River, 
in Cambridge, road-sides at Cohasset, and other places in the vicinity of Bos- 
ton.” Emerson, Rep. trees and shrubs of Mass. The leaves and flowers are 
from separate, but adjacent buds, the former 1—1%’ long, with short petioles. 
Petals white. Fruit black, covered with a yellowish bloom. § 
3. P. Maririma. Wang. (P. littoralis. Bw.) Beach Plum. 
Lvs. oval or obovate, slightly acuminate, sharply serrate ; petioles with 2 
glands; umbels few-flowered ; pedicels short, pubescent; fr. nearly round.—A 
small shrub, abundant on the sea-beach, particularly on Plum Island! at the 
mouth of Merrimac river. Very branching. Leaves 1—3’ long, downy-eanes- 
cent beneath when young, becoming at length nearly smooth. Flowers white, 
2—5 in each of the numerous umbels. Fruit globular, eatable, red or purple, 
little inferior in size to the common garden plum, ripe in Aug., Sept. Fl. in May. 
4. P. spinosa. Black Thorn. Sloe-—Branches thorny ; fis. solitary ; eal. cam- 
panulate, lobes obtuse, longer than the tube; lvs. pubescent beneath, obovate- 
elliptical, varying to ovate, sharply and doubly dentate; drupe globose.—Hedge- 
rows and cultivated grounds, Penn. Pursh. A thorny shrub, 12—15f high, na- 
tive of Europe. 4 
5. P. Cuicasa. Michx. (Cerasus. DC.) Chickasaw Plum.—Brancihes spi- 
nose; dvs. oblong-lanceolate or oblanceolate, glandular-serrulate, acute, nearly 
smooth; wmbels 2—3-flowered, pedicels short, smooth; drupe globose.—A fine 
fruit-shrub, native of Arkansas, &c., often cultivated. Height 8—12f, with a 
bushy head. Leaves 1—2’ long, 3 as wide, petioles about 3’ long. Flowers 
small, white, expanding with the leaves, in Apr. Fruit red, or yellowish-red, 
tender and succulent, ripe in July. There are several varieties. + 
6. P. pomestica. Common Garden Plum. Damson Pl.—Branches unarmed ; 
lvs. oval or ovate-lanceolate, acute ; pedicels nearly solitary ; drupe globose, oval, 
ovoid and obovoid.—This long cultivated tree or shrub is said to be a native of 
Italy. It rarely exceeds 15f in height. Leaves quite variable in form, 1—3/ 
song, # as wide, sometimes obtuse, on petioles about 1/ in length. Flowers 
white, generally but one from a bud, expanding while the leaves are but ha.t 
grown, in Apr. and May. Fruit black, varying through many colors to white, 
covered with a rich glaucous bloom, ripe in Aug. About 150 varieties are pub- 
Lished in the catalogues of American gardeners. + 
