512 



The Evergreen Cherries 



shining on the upper side, the under surface yellowish green and dull; the leaf- 

 stalks are channelled and 3 to 12 mm. long. The racemes of flowers are as long 

 as the leaves or longer, the flowers opening from April to July; the flower-stalks 

 are 3 to 6 mm. long; the calyx-tube is orange with small pointed reflexed lobes 

 much shorter than the blunt obovate petals ; the stamens are about as long as the 

 petals. The cherries are nearly globular, puiple, about 1.5 cm. in diameter when 

 ripe, the flesh thin, the pit ovoid, smooth. 



The wood is hard, strong, dense, with a specific gravity of about 0.98, being 

 very nearly as heavy as water. The plant grows rapidly and is esteemed for 

 hedges in warm-temperate regions, but is not hardy at the North. Among Cali- 

 fomian common names for it are Holly-leaf cherr}^, Evergreen cherry, Spanish 

 wild cherr)\ 



Fig. 474. Island Islay. 



4. ISLAND ISLAY Laurocerasus Lyoni (Eastwood) Britten 



Cerasus Lyoni Eastwood. Prunus ilicifolia integrijolia Sudworth 



Primus integrijolia Sargent, not Walpers 



This tree of the islands near the coast of southern CaHfomia is a near relative 



of the preceding species. It grows to a 

 height of about 12 meters, with a trunk 

 sometimes 4.5 dm, thick. 



Its bark is thick and gray. The 

 young twigs are smooth, yellow-green, 

 becoming brown. The leaves are leath- 

 ery, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 5 to 8 cm. 

 long, sharp-pointed, entire-margined, 

 dark green and shining on the upper 

 side, somewhat paler and dull on the 

 under surface, the base rounded. The 

 flower-clusters are very dense and about 

 as long as the leaves; the flowers are very 

 short-stalked or nearly stalkless, opening 

 in March or April; the calyx- lobes are 

 much shorter than the obovate petals, 



to 2 



which are about as long as the stamens. The round purple fruits are 1.5 

 cm. in diameter. 



