xxvi. 



CE'RASUS. 



283 



453. Cerasus prostrata. 



(Dec. Prod.) A prostrate 

 shrub. Native of the moun- 

 tains of Candia, of Mount 

 Lebanon, and of Siberia. 

 Height i ft. to 1 ft. Intro- 

 duced in 1802. Flowers 

 rose-coloured ; April and 

 May. Drupe red ; ripe July. 



A very desirable species for 

 grafting standard high on the 

 common cherry. The red co- 

 lour of the flowers is very un- 

 common in this genus. 



8. C. PERsiciFoYiA Lois. The Peach-tree-leaved Cherry Tree. 



Identification. Lois, in N. Du Ham., 5. p. 9. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 537. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 513. 

 Synonyme. 2 J runus persicif 61ia Desf. Arb. 2. p. 205. 

 Engraving. Our fig. 000. in fig. 000. 



Spec. Char., Sfc. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, unequally serrate, gla- 

 brous, with two glands upon the petiole. Flowers numerous, upon slender 

 peduncles, and disposed umbellately. (Dec. Prod.) A deciduous tree. 

 ? America. Height 30 ft. to 50 ft. Introduced in 1818. Flowers white; 

 May. Drupe small, black ; ripe in July. 



A rapidly growing tree, attaining the height of the common wild cherry, 

 and bearing so close a resemblance to it in almost every respect, that it is 

 probably only a variety of it. There are trees of this kind of cherry in the 

 Jardin des Plantes at Paris, of a pyramidal form, with a reddish brown smooth 

 bark, flowers about the size of those of C. Mahaleb, and fruit about the size 

 of peas. The wood is said to be harder and redder than that of the common 

 wild cherry. It was raised from seeds sent from America by Michaux. 



9. C. BOREA'LIS Michx. The North- American Cherry Tree. 



Identification. Michx. Fl. Bor. Amer., 1. p. 286. ; Lois, in N. Du Ham., 5. p. 32. No. 22. ; Dec. 



Prod., 2. p. 538. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 513. 



Synonymes. Prunus borealis Pair. Diet. 5. p. 674. ; the Northern Choke Cherry, Amer. 

 Engravings. Michx. Arb. Amer., 3, t. 8. ; and our fig. 454. 



Spec. Char., fyc. Leaves oval-oblong, acuminate, membranaceous, glabrous, 

 denticulate and almost in an eroded manner : they resemble those of the 

 common almond tree, but have the serratures 

 inflexed, protuberant, and tipped with minute 

 glandulous mucros. Flowers on longish pe- 

 dicels, and disposed nearly in a corymbose 

 manner. Fruit nearly ovate, small; its flesh 

 red. (Dec. Prod.) A small tree. Northern 

 parts of North America. Height 20ft. to 

 30 ft., with a trunk 6 in. to 8 in. in diameter. 

 Introduced in 1822. Flowers white; May. 

 Drupe red ; ripe in July. 



Of all the cherries of North America, Mi- 

 diiiux observes, the C. borealis is the one that 

 has the greatest analogy with the cultivated 

 cherry of Europe. Pursh describes it as a 

 very handsome small tree, the wood exquisitely 

 hard and fine-grained ; but the cherries, though 

 agreeable to the taste, astringent in the mouth, 

 and hence called choke cherries. 



-* 10. C. PIAMILA Michx. The dwarf Cherry Tree. 



Identification. Michx. Fl. Bor. Amer., 2. p. 286. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 537. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 513. 

 Synonymes Prilnus punnla Lin. A/an*. 73., Pursh Fl. Amer. Sept. \. p. 331.; Cerasus glauca 

 Mcench Meth. 672. ; Ragouminier, Nega, Menel du Canada, Fr. 



