Peach Varieties, Botany and Classification 381 



under this disposition it takes the name Prunus Persica. The 

 use of the word Persica doubtless reflects the views of the 

 early botanists regarding the origin in Persia of the peach; 

 in fact, the word peach itself (pecher in French, Pfirsich in 

 German) is derived from the word Persia. 



Though it is the usual assumption that all horticultural 

 varieties of peaches represent but one botanical species, it is 

 by no means certain that a critical investigation might not 

 reveal evidence showing that several distinct species have 

 entered into our horticultural varieties. The line or lines of 

 development are obviously obscured by lack of definite 

 information concerning the wild forms in their native habitats. 

 The almond is a close botanical relative of the peach. In 

 fact, at one time it was thought by some that the peach is 

 derived from the almond ; others looked on the almond as 

 having developed from the peach, but these hypotheses are 

 no longer maintained. The apricot is less closely related to 

 the peach than the almond, while nectarines (which are 

 smooth skinned peaches) are known definitely to develop 

 from peaches as sports, mutations, or bud variations. Trees 

 bearing nectarines have been knowTi to grow from peach pits ; 

 a peach tree occurs at rare intervals on which a limb habitu- 

 ally bears nectarine fruits ; and even an individual fruit 

 distinctly peach on one side and as evidently nectarine in 

 character on the other has been known to develop on a tree. 

 Yet notwithstanding these clear origins, it is not impossible 

 that there exists a wild species of nectarine. 



If the peach is held in the genus Prunus (rather than in 

 Amygdalus), its synonymy becomes as follows: 



Prunus Persica, Sieb & Zucc. 

 Amygdalus Persica, Linn. 

 Persica vidgaris, Mill. 



