500 



The Plums and Cherries 



i6. BITTER CHERRY — Pnmusemarginata Walpers 



This cherry occurs in the mountains from southern British Columbia to southern 

 California, Idaho and Nevada. Its maximum height of 8 meters, with a trunk 

 diameter of 2.5 dm., is attained only in the northern portion of its range; else- 

 where it is merely a large shrub. 



The branches are slender and upright. The bark is about 8 mm. thick, 



usually smooth and shining, dark 

 brown or reddish, with bands of 

 yellowish gray markings; the twigs 

 are slender, slightly hairy, soon 

 becoming smooth, and dark red- 

 brown. The leaves are membra- 

 nous, oblong, obovate to oblong- 

 lanceolate, 3 to 8 cm. long, roimded 

 and blunt at the apex, usually 

 with two large dark glands at the 

 narrow base, margined by small 

 gland-tipped teeth, dark green and 

 smooth above, paler and smooth 

 beneath; leaf-stalk smooth, 

 grooved and stout, about i cm. 

 long. The flowers, appearing from 

 April to July, in clustered 2- to 

 4-flowered umbels, are on slender 

 pedicels 2.5 to 4 cm. long; the calyx- tube is obconic, usually smooth, the lobes are 

 broadly oblong, stout, rounded or notched ; petals greenish white, obovate, rounded 

 or notched; stamens and pistil smooth. The fruit, ripening in summer, is globose, 

 8 to 15 mm. in diameter, dark red to nearly black, slightly translucent, its flesh 

 thin, astringent and bitter; stone ovoid, pointed at each end, somewhat pitted, or 

 smooth, grooved and ridged on one edge, slightly grooved at the other, variable 

 in size and form. 



The wood is soft, close-grained, brittle and pinkish brown; its specific gravity 

 is about 0.45 ; it takes a high polish and is used for furniture in the regions in which 

 it occurs. 



Fig. 460. — Bitter Cherry. 



17. WOOLLY-LEAF CHERRY — Pnums prtmifolia (Greene) Shafer 



Cerasus mollis Douglas. Prunus mollis Walpers, not Torrey 



Pruntis emarginata villosa Sudworth. Cerasus prunifolia Greene 



This medium-sized tree occurs from British Columbia to Idaho, southward to 

 southern California, and Arizona, its maximum height being about 15 meters, 

 with a trunk diameter of 5 dm., though often only a shrub. 



