138 ROSACEA. [Pnums. 



I. Pbunus, Linn. Plum. Cherry. 



" Calyx 5-cleft. Petals 5. Nut of the dmpe smooth, or fur- 

 rowed at the margin."— 5r. Fl. 



* Young leaves convolute. Peduncles solitary or in pairs. Fruit pruinose. Plum. 



1. P. domestica, L. Common Wild Plum-tree. " Peduncles 

 solitary or two together, leaves ovato-lanceolate somewhat downy 

 beneath, branches with or without spines." — E. B. t. 178.3. P. 

 communis, Huds., y. domestica, Br. Fl. p. 116. 



In hedgerows, the borders of fields, and on banks in the more enclosed coun- 

 try J not common, and often with difficulty distinguishable from some states of the 

 following species, of which it is probably but a still larger variety. FL April, 

 May. Fr. Auffust, September. \^. 



E. Med. — Plentiful on each side of the road and in fields adjacent at Bank- 

 end, between Steephill and St. Lawrence, and about the latter place, apparently 

 quite wild, but appearing so ambiguous in its character that I scarcely know 

 whether or not to consider it as belonging rather to P. insititia than to the P. 

 domestica of authors. The large obovate leaves and dark blue fruit, both equal- 

 ling in size those of the figure in Eng. Bot,, with the very sparingly produced 

 flowers, incline me to refer our plant to P. domestica ; whilst its thorny aspect 

 and general habit accord with the move robust forms of P. insititia. The leaves in 

 my specimens are quite smooth beneath, and the bark of a light ash-gray. 



W. Med. — Abundantly in the lane between Froglands and Frosthills, and 

 Mountjoy by Carisbrooke, appearing from the size of the leaves to be this rather 

 than P. insititia. Very abundantly in a field-hedge nearly under the Tolt copse, 

 near Gatcombe. The leaves of the trees at this station are remarkably firm and 

 shining, villous along the midrib and axils of the nerves, the branches somewhat 

 thorny. The fruit is similar to that produced at St. Lawrence, globular, dark 

 bluish purple or damson -colour, with a strong bloom, quite eatable when fully 

 ripe, measuring from 10 to 12 lines in diameter. In the same hedge grow several 

 large trees producing fruit in no respect different except in being \ smaller, and 

 which I suppose would be pronounced to be P. insititia, between which and P. 

 domestica this smaller kind is intermediate. 



2. P. insititia, L. Wild Bullace-tree. — Fr. Sloe, Vect. " Pe- 

 duncles in pairs, leaves ovato-lanceolate downy beneath, branches 

 ending in a spine." — E. B t. 841. P. communis, Huds., B. insi- 

 titia, Br. Fl. p. 116. 



/3. Fruit yellowish or reddish. White Bullace. 



In similar, but often wilder or more sequestered places than the last, and far 

 from uncommon in most parts of the island. Fl. et Fr. cum preeced. Tj . 



E. Med. — Hedges in the lane and fields adjacent between Binstead and Nin- 

 ham, also in other places about Ryde. Hedge near Long-down farm, in plenty. 

 Hedges near Kerne, also fruiting abundantly. Hedges about Messly, or Mersley, 

 farm, and frequent about Nevvchurch in various places. 



fV. Med. — Plentiful in the hedges of a field immediately opposite Wbitewall farm, 

 at Thorley, producing abundance of blue plums, as large as nutmegs and with a fine 

 bloom. By the roadside from Yarmouth to Shalfleet, a little before coming to Bould- 

 ner, in plenty. Hedges near Hill farm, Princelade, and several other places, Mr. 

 Snooke. At North Court, Mrs. Penfold .'.'! Plentiful in hedges near Dodpits and 

 Eades's, along, I believe, with P. domestica, as far as can be judged from the size of 

 the leaf. Very abundant in hedges about Brixton, as near Marsh Green and by 

 White Court, where, in the road leading from thence to Marsh Green, are some 

 very large bushes. In this neighbourhood P. insititia may be seen in all its 



