Q. 36] CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION v4 
OrpER XVIII. ROSACEZS. (Roser Famiy.) 
A large and very useful order of trees, shrubs, and 
herbs of temperate regions. 
Genus 86. PRUNUS. 
Trees or shrubs with simple, alternate, deciduous, 
usually serrate, stipulate leaves, without lobes. The 
stems produce gum when injured. Foliage and nuts 
have flavor of peach-leaves. Flowers conspicuous, usually 
white, or light pink, often in clusters, peach-blossom- 
shaped; in early spring. Fruit in size from pea to peach, 
a rounded drupe with one stony-coated seed. 
*Drupe large, soft velvety on the surface; stone rough (Peach, 
Apricot) idaca: gaceoseicls eee eehapenedesg cees ae eipakeeeeena ye 1. 
* Drupe medium, covered with a bloom; stone smooth, flattened 
(Plums). (A.) 
A. Usually thorny; wild, rarely cultivated, (B.) 
B. Leaves acuminate............. 60. cece eee eee eee -2, 3. 
B. Leaves not acuminate ........... cece cece e ee eee 4, 5. 
A. Not thorny; cultivated ...... 0... cee eee eee 6. 
~ Drupe medium to small, smooth, without bloom (Cherries). (C.) 
C. Drupes clustered in umbels, 14-1 in. in diameter. (D.) 
D. Small cultivated tree; drupe globose, rather large, very 
SOUT a i cecias ye Cael eel nara Sauk Neactes Phd nae nea alareendivor ered aid 9. 
D. Large cultivated tree; drupe large, somewhat pitted at the 
SEOM Sse cise A necdokinnenne A MG RC eaA SOURIS. Bae 8. 
D. Rather small, native tree; drupe small, flesh thin..... 7. 
C. Drupes clustered in racemes, 1g-14 in. in diameter. (E.) 
E. Tall shrubs rather than trees; racemes short.......... 11. 
E. Trees; racemes quite elongated. (F.) 
F. Stone of fruit somewhat roughened. .12. 
F. Stone smooth 
1. Prinus Pérsica, L. (Common PEACH.) 
Leaves lanceolate, serrate. Flowers rose-col- 
ored, nearly sessile, very early in bloom. Fruit 
clothed with velvety down, large; stone rough- 
wrinkled. A small tree, 15 to 30 ft. high, culti- | am 
vated in numbeiless varieties for itsfruit. Var. y 5 
levis (Nectarine) has smooth-skinned fruit. P, Pérsica, 
