Lao Rosacee—-Prunus. 
order numbers 71 genera and about 1,000 species, occurring in 
all yarts of the globe. This is one of the most important 
croups of plants, furnishing numerous useful species, such as 
the Apple, Pear, Plum, Cherry, Strawberry, and Raspberry, 
besides many of the most ornamental shrubs and herbaceous 
plants of our gardens. 
Tring —PRUNES. 
Calyx usually deciduous: lobes ebracteate. Stamens many. 
Carpel 1; style terminal; ovules 2, pendulous. Fruit drupa- 
ceous, not included within the calyx-tube. Trees or shrubs. 
1. PRUNUS. 
Cnelading Amygdalus, Armeniaca, Pérsica, and Cérasus.) 
Evergreen or deciduous trees or shrubs. Leaves 
simple, alternate, often serrulate. Flowers soli- 
tary, racemose, or in fascicled corymbs, white or 
rose. The number of the species is estimated at 
about eighty, chiefly inhabiting the temperate 
zone of the northern hemisphere, fewer in tropical 
America and Asia. Primus isthe Latin name of 
the Pluni-tree. 
There are several species belonging to this 
genus, of which the names will be sufficient, such 
as P. sp/nésc, Sloe or Blackthorn, with its varie- 
ties from which the Plums and Bullace of our 
cardens are believed to have sprung; P. Cérasus, 
Cherry, of which there is an interesting double- 
flowered variety ; P. Pérsica, the Peach, also 
furnishes several handsome varieties with double 
flowers (fig. 79); P. levis, Nectarine ; P. Arme- 
mien, Apricot ; P. Siuéisis flore clbo ‘pleno, and 
fi. voseo pleno, require no further description ; 
and P. triloba (Amyyduldpsis) is a very hand- 
¢ some early flowering shrub with more or less 
3-lobed leaves and white or rose large double 
flowers appearing before the leaves. Besides the 
above there are some other useful species, such as 
P. Virgitiana; and also other varieties of the 
Fig. 79. Pranns Peach, Almond, and some Japanese and Chinese 
Persiciu flore pleno. 
(Guatecize) Alicd specics, will Le found in the catalogues 
