Remarks onthePrunus americana of Marshall. Bi/V^m, 

 Darlington, M.D. With a plate. 



Read May 18, 1829. 



Notwithstanding the progress which has been made in 

 American Botany, our native species of Prunus continue to be 

 involved in much obscurity and confusion. The descriptions 

 are, for the most part, so vague and imperfect, as to leave the 

 student in doubt respecting the species intended ; and in some 

 instances, it would seem that the same specific names had been 

 applied to entirely distinct plants. This confusion has arisen 

 from a neglect to notice the proper discriminating characters ; 

 and especially that important one, which, in this family, is 

 afforded by the fruit. The earlier botanists who explored our 

 country, being mostly foreigners, and ti'ansient visitors, appear 

 to have had a very imperfect knowledge of several of the 

 species; and succeeding authors have too often contented 

 themselves with copying the descriptions of their predecessors, 

 and coupling names with those descriptions at random, in- 

 stead of examining the plants for themselves. These observa- 

 tions are strikingly applicable to the Prunus americana of the 

 late Humphrey Marshall. This species, commonly called 

 red plum, or yellow plum, is well known thi'oughout Pennsyl- 

 vania, and probably in several other states. When I pub- 

 hshed my " Catalogue of Westchester Plants," not finding a 

 satisfactory description of this plum in any work, except that 

 of Marshall, (who was a resident of this vicinity,) I concluded 

 it must be very limited in its range ; but I have since had oc- 

 casion to observe that it is quite common from the Delaware 

 to Lake Erie. I also saw it in the western parts of New- 

 York ; and, in one instance, on the shore of the Hudson, near 

 West Point. I have little doubt that it may likewise be found 



Vol. hi. VI 



