PRUNUS 



PRUNUS 



1447 



tral New York, but will not bear. The Apricot cult, as 

 Chinese or Shense is also of this species. Many double- 

 fld. forms in Japan. 



1978. Prunus Mume (X 



AA. 



PLUMS, the fls. mostly in cymes, in most species 

 appearing with the Ivs. in the North (before the 

 Ivs. in the South), and the fr. smooth and glau- 

 cous : stone not prominently sulcate: peduncle 

 slender, remaining with the fruit. 



B. Eur.-Asian Plums: Ivs. relatively broad, usually 

 prominently reticulated and more or less pubescent 

 (at least beneath), the young twigs mostly pu- 

 bescent. 



c. Flower-stems glabrous. 



5. cerasifera, Ehrh. (P. domestica, var. Hfyrobalan, 

 Linn. P. Myrobalana, Loisel.). MYROBALAN PLUM. 

 CHERRY PLUM. Slender twiggy grower, often thorny, 

 the twigs usually soon becoming glabrous: Ivs. rather 

 small and thin, rather light green, becoming nearly or 

 quite glabrous, short-ovate and short-pointed, finely ser- 

 rate: tts. rather small, white or blush, slender-stalked: 

 fr. small (usually 1 in. or less in diam.), globular and 

 cherry-like, depressed about the stem, yellow or red, 

 the flesh soft, juicy and sweet-flavored. Probably na- 

 tive to the Caucasus and southwestern Asia. B.M. 5934. 

 Gn. 33, p. 252. J.H. III. 28:267. -The Myrobalan Plum 

 is extensively used in this country as a stock on which 

 to bud the domestica Plums, the seedlings being im- 

 ported in great quantities from Europe. It is a smaller 

 tree than P. domestica, with much more slender growth, 

 smoother twigs and leaves, smaller and mostly earlier 

 flowers and smaller, softer fruit with a depression 

 about the stem. It tends to dwarf the domestica 

 Plums, but its influence in this direction is not suf- 

 ficient to discourage its use as a stock. Its advantages 

 as a stock are its cheapness, the ease with which all do- 

 mestica varieties "take" on it, and the readiness with 

 which it can be grown 

 in the nursery row. It is 

 not used to any extent 

 as stocks for other Plum s 

 than the domestica s. 

 Spontaneous trees are 

 sometimes found about 

 old nursery grounds, and 

 it occasionally appears 

 in orchards when the top 

 of a Plum tree dies and 

 sprouts arise from the 

 root. There are also a 



few varieties propagated for the early juicy fruits, but 

 they are little known. It makes a good ornamental tree. 

 The Marianna, much used for stocks of many kinds of 

 Plums in the S. (and growing from cuttings), is per- 

 haps a hybrid of this species with P. hortulana or P. 

 angustifolia. There are several cultivated forms of 

 P. cerasifera, one of the best being the plant known as 

 P. Planteriensis, Hort., with full double white and red fls. 



1979. 

 Prunus spinosa. 



(XX.) 



There are also forms with yellow- and white-variegated 

 leaves, and a weeping form (var. pendula). A form 

 with narrow willow-like Ivs. (var. acutifolia) is also 

 advertised. A form with twisted or contorted foliage is 

 shown in R.H. 1895, p. 201. 



Var. atropurptirea, Dipp. (P. Pissdrdi, Hoit P. ce- 

 rasifera, var. Pissdrdi, Bailey). A handsome form with 

 purple Ivs. and dark wine-red fruits. Introduced into 

 France by Pissard, gardener to the Shah of Persia, and 

 first fully described in Revue Horticole in 1881. It is a 

 cultural form of P. cerasifera. It is one of the best of 

 all small purple-leaved trees, holding much of its color 

 in the American summers. It seems to be hardy where- 

 ever the common Plum will stand. The best color is 

 secured on the strong growths ; therefore it is well to 

 head back the tree frequently. R.H. 1881 :190; 1884:396. 

 G.C. III. 1:416. Gn. 32:613; 55, p. 314. J.H. III. 28:287. 

 G.M. 31:190-1. 



Var. divaricata (P. divaricdta, Ledeb.). Branching- 

 from the base, the branches wide-spreading and some 

 of them nearly or quite prostrate: Ivs. broader towards 

 the base: fr. not depressed about the stem, yellow. 

 Macedonia to N. Persia. B.M. 6519. 



6. spinosa, Linn. BLACKTHORN. Fig. 1979. Low and 

 spreading, making a very thick thorny top, the young 

 growths distinctly pubescent: Ivs. small, oblong-obo- 

 vate or elliptic-ovate, very numerous on the branches, 

 nearly or quite obtuse, very finely and closely serrate: 

 fls. white, small, borne singly or in pairs (or sometimes 

 in 3's) and often on the thorns: fr. little larger than a 

 very large pea, very deep glaucous -blue, usually per- 

 sisting until winter, scarcely edible. Middle and south- 

 ern Europe and N. Africa to N. Persia and Siberia. 

 Sometimes planted in this country, chiefly in the 

 double-fld. form (Gn. 59, p. 76). It is an excellent bush 

 or small tree for protecting the borders and corners of 

 drives and walks. The short, stiff, thorny branches 

 make a good barrier. Perfectly hardy where the Plum 

 can be grown. It is not impossible that this species is 

 the original of the domestica Plum. The little fruits are 

 usually astringent, but there is a sweet-fruited form. 



cc. Flower-stems usually more or less hairy. 



7. domestica, Linn. (P. communis, Huds.). COMMON 

 GARDEN PLUM. Figs. 1851-55. Plate XXX. Strong- 

 growing small tree with pubescent twigs: Ivs. large and 

 thick, dull green, much reticulated, pubescent beneath, 

 ovate or obovate, coarsely and irregularly serrate: fls. 

 white, large, usually in clusters: fr. various, but firm 

 in texture and usually not depressed about the stem; 

 stone large, slightly rough or pitted. Native country 

 unknown, and very likely derived from P. spinosa. It 

 it exists in a truly wild state, it is to be sought in the 

 Caucasus and trans-Caucasus regions. It is run wild in 

 many parts of the world. Focke says that P. domestica 

 is unknown in an originally wild state, and that the 

 typical form of the species is the prune (Zwetsche), P. 

 ceconomica, Borkh. There are various forms of P. do- 

 mestica grown for ornament, 

 as double-flowered, yellow- 

 leaved and variegated-lvd. 

 As a fruit plant it is widely 

 variable. It is the parent 

 species of the old-time or 

 common Plums, as distin- 

 guished from the Japanese 

 and native Plums. The syn- 

 onymy of the main varietal 

 groups is shown by Waugh, 



Bot. Gaz. 26, pp. 417-427 (Dec., 1898), and 27, pp. 478-481. 

 Var. Damascena, Linn. (P. insititia, Linn. P. Itdlica, 

 Borkh.). DAMSON. Fig. 1856. A form with small foli- 

 age and small firm fruits borne mostly in clusters. 

 Damson is a general name for small-fruited arid small- 



