GENUS i. 



PEACH FAMILY 



12. Primus Besseyi Bailey. Western Sand 

 Cherry. Bessey's Cherry. Fig. 2420. 



Primus Besseyi Bailey, Bull. Cornell Agric. Exp. Sta. 



70 : 261. 1894. 

 Cerasits Besseyi Smyth, Trans. Kans. Acad. Sci. 15 : 



62. 1898. 



A shrub, i-4 high, the branches diffuse, 

 spreading or prostrate, not strict. Leaves ellip- 

 tic, oblong or oval, the teeth appressed, the apex 

 and base mostly acute; petioles 2"-$" long; stip- 

 ules of young shoots often longer than the peti- 

 ole ; flowers in sessile umbels, expanding with 

 the leaves, 4"-5" broad; fruit 6"-8" in diameter, 

 on stout pedicels usually not more than 6" long, 

 bitterish and astringent, black, mottled or yel- 

 lowish. 



Plains, Manitoba and Minnesota to Kansas and 

 Utah. April-May. 



13. Primus Cerasus L. Sour Cherry. 



Egriot. Fig. 2421. 

 Prunus Cerasus L. Sp. PI. 474. 1753. 



A tree, reaching in cultivation the height of 

 50, with trunk diameter of 3!, but usually 

 smaller. Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, vari- 

 ously dentate, abruptly acute or acuminate at the 

 apex, rounded at the base, glabrous on both sides, 

 very resinous when young; flowers white, 8"-i2" 

 broad, in sessile, lateral, very scaly umbels, ex- 

 panding with the leaves or before them, the 

 scales large, spreading; pedicels little over i4' 

 long in flower; drupe globose, 4"-6" in diameter 

 (larger in cultivation), black or red, sour, without 

 bloom ; stone globose. 



In woods and thickets, New Hampshire to Georgia 

 and Colorado, escaped from cultivation. Native of 

 Europe. Wood strong, reddish-brown ; weight per 

 cubic foot 54 Ibs. April-May. Fruit June-July. Its 

 leaves unfold several days later than those of P. 

 Avium when growing with it. This, and the follow- 

 ing species, in the wild state, are the originals of 

 most of the cultivated cherries. 



14. Prunus Avium L. Wild or Crab Cherry. 

 Hazard. Gean. Sweet Cherry. Fig. 2422. 



Prunus Avium L. Fl. Suec. Ed. 2, 165. 1755. 



A large tree, often 70 high, the trunk reach- 

 ing 4 in diameter. Leaves ovate, oval, or slightly 

 obovate, abruptly short-acuminate at the apex, 

 obtuse or sometimes narrowed at the base, irregu- 

 larly serrate or doubly serrate, pubescent, on the 

 veins beneath, or over the entire lower surface 

 when young; flowers white, about i' broad, in 

 scaly lateral umbels, expanding with the leaves, 

 the scales small ; pedicels slender, i'-2*' long in 

 flower ; drupe globose, black or dark red, sweet. 



In thickets and woodlands, escaped from cultiva- 

 tion. Ontario to Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Vir- 

 ginia. Native of Europe. April-May. Merry. Black- 

 berry. Hawkberry. Gaskins. 



