Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 421 



shrubby plant, and calls the fruit of the large tree Choke Cherry, 

 whereas it should be Wild Cherry or Black Cherry. 



Hooker's description of the large tree, under the name of Cerasus 

 Virginianay corresponds with that given by Wood and Bache, in the 

 United States' Dispensatory, of the same tree, under the name of 

 C. serotina, DC, with the synonym C. Virginiana of Michaux, and 

 answers to specimens sent from Canada by Dr. Philip Maclagan ; 

 whilst Hooker's description of the shrub under the name of C. sero- 

 tina answers also to specimens sent from the same quarter. 



The two plants appear to be very distinct in every respect, except 

 the names, which have thus been transposed and confused. The 

 nomenclature may be satisfactorily arranged by calling the shrub 

 C. Virginiana (Torrey and Gray), and the large tree C. serotina 

 (DC). At the same time it must be added, that Sir W. Hooker 

 (Flor. Bor. Am.) expresses doubts as to their specific difference, re- 

 marking that the serratures and tufts of hair on the underside of the 

 leaves are undoubtedly variable, and that in point of form of foliage 

 it is not easy even to distinguish the American shrub from our C. 

 Padus. The large tree, C. serotina (DC), which is the species 

 officinal in the United States' Pharmacopoeia, on account of its bark, 

 is also used as timber by the American cabinet-maker. Sir W. 

 Hooker gives Canada as a doubtful station for it, but it is found in 

 Canada West, where Dr. P. Maclagan saw one specimen cut down 

 which was 80 feet high. 



The bark, as found in the shops of the United States, is thus de- 

 scribed by Wood and Bache : — It is in pieces of various sizes, more 

 or less curved laterally, usually destitute of epidermis, of a lively 

 reddish cinnamon colour, brittle and pulverizable, presenting a reddish 

 gray fracture, and affording a fawn-coloured powder. When fresh 

 it has the odour of peach leaves, and yields by distillation, according 

 to the experiments of Dr. Procter, a volatile oil, conjoined with 

 hydrocyanic acid ; the same is got from cherry-laurel leaves. It 

 contains also a bitter principle and tannin. The Americans use the 

 bark recently dried, as it deteriorates by keeping. 



The bark, as it was last year brought to the shops in Edinburgh, 

 is in narrow strips, varying in length from a few inches to a foot 

 and a half, with a smooth gray epidermis, which curls itself off in 

 horizontal strips, a character which is very marked in C. serotina 

 in its native woods. On pulling off the epidermis, a suberous layer 

 of a greenish white colour and silky lustre is exposed. The inner 

 bark is of a bright cinnamon-red, inclining to orange, and there are 

 often found adhering to it portions of a very white alburnum. This 

 wood is tough, and not easily pulverized. It is bitter and very 

 astringent to the taste. On inquiry as to the source from whence 

 this bark, which was sent from London, was derived, it was stated 

 to be the officinal American bark of British growth. Now, C. sero- 

 tina is not a common tree in Britain. This bark is, from its appear- 

 ance, not that of C. Padus, nor of the shrubby C. Virginiana, from 

 which circumstances, as well as from its general aspect. Dr. Maclagan 

 concludes that it is merely the bark of C. avium. 



