sturtevant's notes on edible plants 465 



p. puddum Roxb. 



Himalayan region. The fruit is acid and astringent, not much eaten or valued.' 

 Royle - says it is not edible but is employed for making a well-flavored cherry 

 brandy. 



P. pumila Linn, dwarf cherry, sand cherry. 



Northern United States. The fruit is small, dark red and eatable. In the Indian 

 Territory, every Indian goes to the plum ground in the season to collect the fruit, which 

 is dried and preserved. From Lake Superior to Elk River on the 5 7th parallel, Richardson ' 

 found what he took to be this species with very sweet fruit. 



P. rivularis Scheele. creek plum. 



Texas. This is a small shrub, not uncommon on the Colorado and its tributaries, 

 bearing excellent, red plums in August and September.* 



P. serotina Ehrh. rum cherry, wild black cherry. 



North America. In Mexico, this cherry is called capuli. Burbridge ^ says the 

 succulent fruit resembles apricots and is sold in Mexican markets under the name of 

 capulinos. 



P. sibirica Linn. 



Siberia. The fruit is small, sour or acid, and contains a bitter kernel.' 



P. simonii Carr. apricot plum, simon plum. 



China. This plum was introduced into America from France. The friiit, though 

 large, handsome and of firm flesh, has little merit.' 



P. sphaerocarpa Sw. 



Tropical America. From the seeds, cherry, plum and damson wine is flavored. ' 



P. spinosa Linn, blackthorn, sloe. 



Europe, north Africa, the Orient and now naturalized in the United States. The fruit 

 is like a small plum, nearly glabrous, black, covered with a bluish bloom and has a very 

 austere taste. The fruit is eaten in some districts of northern Europe and with sugar 

 makes a very good conserve. The leaves are used to adulterate tea.' The juice of the 

 ripe fruit is said to enter largely into the manufactiu-e of the cheaper kinds of port wine. 

 In France, the imripe fruit is pickled, as a substitute for olives, and, in Germany and Russia, 

 the fruit is crushed, fermented with water and a spirit is distilled from it."* 



' Brandis, D. Forest Fl. 194. 1874. 

 ' Royle, J. F. Illustr. Bot. Himal. 1:205. 1839. 

 ' Richardson, J. Arctic Explor. 2:2^%. 1851. (P. americana) 

 <Havard, V. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 512. 1885. 

 ' Burbidge, F. W. Cult. Pis. 478. 1877. (P. salicif alius) 

 Don, G. Hist. Dichl. Pis. 2:4^8. 1832. (Armeniaca sibirica) 

 'Bailey, L.H. Cornell Bui. 51:57. 1893. 

 Baillon, H. Hist. Pis. 1:441. 1871. 

 Johnson, C. P. Useful Pis. Gt. Brit. 85. 1862. 

 ' Loudon, J. C. Arb. Frut. Brit. 2:686. 1844. 



