Rdge Tootked. 27 



Genus PRUNUS L. (Cherry, Plum.) 

 Fig 12. Wild Black Cherry, Rum Cherry. P. serbtina, Ehr. 



Leaves, SIMPLE ; ALTERNATE ; EDGE TOOTHED (with the 

 points of the teeth so incurved as to appear blunt), 

 and often finely " crinkled." 



Outline, usually long oval or long egg-shape. Base, 

 rounded or slightly pointed. Apex, pointed. 



Leaf-stem, usually with two to five tooth-like glands near 

 the base of the leaf. 



Leaf, two to five inches long ; thickish ; polished, and of 

 a deep shining green above ; beneath, lighter and 

 smooth, with the middle rib sometimes downy toward 

 the base. In the autumn the leaves turn to orange, 

 and later to a pale yellow. 



Bark of old trunks, blackish and rough ; of young trunks 

 and on the larger branches, reddish or purplish 

 brown ; marked with scattered lines ; on young 

 shoots, at first green or olive brown, gradually be- 

 coming darker, and sprinked with small orange dots. 



Flowers, white, with short stems, closely set in a long, 

 cylinder-shaped cluster. May, June. 



Fruit, about one quarter inch in diameter ; with short 

 stems (one quarter to one third inch) hanging in 

 long, close clusters from the ends of the twigs. It 

 is nearly black when ripe, and of a pleasant flavor 

 though somewhat bitter ; it is eagerly eaten by the 

 birds. August. 



Found, very widely distributed north, south, and west. It 

 reaches its finest growth on the western slopes of the 

 Alleghany Mountains. 



