XXVI. ROSA‘CEZ: PE£/RSICA. 265 
vigorous large tree, of rapid growth, somewhat more fastigiate than 
the species. 
* A.c.7 persicoides Ser., Dec. Prod. 2. p. 531 Amandier-Pécher, N. 
Du Ham. 4, p. 114., Noisette Jard. Fruit. p 7.— Leaves similar to 
those of the peach tree. Fruit ovate, obtuse ; its husk slightly suc- 
culent ; the shell of a yellowish dark colour, and the kernel sweet- 
flavoured. Du Hamel has stated that its fruits vary upon the same 
branch, from ovate, obtuse, with the husk rather fleshy, to ovate, 
compressed, acuminate, and the husk dry. Cultivated in France and 
Italy for its fruit, but rarely found in British gardens. 
Other Varieties. The almond, considered as a fruit tree, has given rise to 
some other varieties, which will be found treated of at length in French works 
on gardening, in the Nouveau Du Hamel, and the Nouveau Cours d Agriculture, 
There are several varieties of tle almond in cultivation on the Continent 
for their fruit ; and two or three in this country, partly for the same purpose, 
but chiefly for their flowers. The common almond, in a wild state, is found 
sometimes with the kernels bitter, and at other times with them sweet ; in 
the same manner as the Quércus hispanica, which, in Spain, though it gene- 
rally bears sweet and edible acorns, yet sometimes produces only such as are 
bitter. For this reason, in the case of the almond, instead of giving one form 
as the species, we have followed DeCandolle, and described both the bitter 
and the sweet almond separately, either of which may be considered as the 
species, and classed them with the varieties. 
g 4. A. orrentTa‘LIs Ait, The Eastern Almond Tree. 
Identification. Ait. Hort. Kew., ed. 1. 1. p. 162., ed. 2. 3. p. 195.; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 530. ; Don’s 
Mill., 2. p. 482. 
Synonyme. A. argéntea Lam. Dict. 1. p. 103., N. Dee Ham. 3. p. 115. 
ngravings. Lodd. Bot. Cat., t. 1137.3; and our jig. 426. 
Spec. Char., §c. Imperfectly evergreen. Branches 
and leaves clothed with a silvery tomentum ; 
petiole of the leaf short, the disk lanceolate 
and entire. Flowers rose-coloured, and rather 
longer than those of A. nana, Calyx cylin 
drically bell-shaped. Fruit tipped with a point. 
(Dec. Prod.) A tall shrub or low tree. Le- 
vant. Height 8ft. to 10ft.; and, according 
to Bosc, 15 ft. to 20ft. Introduced in 1756. 
Flowers rose-coloured; March and April. 
Very striking, from the hoary, or rather silvery, 
appearance of its leaves ; and it makes a hand- 
some plant when budded standard high on the 
common almond or the plum. It flowers much less freely than the common 
almond ; notwithstanding which, it well deserves a place in collections, on 
account of its fine silvery foliage. 
Genus I]. 
ly 
PE/RSICA Tourn. Tue Peacu Tree. Lin. Syst. Icosandria Monogynia 
‘fication. Tourn. Inst., t. 400. ; Mill. Dict. ; Dec. Fl. Fr., 487.; Don’s Mill., 2. p. 483. 
ai kes Amfgdalus sp. of Lin. and Juss. 3 Trichoc&rpus Neck. Elem. No. 718. 3 Pécher, Fr., 
Pfirschenbaum, Ger.; Pesco, Ital. fs . 
Derivation. So named from the peach coming originally from Persia. 
Gen. Char. Drupe fleshy, with a glabrous or velvety apicarp, and having the 
putamen wrinkled from irregular furrows. (Don’s Mill.) 
Leaves simple, alternate, stipulate, deciduous; conduplicate when young. 
WSS 
426. A, orientalis. 
