VOL. II.] PLUM FAMILY. 249 



7. Prunus maritima Wang. Beach Plum. (Fig. 2013.) 



Prunus maritima Wang. Am. 103. 1781. 



Prunus cerasifera Ehrh. Beitr. 4: 17. 1789. 



Prunus sphaerocarpa Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. i: 284. 1803. 



A low much-branched shrub, i-7 high, not 

 thorny. Leaves oval, ovate or obovate, finely and 

 sharply serrate, acutish or acute at the apex, rounded 

 at the base, pubescent beneath even when old; flow- 

 ers white, numerous, showy, in sessile lateral um- 

 bels, expanding before the leaves, 5 // -8 // broad; 

 petals obovate; drupe globose, purple, %'-\ f in di- 

 ameter, sweet when ripe, covered with a bloom; 

 stone little flattened, acute on one margin, slightly 

 grooved on the other, usually pointed at both ends. 



On seabeaches and in sandy soil near the coast, Vir- 

 ginia to New Brunswick. April-May. Fruit ripe in 

 Sept. or Oct. 



8. Prunus Gravesii Small. Graves' 

 Beach Plum. (Fig. 2014.) 



Prunus Gravesii Small, Bull. Torr. Club, 24: 45. 

 1897. 



A low shrub, reaching a maximum height of 

 about 4, not thorny, the twigs of the season 

 mostly puberulent. Leaves orbicular, oval- 

 orbicular, or slightly obovate, 9 // -i8 // long, 

 rounded, retuse or apiculate at the apex, obtuse 

 or truncate at the base, pubescent, at least on 

 the nerves beneath; flowers white, about 6" 

 broad, solitary or 2-3 together in lateral um- 

 bels, expanding with the leaves; petals subor- 

 bicular; drupe globose, 5 // -8 // in diameter, 

 nearly black, with a light blue bloom ; stone 

 nearly as thick as wide, pointed only at the base. 



On a gravelly ridge, Groton, Connecticut. May- 

 June. Fruit ripe in Sept. 



9. Prunus gracilis Engelm. & Gray. 

 Low Plum. (Fig. 2015.) 



Prunus gracilis Engelm. & Gray, Bost. Journ. 

 Nat. Hist. 5: 243. 1847. 



A branching shrub, i-4 high, the foliage 

 and young twigs densely soft-pubescent. 

 Leaves short- petioled, ovate-lanceolate or oval, 

 acute or acutish at both ends, sharply serrate, 

 glabrate on the upper surface at maturity; 

 flowers white, 3 // -4 // broad, in sessile, lateral 

 umbels, appearing before the leaves; pedicels 

 slender, pubescent; drupe oval-globose, 4 // ~5 // 

 in diameter; stone little flattened, nearly orbi- 

 cular. 



In sandy or dry soil, Tennessee to Kansas and 

 Texas. 



