Handbook of Treks of 



'II K 



Northern States and Canada. 275 



A small tree rarely over 20 or 25 ft. in 



heiylit with rather wide rounded top of spread- 

 ing !^k■nder bnuiclit's, and trunk rarely more 

 than 8 or 1!) in. in diameter covered with a 

 thin dark brown bark rouuh with closely ap- 

 pressed scales. It is often a shrub of but few 

 feet in hciiiht forming:,' thickets of considerable 

 extent. 



The fact that it is confined in its dis- 

 tribution mostly to old fields and roadsides 

 in the vicinity of human habitations suggests 

 the thought that it may be an introduced tree, 

 but from whence it is not known. Early set- 

 tlers found it growing about the settlements 

 of the Indians in the South, among whom there 

 was a tradition that it was brought from be- 

 yond the ^lississippi River. 



Its fruit is valued for immediate eating and 

 for preserves and jellies and is regularly mar- 

 keted in season in southern towns, commonly 

 under the name of " mountain cherries." Vari- 

 ous improved forms are sold by nursery houses 

 but only suitable for the southern climate. 



Leaves lanceolate to lance-oblong, 1-2 in Ions, 

 mostly tapering at base, acute oi- apiculatc at 

 apes, sharply ser^'ate. glabrous, lustrous lirighf 

 green above, paler beneath and with short glal)r(ius 

 or puberulous petioles having two glands near tin- 

 leaf blade. Floirrrs small, about \u in. across. 

 expanding before the leaves in lateral 2-4-flowered 

 umbels, with slender glabrous pedicels : calyx 

 glabrous with lobes pubescent inside ; petals white, 

 rounded. Fruit ripening in early summer, sub- 

 globose, about Vj in. in diameter, lustrous red, 

 without bloom, with thin skin, .iuicy subacid flesh 

 and turgid oblong thick-walled stone with thick 

 rounded margins and somewhat grooved in the 

 dorsal suture. 



I. Prunus Chhasa Mlchx. 



