88 TREES AND SHRUBS 



The Almond Family (Amygdalaceae) is represented in 

 New Mexico by seven species of Choke Cherry, two or three 

 of which are trees of some size; a single species of Plum; 

 and a single small wild Cherry. 



The Choke Cherries (Padus spp.) may be recognized 

 by their abundant racemes of small white flowers, followed by 

 the astringent black or reddish fruits; while the true Cherry 

 (Cerasus crenidata) has its fruits in small fascicles. One 

 species of the choke cherry is a tree 20 feet high or less, with 

 smooth purplish-brown trunk and slender, slightly drooping 

 branches. It occurs mostly in the canyons of the drier moun- 

 tains at the southern part of the State, and has been passing 

 under the name of a species originally described from south 

 Central America {Primus capollin). This tree is well worth 

 cultivation as a shade tree, but we have not succeeded in get- 

 ting it to grow. 



The single species of Plum which grows in the moun- 

 tains at elevations of approximately 7,000 feet is the ordinary 

 Eastern wild plum (Prunus o)>iericana). We have found it 

 only on lands that are or have been under cultivation, and it 

 may have been introduced in these places. It is apparently 

 thoroughly at home and entirely "wild" at present. There is 

 a large patch of these plums near the Indian village of Taos 

 on the Indian Reservation, and the fruits are used by the 

 Indians. 



