On the Frunics aniericana of MarsuaU. 81> 



his •• V. V.'' is correctly appended, it is very clear that he refers 

 to a totally distinct species, the fruit being " small, hlach, ex- 

 tremely astringent, but eatable in winter ; called Black choke- 

 cherry." Mr. Nuttall, in his Travels in Arkansas, speaks ol" 

 the Prunus hyemalis as being a "gray plum." Such are the 

 contradictory notices which the books afford of this plum : 

 and I am not aware of any authorities which throw additional 

 light on the subject. It is rather surprising that Marshall's 

 account of it should have been so uniformly overlooked, as his 

 descriptions were generally, and in this instance undoubtedly, 

 made from personal observation ; and, although couched in a 

 familiar style, they are for the most part very accurate. I will 

 transcribe his notice of this species. 



" Prunus americana. — Large yellow sweet plumb. — " This 

 generally rises to the height of twelve or fifteen feet, spreading 

 into many stiff branches. The leaves are oblong, oval, acute 

 pointed, sharply sawed on their edges, and much veined. The 

 flowers generally come out very thick round the branches, 

 often upon thick short spurs, and are succeeded by large oval 

 fruit, with a sweet, succulent pulp. We have a great variety 

 of these, growing naturally in a good moist soil, with reddish 

 and yellowish fruit, but differing much in size, taste and con- 

 sistence." 



The description of the leaves, stipules, &c. of P. hiemalis, by 

 Michaux, and especially by Mr. Elliott, applies very well to 

 our plant, as far as it goes. The leaves vary somewhat in form, 

 being oval, oblong-ovate, and sometimes obovate ; and in this 

 last case, particularly, ending with an abrupt and strong acu- 

 mination. They are for the most part acutely and doubly ser- 

 rate. The stipules are compound, mostly three-parted, the 

 segment setaceous or lance-linear, and fringed with short seta- 

 ceous teeth, bearing small glands on the points. The pedicels 

 are glabrous, aggregate 2 to 5 (usually 3 or 4,) but the fruit 

 is mostly solitary. The calyx-segments are pubescent, lance- 

 linear, rather obtuse, and generally with two or three minute, 

 setaceous teeth at the apex. The petals are oval, or obovate, 



