Dicotyledones. 57 



I. PRUNUS. Plum, Cherry, Peach. 



(The ancient Latin name.) 



Trees or shrubs, with leaves mostly simple and serrate. Flowers 

 perfect ; lobes of calyx and corolla 5 ; ovary superior and free from 

 the so-called calyx tube at maturity. Stamens 15-20; pistil i, with 2 

 pendulous ovules. Fruit a fleshy drupe with a hard stone. 



1. Prunus Americana, Marsh. WILD YELLOW or RED PLUM. Flowers in 

 lateral umbels, white, appearing before the leaves, about i inch broad. Calyx 

 lobes entire and pubescent within. Leaves ovate or obovate-acuminate, nearly 

 glabrous when mature. Branches somewhat thorny. Fruit red or yellow, globose, 

 little or no bloom ; stone slightly flattened. Shrubs or small trees. River banks 

 and woods. 



2. Prunus Watsoni, Sargent. (Latin genitive of proper name.) SAND PLUM. 

 A somewhat spiny shrub, 6 to 10 feet high. Flowers in numerous lateral fascicles, 

 about 5 inch in diameter. Leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate, finely serrulate, shining 

 above. Petals oblong-obovate and short-clawed. Globose fruit about f inch in 

 diameter, no bloom, flesh yellow. In sandy soil. 



3. Prunus Chicasa, Michx. (Latinized form of Chickasaw, Indian name.) 

 CHICKASAW PLUM. A small tree with somewhat thorny branches. Flowers in 

 lateral umbels, expanding shortly before or with the leaves. Leaves lanceolate or 

 oblong-lanceolate, serrulate, glabrous when mature. Drupe red, 5 to | inch in 

 diameter; bloom scant; skin thin; stone ovoid, hardly flattened. In dry soil. 



4. Prunus Besseyi, Bailey. (Latin genitive of proper name.) WESTERN 

 SAND CHERRY. A shrub, i to 4 feet high. Flowers in lateral umbels, expanding 

 with the leaves, \ to nearly \ inch in diameter. Leaves mostly elliptic or oblong- 

 elliptic. Stipules of young shoots often longer than the short petioles. Fruit black, 

 mottled, or yellow, 5 to inch in diameter, astringent. Branches often spreading 

 and prostrate. Prairies. 



5. Prunus Persica, Sieb. & Luce. (L., persicus, persian.) PEACH. Small 

 trees. Leaves thin, lanceolate, serrate. Fruit large and edible ; stone thick-walled, 

 somewhat compressed, deeply wrinkled. Flowers pink, about inch in diameter; 

 borne in clusters. 



6. Prunus Pennsylvania, L. f. WILD RED CHERRY. Small tree. Flowers 

 on long pedicels, many in a corymbose cluster. Leaves oval or lanceolate on 

 slender petioles, shining on both sides, serrulate, unfolding with the flowers. Fruit 

 small and globose, with thin skin and sour flesh, light red. Stone globular. In 

 rocky woods. 



7. Prunus Virginiana, L. CHOKE CHERRY. A shrub 2 to 10 feet high. 

 Flowers in racemes, terminating shoots of the season. Leaves obovate or broadly 

 oval, sharply serrulate with slender teeth. Drupe red or nearly black, about J inch 

 in diameter, very astringent. Stone globular. Along river banks. 



