PRUNUS 245 



P. NANA, Stokes. DWARF RUSSIAN ALMOND. 



(Amygdalus nana, Linn a it s ; Dot. Mag., t. 161.) 



A low, deciduous shrub of bushy form, 2 to 5 ft. high ; twigs smooth. 

 Leaves obovate or oblong, ii to 3^ ins. long, ^ to I in. wide ; saw-toothed, 

 dark glossy green above, pale beneath, smooth on both surfaces. Flowers 

 one to three on each bud of the previous year's shoots, rosy red, | in. long, 

 \ in. or more in diameter. Fruit like a small almond, I in. long, covered 

 with velvety down ; not often produced in England. 



Native of S. Russia and the other parts of S.E. Europe ; long cultivated 

 in this country (Aiton says since 1683). It is a very pretty shrub, flowering 

 abundantly in April, growing well on its own roots, and easily increased by 

 layering. In spite of this it is frequently grafted on plum, and is short-lived 

 in consequence. 



Var. ALBA. Flowers white. 



Var. GEORGICA. A taller shrub, with smaller, more glossy, and not such 

 deeply toothed leaves. 



Var. GESSLERIANA. Flower large, f in. across ; the finest form of this 

 species. 



P. NIGRA, Aiton. CANADIAN PLUM. 



A deciduous tree, 20 to 30 ft. high, branches erect, forming a narrow head. 

 Leaves broadly elliptical or obovate with a long, abrupt apex, the base rounded 

 or often slightly heart-shaped ; 3 or \ ins. long, more than half as wide ; 

 doubly round-toothed, downy all over or only on the midrib and veins 

 beneath ; leaf-stalks ^ in. to i in. long, with two dark glands near the top. 

 Flowers pure white, ij ins. across, produced three or four together in stalkless 

 clusters, each flower on a reddish, smooth stalk JT in. or more long ; calyx 

 usually smooth, reddish, with narrow-pointed glandular lobes. Fruit oval, 

 i to 1 5 ins. long, red or yellowish red, with a compressed stone f in. long. 



Native of Canada and the eastern United States ; introduced in 1773. 

 Flowers fragrant, produced towards the end of April, turning reddish with 

 age. This plum has been much confused with P. americana, from which it 

 differs in the broader, round-toothed, more downy leaves, in the glandular 

 leaf-stalks, larger and more fragrant flowers, and stiffer habit. It was 

 cultivated at Kew in the eighteenth century, but has never been common. 



P. ORIENTALIS, Walpers. SILVER ALMOND. 

 (Amygdalus orientalis, Miller.} 



A deciduous shrub or small tree with whitish, downy twigs. Leaves 

 elliptical or ovate, short-stalked, f to \\ ins. long, covered with a close 

 silvery down. Flowers solitary or in pairs, f in. across ; petals rose-coloured, 

 thin, and of short duration. Fruit egg-shaped, f in. long, pointed, rather 

 compressed, covered with a close, white down. 



Native of Asia Minor, chiefly Kurdistan ; introduced in 1756. This almond 

 is easily distinguished from all others of this genus in cultivation by the 

 silvery leaves. It is not hardy in the open, and on a wall should be given a 

 sunny place. In a shady position the leaves lose their whiteness, and suggest 

 mildew rather than silveriness. It flowers very shyly in this country, and is 

 only worth growing for the unusual aspect of its foliage. 



P. ORTHOSEPALA, Koehne. TEXAN PLUM. 



A deciduous shrub or small tree, with smooth, slightly zigzag, ultimately 

 dark brown branchlets. Leaves oval or ovate, long-pointed, sharply saw- 



