70 BULLETIN 179, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGEICULTUKE. 



Prunus Besseyi Hybrids. 

 X Prunus utahensis ^ Dieck., Koehne, 1893, Deut. DendroL, p. 315. 



Leaves oblong-oval to oval or rarely somewhat lanceolate in out- 

 line, slightly conduplicate, 3.5 to 5.5 cm. long, 1.5 to 2.5 cm. broad, 

 gradually narrowed or sometimes rounded toward the base, acute at 

 the apex, the margin crenate, the teeth gland tipped, glabrous on 

 both surfaces; petioles 8 to 15 mm. long, pubescent along the upper 

 edge or glabrous. Flowers appearing with the leaves, about 12 mm. 

 broad; pedicels and calyx glabrous, pedicels about 8 mm. long; 

 calyx tube about 2 mm. long,- the oblong-ovate lobes as long as the 

 tube, obscurely glandular; petals 6 to 7 mm. long. Fruit about 2,5 

 cm. in diameter, red, with a light bloom, poor in quality; stone similar 

 in shape to that of Prunus hesseyi. 



This hybrid is an irregularly branched shrub 3 feet or more in 

 height, showing some of the characters of both of its supposed parents, 

 Prunus hesseyi and P. angustifolia watsoni. It has also been crossed 

 with P. americana. (PI. XIII, fig. 14, Maryland). 



The variety Montbesseyi is supposed to be a hybrid between the 

 Montmorency cherry {Prunus cerasus) and P. hesseyi. The leaves 

 approach the size and form of P. cerasus very closely, but the flowers 

 have not been examined. 



In addition to the above hybrids, N. E. Hansen (30, p. 173, 192) has 

 described a number of others reported as crosses with Prunus ameri- 

 cana, P. simonii, P. cerasifera atroyurijurea, P. trijlora, P. armeniaca, 

 and Amygdalus persica. Mr. Hansen writes that the hybrid with the 

 last-named species is sterile. 



The earlier hybrids produced do not appear to possess much merit; 

 nevertheless, this field must be considered as offering some possibili- 

 ties, and crosses between the best forms of Prunus hesseyi and the 

 variety known as ''Laire," described under P. orthosepala, might 

 afford a better fruit than the Utah hybrid. 



NAMES PUBLISHED IN SYNONOMY OR ACCOMPANIED ONLY BY UNIDENTIFIABLE 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



Prunus acinaria Desf., 1804, Tabl. Ecol. Bot. Mua., p. 179. 



Name given without description. North America. 



Prunus acuminata Hort., K. Kocli, 1869, DendroL, t. 1, p. 101. 



Only incidental mention of horticultural material referred by 

 Koch to Prunus americana. 



Prunus californica Hort. 



Cited by Koehne, 1893, Deuts. DendroL, p. 312, as a synonym of 

 P. acuminata. ''Wildenow (ob auch Michaux?)." The plant de- 



1 For an account of the origin of this form, see Bailey, L. H. (4, p. 262, 265; 6, p. 244, 247). 



