E0SACE2E. 



409 



spherical or elongated, smooth or wrinkled stone. The leaves are 

 conduplicate in vernation, and the tiowers arranged in more or less 

 elongated axillary or terminal racemes. There are about a score 

 and a half of species in the warm and temperate regions of both 

 Worlds, especially America,' 



In all the preceding sections of the genus Prum,'^ we find species 

 which present variations in the number of pieces in the flower. 



Prunus Laiirocerasus {Cherry Laurel). 



Fig. 483. 

 Braiicli. 



We rarely find a tetramerous or hexamerous perianth. Tlie petals 

 again are rarely quite absent, as in Ceraseido-sr The number oi" 

 stamens may be higher than twenty, and we often find twenty- 

 five, thirty, or even more. Other ilowers have only fifteen, and 

 rarely less. 



' See., DC, op. cit., 539. — SrACU, op. cit., 

 412.— H. B. K., Nov. Gen. et Spec, vi. t. 5G3.— 

 Wall., op. cit., t. 181. — Hook., Beech. I'o//., 

 t. 83 ; Icon., t. 371 ; BoL Mar/., t. 3141. - .]Avq., 

 Fl. Aiistr., t. 227. — Gbkn. & (.iODJt., op. ril.. 



516.— Webu, rhyt. Canar., t. 38.— Walp., 

 Rep., ii, 10 ; v. (548 ,• Ann., iv. 652. 



- SiEii. & ZiTcc, Abhandl. Milnch. Akad., 

 iii. 743, t. 5, lig. ii. 



