Trees of North Carolina 69 



long-lanceolate, 2-5 inches long, %-l% i nc b wide, 

 finely toothed, thinnish, pubescent usually along 

 most of the length of the mid rib below ; fruits red, 

 sour, about % inch in diameter, fruit stalks in clus- 

 ters from lateral buds (umbels or corymbs). 



107. Prunus americana Marsh. Wild Plum. 



A somewhat thorny tree reaching 20-30 feet in 

 height, common along streams in the Piedmont and 

 lower mountains and along large rivers in the coastal 

 plain. Leaves ovate to obovate, 214-4% inches long, 

 1-2 inches wide, closely toothed, smooth or tomentose 

 below ; flowers borne in umbels, nearly white to pink, 

 very abundant, and rivalling the Japanese cherry in 

 its delicacy and beauty; fruits reddish, glaucous, % 

 inch in diameter, bitterish and scarcely edible, but 

 making a good preserve. They begin to ripen in 

 August and some trees still have ripening fruit in 

 early October. Several of the best cultivated plums, 

 such as Wild Goose, Wayland and Golden Beauty 

 are supposed to be hybrids between this and the fol- 

 lowing species. Dates of flowering: March 27, 1903 ; 

 March 27, 1908; March 31, 1909; March 26, 1910; 

 March 14, 1915. Example: tree on bank of Bowlin's 

 Creek, below Glenn Burnie Farm. 



County (Biltmore Herbarium). It occurs both north and south of 

 us, and is much like P. serotina. 



Prunus cuneata Raf. is a small shrub that has been reported 

 from Henderson County by Memminger. The fruit is home in 

 small clusters along the twigs. 



The Sweet or Mazzard Cherry (Prunus avium L.), the common 

 sweet cherry of the orchard and a native of the Old World, is spon- 

 taneous in Chapel Hill and no doubt in many other places in the 

 state. The Spur or Morello Cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) is probably 

 also spontaneous in some parts of the state. 



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