Pbunus.] ROSACEA. 115 



Sub-sp. P. bomes'tica, L. ; bark brown, branches straight unarmed, leaves 

 pubescent on the ribs beneath, peduncles glabrous, drupe 1-1§ in. diam., 

 black. — Not indigenous, except in W. Asia. Wild Plum. 



Section 2. Cer'asus. Leaves conduplicate in bud. Flowers solitary 

 or fascicled, appearing with the leaves or after them. 



2. P. Cer'asus, L. ; leaves spreading oblong-obovate or elliptic crenate- 

 serrate glabrous, petiole short, corolla cup-shaped, petals firm suberect 

 obovate, fruit acid. Wild Cherry ; Dwarf Cherry. 



Copses, &c, from York southd., wild or well established; rare in Ireland* 

 Channel Islands ; fl. May. — A bush or small tree with copious suckers ; bark 

 red; branches slender, pendulous. Leaves dark blue-green. Flowers homoga- 

 mous ; buds with scarious outer scales and leafy inner ones. Calyx-tube not 

 constricted, lobes crenate. Petals notched. Fruit red, juice not staining. 

 — Origin of the Morello, Duke, and Kentish cherries. — Distrib. Europe 

 to W. Himalaya, Azores, Canaries. 



3. P. Avi'um, L. ; leaves drooping oblong-obovate acutely serrate pu- 

 bescent beneath, petiole long, corolla open, petals flaccid almost obcordate, 

 fruit sweet or bitter. Gean. 



Copses and woods from Caithness southd., probably wild only in the S. ; 

 Ireland ; fl. May. — A tree without suckers, branches short, stout, rigid 

 ascending. Leaves large, pendulous, pale green. Flowers homogamous ; 

 buds with none of the scales leafy. Calyx-tube constricted at the top, 

 lobes quite entire. Fruit with staining juice. — Origin of the Geans, Hearts, 

 and Bigaroon cherries. — Distrib. Europe to W. Himalaya. 



Section 3. Laurocer'asus. Leaves conduplicate in bud. Flowers in 

 axillary or terminal racemes, appearing after the leaves. 



4. P. Padus, L. ; leaves elliptic or obovate acutely doubly serrate. 

 Bird Cherry. 



Copses and woods, from Caithness to S. Wales and Leicester ; ascends to 1,500 

 ft. in Yorkshire ; Ireland ; fl. May. — A tree, 10-20 ft. Leaves 2-4 in., un- 

 equally cordate at the base, axils of the nerves pubescent; stipules linear- 

 subulate, glandular-serrate. Racemes 3-5 in., from short lateral buds, 

 lax-fld. Flowers |-f in. diam., white, erect, then pendulous, proterogy- 

 nous ; pedicels J in., erect in fruit ; bracts deciduous, linear. Calyx-lobes 

 obtuse, glandular-serrate. Petals erose. Drupe § in., ovoid, black, bitter; 

 stone globose, rugose! — Distrib. Europe (Arctic), N. Africa, N. and W. 

 Asia, Himalaya. 



2. SPIRiE'A, L. 



Perennial herbs or shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple or compound ; 

 stipules free or adnate to the petiole, rarely 0. Flowers in axillary or 

 terminal cymes, white or red. Calyx inferior, persistent ; lobes 4-5, im- 

 bricate or valvate in bud. Petals 4-5. Stamens 20-60, filaments free or 

 connate below. Disk fleshy, often hairy. Carpels 5 or more, free or con- 

 nate below ; styles subterminal ; ovules 2 or more, pendulous. Follicles 



I 2 



