PLUM FAMILY 



gravelly shores along the sea-coast from New Pirunswick to New 

 Jersey, also along the shores of the (Ireat Lakes to Michigan and 

 westward. Suckers freely. 



Stems. — Shoots reddish; older stems brown with shining, 

 grayish, outer bark. 



Leaves. — Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, one and a half 

 to two and a half inches long, oblanceolate or spatulate, nar- 

 rowed at the base, serrate especially toward the apex. They 

 come out of the bud conduplicate, pale green, shining ; when 

 full grown are glabrous, deep green above and pale below ; mid- 

 vein and primary veins conspicuous. In autumn they turn a 

 deep blood red. Stipules linear, glandular, serrate at base. 



Fhnuers. — April, May, with the leaves. White, one-fourth to 

 three-eighths of an inch broad, borne in lateral few-flowered 

 umbels; calyx-lobes rounded; petals small, obovate; stamens 

 numerous. 



Fruit. — Drupe, dark red or dark purple, nearly black, with- 

 out bloom, about half an inch long, three-eighths broad; flesh 

 thin, acid. August. 



The Sand Cherry grows on the beach in almost pure 

 sand ; in fruiting time the bearing stems are depressed 

 with the burden of the fruit. It suckers freely and 

 forms clumps. 



Appalachian Cherry, Pruiius cuiicata, is a form allied 

 to Pninus puniila, finding its home among rocks in- 

 stead of sand. Often four feet high. Leaves oblong 

 or obovate, wedge-shaped at base, more or less ser- 

 rate, obtuse or acute at apex. 



CHOKE CHERRY 



Prunus virginiana. 



The Choke Cherry^ is ranked among the trees, but 

 so frequently^ and so persistently appears as a shrub 

 that it is popularly^ believed to be one. It produces 



