PRUNUS 



PRUNUS 



2825 



the stature of the common apricot: Ivs. smaller and 

 narrower, mostly elliptic-ovate, finely and closely ser- 

 rate, thin, dull green, the stalks slender and nearly or 

 quite glandless: fls. large and long-stalked, showy: fr. 

 globular and plum-like on a distinct st., pubescent at 

 maturity, dark purple, the flesh soft and sourish; stone 

 fuzzy. Probably native to Manchuria. B.R. 1243. 

 L. B.C. 13:1250. Sometimes planted, mostly as an 

 ornamental tree, for the fr. has little value compared to 

 that of the common apricot. Hardy in the N. 



AA. Plums, the fls. mostly in 

 cymes, in most species 

 appearing with the Ivs. 

 in the N. (before the Ivs. 

 in the S.), and the fr. 

 smooth and glaucous: 

 stone not prominently sulcate: peduncle 

 slender, usually remaining with the fr. 

 (exception in .Vo. 12). See Plum, Prune. 



B. Group of Eurasian plums: Irs. relatively 

 broad, usually prominently reticulated and 

 more or less pubescent (at least beneath), 

 the young twigs mostly pubescent: fl.- 

 clusters with mostly 1 or 2 fls. from each bud. 



c. H.-sts. glabrous. 



5. cerasifera, Ehrh. (P. domestica var. Myrobdlan, 

 Linn. P. Myrobalana, Loisel.). CHERRY PLUM. Slen- 

 der twiggy grower, often thorny, the tree small or 

 sometimes shrub-like; twigs usually soon becoming 

 glabrous: Ivs. rather small and thin, also lightish green, 

 becoming nearly or quite glabrous, short-ovate and 

 short-pointed, finely serrate: fls. rather small as com- 

 pared with most forms of P. domestica, white or blush, 

 slender-stalked: fr. small (usually 1 in. or less diam.), 

 globular and cherry-like, depressed about the st., yellow 

 or red. the flesh soft, juicy, and sweet-flavored. Proba- 

 bly native to the Caucasus and S. W. Asia, although 

 early attributed to X. Amer. B.M. 5934. Gn. 33, p. 

 2.52* J.H. III. 28:267 The Myrobalan plum is a cul- 

 ture-form of this species, with rather large and good 

 fr., by some regarded as a subspecies or variety Myro- 

 balana. It is extensively used in this country as a stock 

 on which to bud the domestica plums, the seedlings being 

 imported in great quantities from Eu. It is a smaller 

 tree than P. domestica, with much more slender growth, 

 smoother twigs and Ivs., smaller and mostly earlier fls., 

 and also smaller softer fr. with a depression about the 

 st. It tends to dwarf the domestica plums, but its 

 influence in this direction is not sufficient to discourage 

 its use as a stock. Its advantages as a stock are its 

 cheapness, the ease with which all domestica varieties 

 "take" on it. and the readiness with which it can be 

 grown in the nursery row. It is not used to any extent 

 icks for other plums than the domesticas. Spon- 

 taneous trees are sometimes found about old nursery 

 grounds, and it occasionally appears in orchards when 

 the top of a plum tree dies and sprouts arise from the 

 root. There are also a few varieties prop, for the early 

 juicy frs.. but they are little known. It makes a good 

 ornamental tree. The Marianna, much used for stocks 

 of many kinds of plums in the S. (and growing from 

 cuttings), is probably a hybrid of this species with 

 F. hortulana or P. angustifolia. There are several cult, 

 forms of P. cerasifera, one of the best being the plant 

 known as P. planteriensis, Hort., with full double white 

 and red fls. There are also forms with yellow- and white- 

 variegated Ivs., and a weeping form (var. pendula, 

 Hort.). A form with narrow willow-like Ivs. (var. acuti- 

 fdlia or angustifolia, Hort.) is also advertised. A 

 form with twisted or contorted foliage is shown in 

 R.H. 1895, p. 201. 



Var. Pissardii, Koehne (P. Pissdrdii, Carr. P. 

 cerasifera var. atropurpurea, Dipp.). A handsome 

 form with purple Ivs. and dark wine-red fr. Intro, into 



France by Pissard, gardener to the Shah of Persia, and 

 first fully described in Revue Horticole in 1881. It 

 is a cultural form of P. cerasifera. It is one of the best of 

 all small purple-lvd. trees, holding much of its color in 

 the American summers. It seems to be hardy wherever 

 the common plum will stand. The best color is secured 

 on the strong growths; therefore it is well to head back 

 the tree frequently. R.H. 1881:190; 1884:396. G.C. 



III. 1:416. Gn. 32:224; 

 55, p. 314. J.H. III. 28: 

 287. G.M. 31:190, 191 

 A recent form known as 

 Spaethiana, has very deep- 

 colored and shining foli- 

 age, retaining its color (in 

 Eu.) through summer and 

 autumn. A form known 

 as Moseri fldre-pleno has 



3215. Prunus spinosa (Xli). Xo. 7. 



double pink fls. G.M. 55:819. The form called -Hessei 

 (P. Pissdrdii var. Hessei, Purp.) has narrow irregularly 

 cut and toothed usually long-acuminate Ivs., red with 

 a broad greenish yellow or crimson-red border. Purpusii 

 (P. Pissdrdii var. Purpusii, Hesse) has Ivs. similar in 

 shape to those of usual var. Pissardii, dark red and 

 variegated with yellow and bright rose. The form nigra 

 has very dark purple Ivs. Blirieana (P. Bliriedna fldre- 

 pleno, Carr.) is a very handsome form with long slender 

 branches bearing purple-tinted foliage and semi-double 

 apple-blossom-pink fls. R.H. 1905:392. Gn. 78, p. 

 203. G.M. 57:334. 



Var. divaricata, Bailey (P. divaricata, Ledeb. P. 

 cerasifera subsp. divaricata, Schneid.). Branching 

 from the base, the branches wide-spreading and some 

 of them nearly or quite prostrate: Ivs. broader toward 

 the base: fr. not depressed about the st., yellow. 

 Macedonia to N. Persia. B.M. 6519. 



6. Cocomflia, Ten. ITALIAN PLUM. Allied to P. 

 cerasifera. Bush or small tree, with thorny branches and 

 young growth glabrous: Ivs. oval or broadly ovate to 

 roundish obovate, sharp-serrate, glabrous above, more 

 or less pubescent on nerves beneath or glabrous, taper- 

 ing below, somewhat pointed: fls. usually in pairs, 

 appearing with the Ivs. or just preceding them, white or 

 greenish white, the calyx-tube about the length of the 

 pedicels: fr. small and yellow, globular or oblong-ovoid, 

 rather good for eating. Italy. 



7. spinosa, Linn. BLACKTHORN. Fig. 3215. Low and 

 spreading, making a very thick thorny top, the young 

 growths distinctly pubescent: Ivs. small, oblong-obo- 

 vate or elliptic-ovate, very numerous on the branches, 

 nearly or quite obtuse, very finely and closely serrate: 

 fls. white, small, borne singly or in pairs (or sometimes 

 in 3's) and often on the thorns: fr. little larger than a 

 very large pea, very deep glaucous-blue, usually per- 

 sisting until winter, scarcely edible. Cent, and S. Eu. 

 and N. Afr. to N. Persia and Siberia. G.C. III. 42:308. 

 Sometimes planted in this country, chiefly in the 

 double-fld. form, var. plena, Hort. (Gn. 59, p. 76; 

 61, p. 363. G.M. 44:165). It is an excellent bush or 

 small tree for protecting the borders and corners of 

 drives and walks. The short stiff thorny branches make 

 a good barrier. The tree is perfectly hardy where the 

 plum can be grown. The little frs. are usually astrin- 

 gent, but there is a sweet-fruited form. It has been 

 supposed by some that the domestica plums may have 

 come from this species, but this is very doubtful, at 

 least within the period of human experience with them. 

 Var. purpurea, Hort., has purple foliage; fls. small and 

 very numerous, pink: tree less spiny than the type. 



