112 KOSACE.E. (itOSE FAMILY.) 



\ 1. PRONUS, Tourn. (Pldm.) — Drupe usually with a bloom, the stone flat- 

 tcned, or at least wider than thick: leaves convolute in the bud,flcwers more or less 

 preceding the leaves, from lateral buds ; the pedicels Jew or several, in simple umbel- 

 like clusters. 



1. P. Americana, Marsh. (Wild Yellow or Red Plum.) Leaves 

 ovate or somewhat obovatc, conspicuously pointed, coarsely or doubly serrate, very 

 veiny, glabrous when mature ; fruit nearly destitute of bloom, roundish-oval, yel- 

 low, orange, or red, £'-f in diameter, with the turgid stone more or less acuto 

 on both margins, or in cultivated states 1' or more in diameter, having a flat- 

 tened stone with broader margins (pleasant-tasted, but with a tough and acerb 

 skin ). — Open ground, common. May. — Tree or bush thorny, 8° - 20° high. 



2. P. inaritilMa, Wang. (Beach Plum.) Low and straggling (2°- 

 5°) ; leaves ovate or oval, finely serrate, softly pubescent underneath ; pedicels short, 

 pubescent; fruit globular, purple or crimson with a bloom (A'-l' in diameter), 

 the stone very turgid, acute on one edge, rounded and minutely grooved on the 

 other. (P. littoralis, Bigelow.) — Varies, when at some distance from the coast, 

 with the leaves smoother and thinner, and the fruit smaller. (P. pygmitea, 

 Willd.) — Sea-beach and the vicinity, Massachusetts to New Jersey and Vir- 

 ginia. April, May. 



3. P. CliieiiSa, Michx. (Chickasaw Plum.) Stem scarcely thorny 

 (8° - 15° high) ; leaves nearly lanceolate, finely serrulate, glabrous, little veiny; 

 fruit globular, red, nearly destitute of bloom (^'-§' in diameter); the ovoid 

 stone almost as thick as wide, rounded at both sutures, one of them minutely 

 grooved. — Kentuckyand Illinois (probably not indigenous) and southwestward : 

 naturalized in some places. April. 



4. P. SPiNdsA, L. (Sloe. Black Thorn.) Branches thorny; leaves 

 obovate-oblong or ovate-lanceolate, sharply serrate, at length glabrous ; pedicels gla- 

 brous ; fruit small, globular, black with a bloom, the stone turgid, acute on 

 one edge. — Var. insititia (Bullace-Plum), is less spiny, the pedicels 

 and lower side of the leaves pubescent. (P. insititia, L.) — Road-sides and 

 waste places, E. New England, Pcnn., &c. (Adv. from Eu.) 



$2. CERASUS, Tourn. (Cherry.) — Drupe destitute of bloom; the stone 

 globular and marginless; leaves folded (conduplicate) in the bud: inflorescence as 

 in § 1. 



5. P. pumila, L. (Dwarf Cherry.) Smooth, depressed and trail- 

 ing (6'- 18' high) ; leaves obovate-lanceolate, tapering to the base, somewhat toothed 

 near the apex, pale underneath ; flowers 2-4 together ; fruit ovoid, dark red. — 

 Rocks or sandy banks, Massachusetts northward to Wisconsin, and south to 

 Virginia along the mountains. May. 



6. P. Penosylvanica, L. (Wild Red Cherry.) Leaves oblong- 

 lanceolate, pointed, finely and sharply serrate, shining, green and smooth both sides ; 

 flowers many in a cluster, on long pedicels ; fruit globose, light red. — Rocky 

 woods; common, especially northward. May. — Tree 20°-3C° high, with 

 light red-brown bark, and very small fruit with thin and sour flesh 



