112 ROSACE^E. (ROSE FAMILY.) 



1. PRtlNUS, Tourn. (PLUM.) Drupe usually with a bloom; the stone flat- 

 tened, or at least under than thick: leaves convolute in the bud,Jlcwers more or lest 

 preceding the leaves, from lateral buds ; the pedicels few or several, in simple umbel- 

 like clusters. 



1. P. Americana, Marsh. (WILD YELLOW or RED PLUM.) Leaves 

 ovate or somewhat obovate, conspicuously pointed, coarsely or doubly serrate, very 

 veiny, glabrous when mature ; fruit nearly destitute of bloom, roundish-oval, yel- 

 low, orange, or red, ' - ' in diameter, with the turgid stone more or less acute 

 on both margins, or in cultivated states 1' or more in diameter, having a flat- 

 tened stone with broader margins (pleasant-tasted, but with a tough and acerb 

 skin). River-banks, common. May. Tree or bush thorny, 8 - 20 high. 



2. P. maritima, Wang. (BEACH PLUM.) Low and straggling (2- 

 5) ; leaves ovate or oval, finely serrate, softly pubescent underneath ; pedicels short, 

 pubescent; fruit globular, purple or crimson with a bloom ('-!' in diameter), 

 the stone very turgid, acute on one edge, rounded and minutely grooved on the 

 other. (P. littoralis, Bigelow.} Varies, when at sonic distance from the coast, 

 with the leaves smoother and thinner, and the fruit smaller. (P. pygmstea, 

 Willd.) Sea-beach and the vicinity, Massachusetts to New Jersey and Vir- 

 ginia. April, May. 



3. P. CMcasa, Michx. (CHICKASAW PLUM.) Stem scarcely thorny 

 ( 8 -15 high) ; leaves nearly lanceolate, finely serrulate, glabrous, little veiny j 

 fruit globular, red, nearly destitute of bloom ('-' in diameter); the ovoid 

 stone almost as thick as wide, rounded at both sutures, one of them minutely 

 grooved. Kentucky (where probably it is not indigenous) and southwestward : 

 naturalized in some places. April. 



4. P. 8PIN6SA, L. (SLOE. BLACK THORN.) Branches thorny; leaves 

 obovate-oblong or ovate-lanceolate, sharply serrate, at length glabrous; pedicels gla- 

 brous ; fruit small, globular, black with a bloom, the stone turgid, acute on 

 one edge. Var. INSIT^TIA (BULLACE-PLUM), is less spiny, the pedicels 

 and lower side of the leaves pubescent. (P. insititia, L.) Road-sides and 

 waste places, E. New "England, Penn., &c. (Adv. from Eu.) 



2. CERASUS, Tourn. (CHERRY.) Drupe destitute of bloom; the stow 

 globular and marginless ; leaves folded (conduplicate) in the bud: infiorescence as 

 in 1. 



5. P. pumila, L. (DWABF CHERRY) Smooth, depressed and trail- 

 ing (6'- 18' high) ; leaves obovate-lanceolate, tapering to the base, somewhat toothed 

 near the apex, pale underneath ; flowers 2-4 together ; fruit ovoid, dark red. 

 Rocks or sandy banks, Massachusetts northward to Wisconsin, and south to 

 Virginia along the mountains. May. 



6. P, Peimsylvanica, L. (WiLD RED CHERRY.) Learns oblong- 

 lanceolate, pointed, finely and sharply serrate, shining, green and smooth both sides ; 

 flowers many in a cluster, on long pedicels ; fruit globose, light red. Rocky 

 woods; common, especially northward. May. Tree 20 -30 high, with 

 light red-brown bark, and very small fruit with thin and sour flesh 



