136 



ROSACEiE. 



w& 





Prunus Virginlana Linnu {Prunus Canadensis Marshall, Primus 

 serutlna Poir, Ccrusus Vinjiuiaaa Loiseleur, Cerasus seroUna Hooker). — 

 Choke- Cher r I/. 



Description. — Petals roundish. Fruit about the size of a pea, dark red 

 when fully ripe, and of an extremely astringent taste. 



A shrub or small tree, Avilh a grayish bark. Leaves thin and mem- 

 branous, 2 to 3 inches long, broadly ovjd, oblong or ovate, abruptly 



pomted, ver}' sharijl}- and often doubly 

 serrate. Flowers in loose, short ra- 

 cemes terminating the branches, ap- 

 pearing in May after the leaves are 

 considerably developed. 



Habitat. — From Canada to the Gulf 

 of Mexico and westward ; everywhere 

 common. 



I'art used. — The bark of Prunus 

 serotina Ehrhart — official name, Pru- 

 nus Virghiiaua — wild cherry — Cniled 

 t-jlates Pliarmacopcviu. The bark of the 

 other species is said to be fully as ef- 

 ficient. As will be seen by reference 

 to the synonomy of the two species, 

 theiu has been groat confusion among 

 botanists in their nomenclature ; 

 hence the wild cherry of the Pharmr'- 

 copoeia bears as its official name the 

 projier, and at present generally ac- 

 cepted, title belonging to choke- 

 cherrj'. 



Gonstitui nts. — Wild cherry bark 

 contains tarn 'ic and gallic acids, resin, 

 starch, and other common vegetable 

 principles, and by distillation j-ields 

 a peculiar volatile oil resembling the 

 volatile oil of bitter almonds, con- 

 taining hydrocyanic acid. The acid does not pre-exist in the bark, but 

 is formed by the action of a proteid upon amygdalin, an amorphous 

 or crystidliue principle present in all plants of this sub-order. Amyg- 

 dalin is not poisonous itself, nor is the proteid substance. Moreover, 

 the latter is, coagulated by heat and thus rendered inert; hence ii 

 order to obtain hydrocyanic acid from wild cherry, the biu'k nmst first I (. 

 subjected to the action of cold water. A peculiar bitter principle is also 

 present in wild cherry to which certain of the medicinal properties of the 

 biu'k are tlue. 





Fig 122.- 



-rninns snrotiiia l'.hrh;'.rt (Cerasu 

 kerotina) 



