118 ROSE FAMILY. 



PRUNUS, PLUM, &c. (The ancient Latin name of the Plum.) As 

 now received, this genus comprises all the following groups, which it has 

 been found impracticable to keep up as botanical genera. Foliage and the 

 stone and kernel of the fruit usually with the flavor of prussic acid, especially 

 in the Peach and Cherries. 



1. ALMOND and PEACH. Flowers almost sessile, from sfparate scaly buds, 

 in spring, before the leaves, the latter folded tot/ether length irise (ccnduplicate) 

 in the bud : fruit velvety, large : the stone with wrinkles and holes. 



P. (Am^gdalus) nana, DWARF or FLOWERING ALMOXD. Cult, for 

 ornament, from Asia ; a low shrub, with abundant and handsome rose-colored 

 (or by variation Avhite) usually full-double flowers, earlier than the long and 

 narrow smooth leaves; calyx-tube short-cylindrical ; fruit dry when ripe, with 

 the outer part separating as a husk from the brittle stone, as in the edible 

 Almond. 



P. (A.) PeVsica, PEACH. Cult, from Asia for the fruit, also a double-fl. 

 variety, for ornament ; small tree, with purplish-rose-colored flowers, bell-shaped 

 calyx-tube, lanceolate leaves, and globular fruit ripening a thick pulp, either 

 clinging to or separable from the rough -wrinkled porous stone. Unknown in a 

 wild state, probably derived from the COMMON ALMOND, P. (A.) COMMUMS. 

 Var. Iffivis, the NECTARINE, is a state with a smooth-skinned fruit. 



2. APRICOT. Flowers short-jjediceHed or almost sessile, from separate scaly 

 buds, in early spring, before the leaves, which are rolled up (convolute) in 

 the bud: drupe velvety, but with a smooth stone having grooved margins, one 

 of them sharp-edged. 



P. Armeniaca, APRICOT. Cult, from Armenia; a low smooth tree, 

 with ovate and mostly rather heart-shaped leaves, white or slightly rosy flowers 

 solitary or in pairs, and early-ripening fruit, of character intermediate between 

 peach and plum. 



3. PLUM and CHERRY. Flotvers pedicpJled and almost always white : drupe 

 smooth, its stone smooth or somewhat rugged. 



* PLUMS. Flowers from separate lateral buds, in spring, preceding or coetancous 

 with the leaves ; the latter rolled up, or in most of our native species folded 

 together, in the bud : drupe generally with a whitish bloom and a Jlat or 

 JJattish stone. 



- Exotic (European or Asiatic) species. 



P. domestica, GARDEN PLUM, of many varieties : tree with spreading 

 thornless branches, and oblong or lance-ovate* leaves ; the fruit very various in 

 size and shape, with a flat or flattish and roughish stone. Doubtless (at least 

 in part) a long-cultivated derivative of 



P. insititia, BULLACE PLUM, introduced in some places near the seaboard, 

 has been used as a stock for grafting, &c., is a little thorny, the pedicels and 

 lower face of the leaves downy, the fruit round and black. 



P. spin6sa, SLOE, or BLACK THORN. Cult, or nat. in old gardens or 

 waste places : a low tree, with spreading thorny branches ; the obovate-oblong 

 or lance-oblong leaves and pedicels soon glabrous ; fruit small, globular, purple- 

 Maek, with a turgid stone and a greenish astringent pulp. Probably this is the 

 original of the Bullace. 



" *- Native species of the country, but tiro of them have, been planted for the fruit. 

 They are manifestly /'/M///.S- rat/xr than (Cherries, (ilthnnt/h the last is am- 

 biguous as to the fruit, only the Ih-ach Plum has an obvious bloom on the 

 fruit, and a/I luitv the lir<s folded iu the bud. 



P. maritiiua, BEACH PLUM. Sea-beaches and sandy soil near the coast; 



a scarcely thorny shrub, 2 -5 high, with the ovate or oval finely sen-ate leaves 

 soft-downy underneath, short and downy pedicels, and globular purple or crim- 

 son fruit with a bloom (^' 1' long), rather pleasant-tasted, sometimes used for 

 preserving. 



P. Americana, WILD RED and YELLOW PLUM. Along streams through 

 the country; occasionally planted; a tall shrub or small tree, often thorny, 



