214 ROSACE^E 



203. PRUNUS VIRGINIANA. WILD CHERRY 



WILD CHERRY BARK 



The bark of Pru'nus sero'tina Ehrhart, collected in autumn and carefully dried 



and preserved. 



BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS. A large forest tree. Leaves oval-oblong or lance- 

 oblong, brilliant green, smooth on both sides, unequally serrate; flowers white, 

 in racemes; drupes purplish-black and shining; bitter. 



FIG. no, Prunus serotina Branch. 



SOURCE. United States and Canada. Although the name Prunus vir- 

 giniana has been held as the official and medicinal name, the botanical 

 name is P. serotina. This leads to confusion among botanists, who 

 strongly urge the discontinuance of the above official title. Prunus 

 virginiana is the botanical name of the common choke cherry, not 

 of the black wild cherry. Prunus Pennsylvania, the wild red cherry, 

 growing in rock woods and along the lake shores, is frequently mis- 

 taken for the P. serotina. 



DESCRIPTION or DRUG. About 2 mm. (^{2 m -) or more in thickness, 

 curved or flat. The newer bark is covered with a smooth, greenish 



