52 SPRING FLOWERS. 



duncles bearing umbels of minute yellow flowers. — Sandy 

 ground in the Channel and Scilly Isles. Fl. May to July. 



(37) Hippocrepis. Horseshoe Vetch. 



H. eomosa: stems branched, procumbent; leaflets 9-15, 

 small, obovate or oblong, smooth ; flowers 5-8 in the umbel, 

 pale yellow. — Dry chalky banks. Fl. May to August. 



(38) Ornithopus. Bird's-foot. 

 O. perpusillus : annual; stems procumbent; leaflets 5-10 

 or more pairs with an odd one, small oval or oblong ; flowers 

 2-3, white, with red lines. — Sandy pastures. Fl. May. 



(39) Prunus. 



P. communis : shrub ; leaves ovate or oblong ; flowers 

 small white, nearly sessile, solitary or in pairs, appearing be- 

 fore the leaves ; drupes covered with a bluish bloom. — Black- 

 thorn. — Woods and hedges. Fl. ApriL May. 



Different forms of this are called : P. spinosa, the Sloe, with 

 spiny branches and small austere globular fruits ; P. insititia, 

 the Bullace, less spiny, and with larger less austere fruits; 

 P. domestica, the Plum, without spines, and with still larger 

 oblong fruit. 



P. Cerasus : shrub or small tree ; leaves ovate or ovate-lan- 

 ceolate; flowers large, white, on long pedicels, 2-3 or more 

 together, appearing before the leaves; drupes without bloom. 

 — Cherry or Gean. — Woods and hedges. Fl. April, May. 



There are two forms of this : P. Cerasus, representing the 

 austere Morello cherries, and P. Avium , the sweet cherries of 

 our gardens. 



P. Padus : shrub; leaves oval or ovate- lanceolate; flowers 

 small, white, in long drooping racemes ; drupes small, without 

 bloom. — Bird Cherry. — Woods and hedges. Fl. May. 



