ROSE FAMILY. 119 
7. P. Virginia’na, Leaves oval, oblong or obovate, abru 
acuminate, mong and often doubly serrate ; fruit red, turning to sas q 
crimson, 
Viraintan Prunus. Choke Cherry. 
are tall shrub. ves 2-4 inches long, thinnish. Flowers in simple racemes 2-3 net 
ength ; petals roundish. Jruit about the size of a pea, very. austere and astringent’ 
anil perfectly - 
Rive most common northward. 5 . Au, 
Obs. "Dost. ene found from the examination of the sg speck, 
mens in the Linnean Herbarium that th is the true P. Virginiana, 
name which had hee hee previously applied + te following species. 
8. P. sero’tina, Ehrhart. Leaves oblong, or lance-oblong, acuminate, 
wanatls beiie above finely serrate with appressed or incurved callous — 
teet mes elongated ; drupes globose, small, purplish-black. 
Late Prunus. Wild Cherry. Black Chery, 
i 
Stem 40-60 or 80 — high, and 2-3 fect in diameter at bah Sz large irregular 
Spreading branches 22.4 or 5 inches = half an inch to 
eceacariers, in a simple, rather t, 2-4 or 6 inches 
Petals 
white, obovate. __ Drupes dark purple or sak black’ when Taature gpotnct bitter 
Banks of streams ; fence-rows, &c.: Canada to Florida. FI. May. Fr. A 
00 polish; 
it is of a pale reddish tint which ey eee with age. The bark is bitter, 
with something of a peach-kernel flavor, and contains a small propor- 
tion of prussic-acid ; it : stale a in medicine and is consid- 
ered a very valuable tonic, and forms, or is said to form, the basis of 
: considerable paring “ Ch erry 
Rum,” “ Cherry Bounce,” &c. It is probable that, pies most wild fruits, : 
the quality of this varies from local ca some considering it pierre ae 
when fully Rage while to others it is anes : 
@4. Lavrocerasvs, (La nese 88 Lend evergreen ; flowers from 
the axils of the | pois of the f Sormer ; 
pee P. Carolinia’na, Ait. Leaves Sika eoenate acuminate, mu- 
nate, entire or spiny-serrate, thick, smooth ; flowers i in _— racentes, 
aeegee ‘than the leaves ; drapes black, Juiceess persist 
Carotina Prunus. Evergreen Cherry. x 
Tree 30-50 fee ecient _ eaves shining above, aaa veinless ; destitute of glands. Paale 
small. Stamens abi 
River a = ae to Soom and oe agi 
Ape. : 
its rail which, sein to Elliott, ante destroy cattle that — 
m them in g of the rom the pied of the 
