140 ROSACEA. [Primus. 



E. B. is of an intermediate variety, with larger more rounded petals, like P. insi- 

 titia, and producing its leaves, like the BuUace, simultaneously with the blos- 

 soms. 



/3. The few trees producing this variety, and which grow intermixed with the 

 common blue BuUace, are distinguished by the larger size of the leaves, which 

 equal those of P. domesiica. The fruit is a handsome plum, globose, the size of 

 the common blue form of the species, of a waxy translucent aspect, and of a yel- 

 low verging upon orange colour, with a considerable and unequal tint of red, 

 chiefly on one side, agreeably tasted, a little acid and slightly bitter, but without 

 any austerity, and covered with a bloom. This var. is well known in many places 

 as the white Bullace, and is very commonly brought to market for tarts and pud- 

 dings. The yellow Bullace is said to grow about Freshwater, at Hill farm, hut 

 whether wild or cultivated I have not yet ascertained. 



3. P. spinosa, L. Sloe-tree. Blackthorn. — Fr. Winter Keck- 

 sies, Vect. " Peduncles (mostly) solitary, leaves elliptico-lanceo- 

 late somewhat downy beneath, branches very spinous." — E. B. t. 

 842. P. communis, Huds., a. spinosa, Br. Fl. p. 116. 



a. Flowers and leaves small, the former usually produced first, branches slen- 

 der, bark purplish black or cinereous, petals mostly elliptical or obovate, peduncles 

 mostly solitary. 



/3. Flowers and leaves produced together. P. spin, coetanea, Wimm. et Grab. 

 Fl. Siles. ii. p. 10. 



y. intermedia. Flowers large, subcoetaneous, petals obovato-rotundate. 



h. Flowers large, produced before the leaves. 



In woods, thickets, hedges, pastures, borders of fields, and by roadsides ; most 

 abundantly everywhere. Fl. March, April, May. Fr. September, October. Ij . 



/3. With the former in many places. Whitefield Wood, &c. 



y. America, close to the wild pear-tree, in plenty. 



S. Frequent about Newchurch, on the road to Winford, &c., also near Ryde, 

 Nettleston, &c. 



An extremely rigid bush, from 3 or 4 to 8 or 10 feet high, rising usually in 

 several slender stems from the stools or suckers, by which it increases much ; more 

 rarely a small tree, with a trunk of some considerable diameter ; branching copi- 

 ously and most irregularly from near the base, the branches divaricating and 

 spreading in every direction, and beset with short, straight, lateral spurs, on which 

 the leaves and flowers are chiefly borne, and which when old are produced into a 

 long, sharp, terminal spine. Bark smooth, reddish, blackish or purplish brown, 

 liartly cinereous or banded with ash-gray, sometimes greenish. In 6. the plant 

 has the bark and general aspect of a., but with flowers approaching the last spe- 

 cies in size, though produced before the leaves, or at least when the latter are 

 only just unfolding; this form is also very frequent. Leaves usually unfolding 

 when the blossoms are nearly past, sometimes, as in /3., both are produced toge- 

 ther, as also in the intermediate form y., which unites P. spinosa with P. insititia. 

 Flowers white, scattered, either solitary, in pairs, or 3 or 4 together, in y. usually 

 single and about i an inch broad, sometimes greenish in the bud, on short gla- 

 brous peduncles. Calyx smooth, its se<;ments broad, obtuse, single-nerved, with 

 while slightly dentato-serrated or entire margins. Petals obovate or ovato-ellip- 

 tical (in y: and 8. more roundish ovate), much (2 or 3 times) longer than the calyx, 

 with minute claws. Stamens about 15 or 20, erect; filaments white ; anthers yel- 

 low or reddish. Styles ], 2, or even occasionally a, curved; stigma peltate. 

 Drupes roundish ovoid, 6 or 6 lines in diameter, bluish black, with a glaucous 

 bloom, sometimes globular and purplish, with hardly any bloom, intensely astrin- 

 gent and austere, remaining through the earlier part of winter on the tree ; nucleus 

 subglobose, rugose, with an adhering pulp as in all our species or varieties of wild 

 plums, strongly grooved along the margin. 



