THE ROSE FAMILY. ROSACES 



THIS is one of the largest and best known of all the plant 

 families. It includes many of our flowers and fruits, but in 

 our climate produces no really large trees. A large number 

 of small trees and shrubs belong to it, and at least some of 

 these should be mentioned. 



Plants of this family are easily distinguished by their alter- 

 nate, often compound and always stipulate leaves and showy 

 flowers. The sepals and petals are mostly in whorls of five ; 

 the stamens are numerous and inserted on a fleshy ring on 

 the calyx at the base of the petals. 



The rose, the best known of all flowers, has given the name 

 to this family and that alone would make it famous ; but it 

 is not less famous for its fruits. The apple, cherry, plum, 

 peach and pear are but types of fruit-bearing trees, while the 

 strawberry, though humble in habit, has added to the reputation 

 of this family by its distinctive flavor. 



I. THE CHERRIES 

 Genus Prunus 



Trees of this genus produce what are known as the stone 

 fruits. The fruits are drupes, hard-shelled nuts or stones 

 enclosed in fleshy coverings. The cherries, plums and peaches 

 belong here, and the prunes have shared their name with the 

 genus. 



i . BIRD or PIN CHERRY. Prunus pennsylvartica. Linnaeus fils. 



Among the best known and most widely distributed of our 

 trees is the common red cherry. It is small with smooth, 



181 



