236 C'LASS 1COSANDRIA. 



PRCHVUS is the genus which contains the various kinds of 

 the plum, cherry and sloe : this genus, according to ancient 

 writers, was brought from Syria into Greece, and from thence 

 into Italy. The Roman poets often notice its fruit. We have 

 several native species of it. 



The pomegranate (PIMCA), is a shrubby tree, which is a 

 native of Spain, Italy, and tfarbary, and flowers from June 

 till September. The Greek writers were acquainted with it, 

 and we are told by Pliny, that its fruit was sold in the neigh- 

 bourhoo^ of Carthage. It is cultivated in England and in the 

 United States; not on account of its fruit, which does not come 

 to perfection so far .to the north, but as its large and beautiful 

 scarlet flowers render it an ornamental plant. 



At Fig. 115, a, is the flower of the pomegranate (Punica 

 pranatum) ; b, represents the stamens of the same, as adhering 

 to the calyx. 



The genus AMYGDALUS contains the peach and the almond. 

 The latter is a native of warm countries, and seems to have 

 been known in the remotest times of antiquity. 



Di-pentagyniu. 



The four orders in the class Icosandria, which follow the 

 first, are included under one, called Di-pentagynia, signifying 

 two and five pistils. We find in this order the hawthorn (Cra- 

 taBgus), a shrub with deep green foliage, white flowers and 

 scarlet berries, and with very large and strong thorns. 



The genus Pyrus which contains the apple and pear, belongs 

 to the natural order Pomaceae.* The varieties of these fruits 

 are the effect of cultivation, not the produce of different spe- 

 cies. By means of grafting or inoculation, which consists in 

 inserting the bud of one tree into another, good fruit may be 

 produced upon a tree which before produced a poorer kind. 



Linnceus' natural order, Pomacca, is included by Jussieu in 

 his family Rosacece, having rosaceous corollas. This family is 

 divided into sections; as the Pomacea, having its fruit fleshy 

 like the apple and pear ; the Rosa, having urn form calyxes ; 

 Amygdala, having drupe like fruits, &c. 



Pdyfrynia. 



In the 13th order we find the Rose ; this, in its natural state, 

 contains but five petals ; it is remarkable for the change of its 

 stamens to petals by cultivation. Several species of the Rose 



* So called from Pomum, on apple. 



Prunus Pomegranate Amygdalus Order Di-pentagynia Pyrufl. varieties 

 by grafting Family Rosace divided into sections Order Polygynia Rose. 



