167 



CHOKE CHERRY. 

 Prunus virginiana, Linnaeus. 



FORM — A small tree rarely exceeding 25 ft. in belght 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 t'xro-^es the green inner bark. On older trunks about 2/5 of an inch thick, dark grayish, 

 slightly rough-'ned 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 numerons, 

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

 Bruised twigs "have a disagreeable odor. 



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

 covered with abcut (J-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 tendci;cy to become elliptical in outline. Bundle-scars 3 In number. 



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

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



FRiriT— 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 lbs. per cubic foot. 



DISTrNGUISHTNG CHARACTERISTICS— The Choke Cherry can be distinguished from the 

 Wild Black Cherry l)y 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 spreading slender teeth. The buds of the Wild Black Cherry are 

 smaller and have rather uniformly -colored scales with a sharp apes 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 — Frtquently fouud in thickets, in open woo<ls, along fences, in abandoned fields, 

 along streams, and on dry situations. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES — This tree Is of no commercial imrortanco. 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. 



