NATR^E AMEEICAIST SPECIES OF PEUNUS. 31 



Horticulturally, the species has received little attention, though 

 the fruit is gathered from the wild trees and made into preserves. 

 The fruit is variable in size and quality, and a careful search for desir- 

 able forms might form the basis for the development of late-ripenmg 

 varieties of value in some of the Southern States. It is apparently 

 more susceptible to frost injury than Prunus reverchonii and, though 

 drought resistant to an appreciable extent, is probably less so than 

 the latter species. It has been used as a stock i n the nursery of T. V 

 Munson at Denison, Tex., with very satisfactory results, and its vigor 

 and nonsuckering character may lead to its further use. 



Prunus Mexicana Hybrids. 



Prunus mexicana has been h3^bridized with P. trijiora, and wild 

 trees in the vicinity of Henrietta, Tex., are apparently hybrids with 

 P. reverchonii. One of these has been named horticulturally and for 

 a time was offered by several nurseries, but it has little to commend it. 



Prunus Subcordata Benth. 



(Pacific or western wild plum.) 



Prunus subcordata Benth., 1848, PI. Hartw., p. 308. 



Prunus subcordata Jcelloggii Lemmon, 1890, m Pittonia, v. 2, p. 67. 



Leaves orbicular (PL II, fig. 2), oblong-orbicular, or sometimes 

 ovate, rounded, subcordate, or rarely gradually narrowed at the base 

 and usually rounded and obtuse at the apex, 2.5 to 5 cm. long, 1.5 

 to 4 cm. broad, the margins incisely serrate, sometimes doubly so, 

 the teeth at first gland tipped, the glands usually falling away in age, 

 leaving the serrations more or less obtuse, or more rarely the serra- 

 tions acute, the young leaves usually pubescent, at least below, 

 becoming glabrous as they mature or sometimes remaining rather 

 strongly pubescent below, even in age; petioles 7 to 12 mm. long, 

 glabrous or pubescent, glandular near the apex or sometimes the 

 glands on the base of the blade; stipules lanceolate with glandular 

 margins. Flowers 15 to 18 mm. broad, in umbellJke clusters of 2 to 

 4, appearing with the leaves from the first of April to about the middle 

 of May, acf;ording to the locahty; pedicels and calyx pubescent or 

 glabrous, the pcdicx^Is 7 to 13 mm. long; calyx tube campanulate, 

 about 3 mm. long, the lobes usually slightly longer, oblong or oblong- 

 obovato, obtuse, and glandular-serrate, usually glabrous wtliin; 

 petals entire, 7 to mm. long, oblong or obovato and abruptly con- 

 tracted to a short claw. Fruit ripening in August or September, 

 slightly o})]ong, 1.5 to 3 cm. long, dark red, purplish red, or rarely 

 yellow, variable in quality, though oft(!n excellent; stojio <)])l()ng, 

 oval (PI. IX, figs. 8 to 15), or rarely somewhat orbicular, 12 to 18 mm. 

 long, 10 to 17 mm. broad, ()})]ique or s()m(iwhat poiii;ed at the base 

 and roun(l<'(i wilh au obscure point at tlio a])ex, \ariously ridged 



