388 



THE KINDS OF PLANTS 



spreading lobes and the petals 5 and obovate; pistil 1, sitting in the bottom 

 of the flower, the ovary ripening into a drupe: leaves alternate. 



a. Peach and apricot: flowers solitary from lateral winter-buds, usually 

 appearing before the leaves. 



P. Persica, Stokes. Peach. Fig. 535. Small tree, with oblong-lanceolate 

 pointed serrate leaves and solitary fuzzy fruits on 

 last year's wood. China. The nectarine is a 

 smooth-fruited form. 



P. armeniaca, Linn. Apricot. Figs. 69, 536. 

 Leaves ovate to round-ovate, serrate : fruits solitary, 

 on last year's shoots or on spurs, smooth or nearly 



535. Prunus persica. so . China. 



aa. Plums: flowers in umbel-like clusters: fruit large and smooth, usually 

 with a distinct suture (or "crease") on one side and covered with a 

 "bloom" the stalk short. 



P. domestica, Linn. Common plum. Figs, 209, 289. Small tree, usually 

 with young shoots downy: leaves thick and relatively 

 large, dull dark green, ovate, oval or obovate, very rugose 

 or veiny, somewhat pubescent beneath, coarsely and un- 

 evenly serrate: flowers large: fruits various, usually thick- 

 meated and with heavy "bloom." Europe, Asia. 



P. americana, Marsh. Wild plum of the North. Fig. 

 537. Twiggy small tree, often thorny, the young shoots 

 usually not downy: leaves obovate, dull green, abruptly 

 pointed, coarsely toothed or jagged, not pubescent be- 

 neath: fruit small, red or yellow, tough-skinned and glau- 

 cous, the pit large and flattened. Common in thickets; improved forms are 

 in cultivation. Including P. nigra, perhaps distinct. 



P. angustifdlia, Marsh. Chickasaw plum. Mountain cherry. Fig. 538. 

 Smaller, the young growth smooth and zigzag and usually reddish: leaves 

 lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, often trough-shaped, shining, finely serrate, 

 cherry-like: fruit a small thin-fleshed shining plum on a long pedicel. 

 Delaware, south; also in cultivation. 



aaa. Cherries: flowers in umbel-like clusters: fruit 

 small and nearly globular, early-ripening, 

 usually without a prominent suture and 

 "bloom," the stalk slender. 



P. Cerasus, Linn. Sour cherry. Round-headed 

 tree, with flowers in small clusters from lateral buds: 

 leaves hard and stiffish, short-ovate or obovate, 

 grayish green, serrate: fruit small, sour. Europe. 



P. Avium, Linn. Sweet cherry. Fig. 539. Straight 

 grower, the "leader" prominent in young trees, with 

 537. Prunus americana. flowers in dense clusters from lateral spurs: leaves 



536. Prunus 

 armeniaca. 



