Handbook of Trees of the Northern States and Can. 



277 



The Alleghany Sloe is a small intricately 

 branched tree, at best not surpassing 18 or 20 

 ft. in height or 8 or 10 in. in thickness of 

 trunk, vested in a loose scaly bark. It is 

 usually a straggling shrub forming in places 

 extensive thickets and occupying alike low 

 moist soil and well-drained slopes and limestone 

 ridges. In distribution it is the most restricted 

 of the Plums, being confined so far as now 

 understood to central Pennsylvania, chiefly 

 Tussey Mountain in Huntingdon Co., Bald 

 Eagle Mountain and Valley and the Allegha- 

 nies in Clearfield and Elk Counties. Occupy- 

 ing the wildest places of these regions it escaped 

 the notice of botanists until about thirty years 

 ago. It is well worthy of cultivation in the 

 garden both on account of its abundant flowers 

 and small glaucous blue-black fruit which it 

 produces in abundance. The fruit is of a 

 pleasant subacid flavor and is gathered and 

 used, in considerable quantities under the 

 name of "sloes,"' by the country residents, for 

 preserves, jellies, etc. P is quite jimliable tliat 

 it will be improved by sclfction and cultiva- 

 tion. 



Leaves obovate-elliptical. 1^-,-" in. long, mostly 

 rounded or obtuse at baso, acuminate at apex, 

 sharply serrate, pubescent at first, finally puber- 

 ulous. dark green above, paler and glabrous ex- 

 cepting on veins beneath ; petioles 14 in. long, 

 puberulous. Flowers appearing in May with the 

 leaves, 1/2 in. in diameter in 2-4-Howered umbels ; 

 calyx pubescent. Fruit ripens by the middle of 

 August, subglobose. about V_> in. in diameter, dark 

 purple with bloom, on stout pedicels, witli 

 thiokish skin, of pleasant subacid or <uistere flavnr 

 and with turgid pit. 



