1448 



PRUNUS 



leaved forms of the Plum. When the Plum runs wild 

 it usually reverts to this form. Some of the Damsons 

 (as the French, Shropshire, Parleigh) are commercial 

 orchard varieties, being used for culinary purposes. 

 There is much difference of opinion as to the systematic 

 position of the P>um designated by Liun<eus as P. in- 

 sititia, but it is clear that it is intermediate between 

 P. domestica and P. spinosa. It is probably one stage 

 in the reversion of the Plum towards P. spinosa. It 

 seems to be indistinguishable from var. Damascena, 

 when this variety is taken in its large sense. 



Other forms of Plums have received Latin class- 

 names, as var. malittrmis, Linn. {P. Sijr'iaca, Dipp.), 

 including the Mirabelle (a small-leaved form with 

 small yellow fruit, not unlike the Damsons) and others; 

 var. Cer^ola, Linn., the Green Gages or Reine Claudes; 

 var. Galat^nsis, .\uth., the Prunes. 

 BB. Orii'iiliil Phiws: h:i. relatively longer {mostly 

 iihloiiii-nliiinili ]. not roughened or pubescent, often 

 shining, the young twigs glabrous or nearly so. 



8. trifldra, Roxbg. {P. Japonica, Hort., not Thunb. 

 P. fl'a'H((«, Tamari). Japanese Plum. Fig. 1980. Plate 

 XXX. Strong-growing small tree, with smooth often 

 shiniug reddish or cinnamon-brown twigs: Ivs. mostly 

 oblong -obovate, abruptly but prominently pointed, 

 closely obtuse-serrate, the veins looping near the mar- 

 gin, bright often shining green above and dull beneath: 

 tts. few from each bud (most commonly about 3), showy, 

 white or very nearly so, slender-stalked: fr. various, 

 mostly large and firm, yellow or light red (never blue- 

 purple) with pronounced suture and tending to be 

 pointed at the apex. R.H. 1895:160.— Probably Chinese, 

 but introduced into this country from Japan (in 1870), 

 and now widely distributed and much grown for its fruit. 

 The Japanese Plum is hardy, in some of its varieties, 

 as far north as Ottawa. It is prized because of its 

 great productiveness, long-keeping qualities and beauty 

 of its fruit, and its relative immunity from black-knot. 

 As a class, the fruit is of lower quality than the 

 ■domestica Plums. The season of the Japanese Plums 



PRUNUS 



begins considerably in advance of the domesticas and 

 holds nearly as late. The greater number of the varie- 

 ties are clingstones, but there are some freestones 

 among them. A race of hybrids with P. hortulana and 

 P. angustifolia is now appearing. 



BBB. American ornative Plums: Ivs . relatively narrow 

 and smooth and the young growth glabrous (P. 

 subcordata and P. Americana partial excep- 

 tions), the fruit comparatively small and in 

 shadi'S of yellow and red, never deep blue- 

 purple. 

 c. Lvs. mostly broad and thirk, pubescent or roughish 

 beneath, very sharply serrate or even jagged: fr. 

 thick-skinned. 

 9. subcord&ta, Benth. Small tree or bush, usually 

 only a few feet high : lvs. round-ovate, obtuse, broad or 

 subcordate at base, rithfr sh.irply or ohtn^ply serrate, 

 thick, soft-pubescent lii.iM:!tli : ll-- wliiti- f^Mliiig to ro.se. 

 ■ ■• ' 1^ ni 1 or I. ~^ and appear- 



l3ss than 1 in. across 

 ing before the leav. 

 ally dark red, in tli 

 1 in. in diam., the i 

 smooth stone. Hitr 

 Oregon. S.S. 4:1.". 

 tic uses, and the tn 

 nients. It varies 



will fMi-iiis sunn/what over 

 ;h 1,1 ami clinging to the flat 

 ni.l naaintains, N.Calif, and 

 iMiii I- ^'.athered for domes- 

 ■ tniKs planted about settle- 

 ul the greater part of the 

 trees do not produce agreeable fruit. In many cases it 

 is only a tree-like bush. The bark is blackish, and is 

 scmutinu-s luibescent on young shoots. 



\ ,1 . KelloKsii, Lemmon. SissoN Plpm. Taller and 

 111 ark ash-gray: lvs. not cordate, orbicu- 



I ,: . a rly glabrous: fr. larger (1 in. or more 



i..r:_- .. i;.. \ < ilow or red, the flesh soft and palatable. 

 .NoTihi-rn (Hliiornia. Much recommended by Mr. Sisson, 

 near iVlt. Shasta, whose name it bears. This Plum is 

 now planted in many places in California. It is superior 

 to P. subcordata itself. The tree rarely exceeds 15 ft. 

 in height and 4-6 in. In diameter of trunk. 



in. Americana, Marsh. (P.r«a-(lMa,Scheele). Fig. 1981. 

 I'hiif XXX. Small, twiggy, spreading, usually thorny 

 tni- with gray branches or gray-brown twigs: lvs. obo- 

 vate, (ihlong-obovate or sometimes oblong-ovate, acumi- 

 nate, tliickish, the margins mostly sharp-serrate or some- 

 times almost incised, not glossy, strongly reticulated 

 beneath and pubescent on the veins: fls. large, white, 

 slender-stalked, the calyx-lobes entire and pubescent on 

 the inside, appearing in small clusters in advance of 

 the lvs.: fr. various, but mostly small and hard, the 

 skin tough and glaucous and not shining, yellow and 

 variously overlaid with red; stone turgid. Woods and 

 copses. New York to Colorado and Texas. It sometimes 

 reaches a height of 15-20 ft. S.S. 4: 150. -In the East, 

 the fruits are usually austere, and often fit for eating-; 



