NATIVE AMEEICAN SPECIES OF PRUNUS. 65 



by William M. Canby, B. F. Bush, and C. S. Sargent, ai-e in the her- 

 barium of the Arnold Ai'boretum. 



This form is distributed through western Mississippi, Louisiana, and 

 southern Arkansas to the vicinity of Marshall, Tex., the type locality. 



Prunus Maritevia Marsh. 1 



(Beach phim.) 



Prunus maritima Marsh., 1785, Arb. Amer., p. 112. 

 Prunus pygmaea Willd., 1796, Berl. Baumz., p. 248. 

 Prunus sphaerocarpa Michx., 1803, Fl. Bor. Amer., t. 1, p. 248. 

 Prunus acuminata Mchx., 1803, Fl. Bor. Amer., t. 1, p. 284. 

 Prunus sphaerica Willd., 1811, Berl. Baumz., Ausg. 2, p. 315. 

 Prunus pubescens Pursh., 1814, Fl. Amer., Sept., v. 1, p. 331. 

 Prunus littoralis Bigel., 1824, Fl. Bost., ed. 2, p. 193. 

 Prunus pubigei-a Steud., 1841, Nom. Bot., ed. 2, part 2, p. 404. 



Leaves ovate, elUptic, or rarely somewhat obovate (PI. V, fig. 1), 

 narrowed toward the base and acute at the apex, 4 to 6.5 cm. long, 

 2 to 4 cm. broad, the margin evenly and sharply serrate, dull green 

 and glabrous or nearly so above, pale and soft-pubescent, some- 

 times appearing grayish below, often mth a gland on either side near 

 the base of the blade; petioles rather stout, 4 to 6 mm. long, pubes- 

 cent. Flowers 12 to 14 mm. broad, in umbels of 2 to 3, appearing 

 before the leaves, in Mayor early in June; pedicels and calyx rather 

 strongly pubescent, pedicels 5 or usually 7 mm. long; calyx tube 

 campanulate, about 2 mm. long, the oblong obtuse lobes as long as 

 the tube, entire or dentate at the apex, eglandular, pubescent within 

 withrathershorthaiis; petals oblong oi oblong-ovate, about 7 mm. long, 

 4 mm. broad, abruptly narrowed to a claw. Fruit globose or slightly 

 flattened at the ends, about 15 mm. in diameter, dull purple, with a 

 heavy bloom, sometimes crimson or even yellow, ripening in August 

 on the New Jersey coast and in September on the coast of Massachu- 

 setts, flesh sweet; stone ovate and turgid (PL XII, figs. 14 to 17), 

 about 1 mm. long, 9 mm. broad, and 6 mm. thick, truncate or rounded 

 at the base, usually pointed at the apex, a little narrowed on the 

 ventral edge with a groove on either side, obscurely grooved along 

 the dorsal edge, the surface usually slightly reticulate. 



Prunus maritima is a straggling shrub mostly 3 to 6 or rarely 8 feet 

 high, with the lower branches decumbent or often prostrate; bark 

 very dark gray or brownish, usually marked with numerous round, 

 sometimes raised, yellowish Icnticels; young twigs usually pubescent. 



The species is distriljuted (fig. 3) in sandy soil near the scacoast from 



« The authority usually given for thto .species Is Wangenhelm (1781, p. 103). This author published (74) In 

 1781 Beschrelbungolnlgcr Nordamerlcanlscher Holz- und Buscharten, mlt An wcndung auf tcutsche Forsten. 

 Two copies of tlih work havo bfjn c;irnfiillysr>arc)i('(),))Ut wKliout flndlnj; any triico of tlm nnnio Prnniis 

 marilimn. Jn aiiolli(;r work (7.0;, published In 17»7, Wungenlielui dijscrlbe.s this species uu page 1U3. It 

 ■<«em3 probable that an error has been made In the date of Wangenhelm's publication and that Marshall 

 h rf'ally the author of the sjjecles. 



