167 



CHOKE CHERRY. 



Prunus virginiana, Linnaeus. 



FORM A small tree rarely exceeding 25 ft. in height with a diameter of 8 inches. It reaches 

 its largest size in the southern part of its geographical range. 



BARK On young trunks smooth, shiny, brownish, peels off easily in thin film-like layers 

 and exposes the green inner bark. On older trunks about 2/5 of an inch thick, dark grayish, 

 slightly roughened by shallow fissures. Inner layers of the bark have a very disagreeable odor. 



TWIGS Rather stout, usually smooth, light brown to reddish-brown, covered with numerous, 

 conspicuous, dull yellowish lenticels which are not evidently horizontally-elongated; pith white. 

 Bruised twigs have a disagreeable odor. 



BUDS Alternate, about 1/6 of an inch long, conical to ovate, smooth, sharp-pointed, brownish, 

 covered with abcmt G-8 visible and closely overlapping scales. Lateral buds are often rather 

 divergent and larger than -the terminal. 



LEAVES Alternate, simple, oval, oblong or obovate, 2-4 inches long, tapering or rounded at 

 base, abruptly pointed at apex, sharply serrate on margin with slender teeth, rather thin, 

 bright green above, paler below. 



LEAF-SCARS Alternate, more than 2-ranked, somewhat raised on projections of twigs 

 with a tendency to become elliptical in outline. Bundle-scars 3 in number. 



FLOWERS Appear about May when the leaves are fully developed. They are perfect, white, 

 i-J of an inch across, arranged in many-flowered drooping racemes, 3-6 inches long. 



FRUIT A red to 'lark crimson juicy drupe, about I of an inch in diameter, arranged in rather 

 open drooping clusters. Seed smooth and stony. Fruit is harsh and astringent. 



WOOD Similar to that of the Wild Black Cherry, only heavier and of no commercial im- 

 portance. Not found on the market. Weighs 43.32 Ibs. per cubic foot. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS The Choke Cherry can be distinguished from the 

 Wild Black Cherry by its smaller size, smoother and browner outer bark and an inner bark 

 with a mere disagreeable odor, as well as by its thinner and sharper serrate leaves with. 

 somewhat spreading slender teeth. The leaves of the Wild Black Cherry are thicker and moder- 

 ately serrate with somewhat spieadiug slender teeth. The buds of the Wild Black Cherry are 

 smaller and have rather uniformly-colored scales with a sharp apex while the buds of this 

 species have grayish-margined scales with a rounded apex. This tree can be distinguished from 

 the Fire Cherry by the absence of clustered terminal . buds, by its stouter twigs, and by its 

 flowers which are borne in a raceme while those of the Fire Cherry are borne in umbels. 

 It can be distinguished from both the Wild Black Cherry and the Fire Cherry by its buff- 

 colored lenticels which do not elongate horizontally. 



RANGE Newfoundland to Manitoba, southward to Georgia and Texas. 



DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA Locally throughout the State but nowhere abundant. 

 Most common in the mountainous and southeastern parts. 



HABITAT Frcmirntly found in thickets, in open woods, along fences, in abandoned fields, 

 along streams, and on dry situations. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES This tree is of no commercial importance. It is rather 

 attractive in its natural habitat and when artificially planted. Even though it has no commer- 

 cial value still it need not be regarded as an objectionable forest weed because it interferes 

 little with the growth of other trees or their utilization. 



