244 PRUNUS 



set with sharp, saw-like, gland-tipped teeth (some again toothed) ; hairy on 

 both surfaces, glossy green above, i^ to 3^ ins. long, one-third to half as 

 wide. Flowers fragrant, i in. across, double in the cultivated form, produced 

 in November and December, singly or two or three in a fascicle; petals faintly 

 pink tinted, obovate, often notched at the rounded or truncate apex, up to 

 fifteen in number; stamens white, with yellow anthers; style glabrous; calyx 

 smooth, pale glossy green, tubular at the base, the five reflexed, ovate lobes 

 in. long, toothed, pointed. Flower-stalk |- to ^ in. long, slightly hairy 

 towards the base. 



Native of Japan ; introduced by Mr T. Smith of Newry, and put in 

 commerce about 1911. This beautiful and interesting cherry is allied to 

 P. subhirtella and P. pendula, but is remarkable in commencing to open its 

 fragrant blossoms in November. This distinguishes it from all other 

 cultivated cherries and gives it a special value in gardens. It was first 

 distributed as P. Miqueliana, then identified by Koehne as P. microlepis. 

 Now Mr Wilson, after an exhaustive study of living trees in Japan, names it 

 as above. (See Cherries of Japan, p. 12.) 



P. MONTICOLA, C. Koch. MOUNTAIN PLUM. 



A spreading, deciduous shrub, 5 to 8 ft. high, usually more in width. 

 Leaves oval or ovate, i^ to 2 ins. long, f to i in. wide, smooth or nearly so, 

 coarsely toothed ; stalk 5- in. long. Flowers white, \ in. across, borne usually 

 in pairs from the crowded buds of short, spur-like branches ; stalk smooth, 

 slender, \ to f in. long. Fruit a globose plum, f to i in. across, red with an 

 acid yellow flesh ; stone ovate, compressed, over \ in. long. 



Native of the mountains of Asia Minor and Armenia ; discovered and 

 introduced to Europe by Koch in 1843. It is an interesting, shrubby plum, 

 allied to P. cerasifera, and flowers profusely about the middle of 

 April. 



P. MUME, Siebold. JAPANESE APRICOT. 



(Armeniaca Mume, De Vriese.) 



A deciduous tree of rounded habit, 20 to 30 ft. high, with smooth, lustrous 

 twigs. Leaves 2.\ to 4 ins. long, roundish or broadly ovate, contracted at the 

 end into a long tapering point, sharply and often doubly toothed, with 

 scattered hairs on both sides, becoming smooth except about the midrib 

 beneath ; leaf-stalk \ to f in. long. Flowers pale rose, i to i|- ins. across, 

 produced singly or In pairs (each on a very short stalk) from the joints of 

 the previous year's wood ; petals broadly obovate ; calyx \ in. across, with 

 oblong rounded lobes. Fruit described as yellowish, globose, i to i ins. 

 wide, scarcely edible; shell of nut perforated. 



Native of Corea and perhaps China. It is much cultivated in Japan for 

 ornament, and the double-flowered form was originally introduced to Europe 

 from that country, by Messrs Baltet of Troyes, in 1878. It was first dis- 

 tributed as " P. Myrobalana fl. pleno " a name which still clings to it in 

 many places. It is a true apricot, not a plum. In late years it has been 

 imported from Japanese nurseries in quantity, and in various forms, of these 

 the following are now in our gardens : ALBA (white), ALBA PLENA (double 

 white), FLORA PLENA (double rose), PENDULA (weeping). The flowers are 

 delicately perfumed. This apricot is valuable in gardens, especially the 

 double-flowered forms, for its early, profuse flowering, being in bloom generally 

 about the same time as the almond, and at its best almost as beautiful. It 

 should be given a sheltered place. It can be distinguished from the common, 

 apricot by the longer, more slender apex to the leaf. 



