242 XL VIII. ROSACEJE. AMYGDALUS. 



3. ARMENlACA. Tourn. 



Named from Armenia, its native Country. 



Calyx 5-cleft, deciduous ; petals 5 ; drupe succulent, pubescent ; 

 nucleus compressed, smooth, margins sulcate, one obtuse and the other 

 acute. Small trees. Lvs. convolme in astivation. 



1. A. VULGARIS. Lam. (Prunus Armeniaca. Willd.) Common Apricot. Las. 

 broadly ovate, acuminate, subcordate at base, denticulate ; slip, palmate ; fls. 

 sessile, subsolitary, preceding the leaves; drupe somewhat compressed, subglo- 

 bose, large. Occasionally cultivated in gardens, &c. Tree 10 15f high. 

 Leaves 2 3' long, f as wide, smooth, petioles nearly 2' long, with several glands. 

 Flowers white, Apr. Fruit purplish-yellow, &c., 1 2' diam., ripe Jl. Aug. 

 There are about 20 varieties. 



2. A. DASYCARPA. DC. (Prunus. Ehrh.) Black Apricot. Lvs. ovate, acumi- 

 nate, doubly serrate ; petioles with 1 or 2 glands ; fls. pedicellate ; drupe subglo- 

 bose. This species is from Siberia. The tree or shrub is about the size of 

 the last, hardy and thrifty. Leaves smooth above, pubescent on the veins be- 

 neath, 2 3' long, as wide, on petioles near 1' long. Flowers white, preced- 

 ing the leaves, distinctly pedicellate. Fruit dark purple when mature, in July. 

 Ms. Apr. Neither species is yet common. 



4. P E R S I C A. Tourn. 



Named from Persia, its native country. 



Calyx 5-cleft, tubular, deciduous ; petals 5 ; drupe fleshy, tomen- 

 tose or smooth ; nucleus somewhat compressed, ovate, acute, rugosely 

 furrowed and perforated on the surface. Small trees. Lvs. condupli- 

 cate in estivation. 



1. P. VULGARIS. Mill. (Amygdalus Persica. Willd.) Common Peach. Lvs. 

 lanceolate, serrate, with all the serratures acute ; fls. solitary, subsessile, pre- 

 ceding the leaves ; drupe tomentose. Tree or shrub, 8 15f high. Leaves 3 5' 

 long, as wide, smooth, petioles short, with 1 or 2 glands. Flowers rose-color, 

 with the odor of Prussic acid. Fruit large, 1 2|' diam., yellowish, tinged with 

 purple, densely tomentose. About 200 varieties of this delicious fruit are now 

 named and described in the catalogues of American nurserymen. In order to 

 attain its proper flavor in the Northern States, the peach requires protection in 

 the spring months. The double-flowered peach is a highly ornamental variety, 

 blossoming in May. 



2. P. L.EVIS. (Amygdalus Persica. Willd.) Nectarine. Lvs. lanceolate, ser- 

 rate, the serratures all acute ; fls. solitary, subsessile, appearing before the leaves ; 

 drupe glabrous. Closely resembles the peach tree in form, foliage and flowers. 

 The fruit is 1 3' diam., smooth, yellow, purple, red, &c. Of its numerous 

 (about 25)varieties, about a fourth are clingstones, flesh adhering to the stone, and 

 the remainder freestones or ckarstones, flesh free, or separating from the stone.^ 



5. AMYGDALUS. Willd. 



Calyx 5-cleft, campanulate, deciduous ; petals 5 ; drupe not fleshy, 

 compressed ; nucleus perforate and furrowed, ovate, compressed, one 

 edge acute, the other broad-obtuse. Trees or shrubs. Lvs. condupli- 

 cate in estivation. 



1. A. COMMUNIS. Willd. Almond. Lvs. lanceolate, serrate, with the lower 

 serratures glandular ; fls. sessile, in pairs, appearing before the leaves. From 

 Barbary. Scarcely cultivated in this country for the fruit, which we receive 

 mostly from S. Europe. A double-flowered variety is highly ornamental in 

 shrubberies, f 



2. A. NANA. Dwarf single-flowering Almond. Lvs. ovate, attenuate at base, 

 simply and finely serrate ; fls. subsessile, appearing before the leaves. A very 

 ornamental shrub, from Russia. Height about 3f, branching. Leaves 3 6' 

 long, i as wide, smooth, acuminate at each end. Flowers numerous. Petals 

 oblong, obtuse, rose-colored, often double. May, Jn. f 



