ROSACEA. 5 



leaves. — Name from Cerasus a town of Pontus in Asia, 

 whence Lucullus is said to have introduced into Italy the 

 cultivation of the Cherry, 73 years B. C. 



1. Cerasus Occidcntalis. Prune Tree. 



Racemes lateral, stamens 25-26, leaves oblong 

 acuminate very entire glabrous on both sides. 



Amygdalus foliis magnis, Nicohons Doming. 154 — 

 Cerasus latiore folio, fructu racemoso purpureo majore, 

 Catesb. Carol. II. 94, . 94 ? — Prunus Occidentalis, 

 Swartz, Fl. Ind. Occ. 925. 



H A B. Common in the woods of the interior. 



F L. February. 



A lofty tree ; branchlets terete. Leaves 5-G inches in 

 length, and 2-2J in breadth : petioles angulated. Ra- 

 cemes lateral, elongated, many-flowered. Flowers 

 rather large, yellowish-white, pedicelled. Calyx tur- 

 binate ; teeth erect, acute. Petals inserted between the 

 t^eth of the calyx, ovate, patent, subreflex, deciduous. 

 Filaments 25-36, subulate, erect, inserted on an orange- 

 coloured cup- shaped nectary, firmly adherent to the 

 calyx: anthers oblong. Ov.ary globose, green, puberu- 

 lous: style subulate, shorter than the stamens: stigma 

 capitato-depressed. Drupe oblong, size of the common 

 Plum of Europe, purple : nut smooth. 



The bark of this tree has an astringent taste, with a 

 strong flavour of Prussic acid, and is used in manufactur- 

 ing an'inferior description of l\oyau, known by the name 

 of Prune-dram. It is from the kernels of the drupe that 

 the celebrated liqueur, the Noyau of Martinique, is pre- 

 pared. They yield a flavour much superior to that of 

 the peach, being rich, oily, and nutty, combined with 

 that of Prussic acid. The timber of the tree itself, 

 is«ofa red colour, resembling cedar, and is very hard 

 and durable, and, from its taking a fine polish, makes a 

 beautiful flooring for houses. But it is not adapted for out 

 door work, or where it is exposed to the weather ; for 

 in such situations it very soon rots. 



2 Cerasus spbaerocarpa, Round- Fruited 

 Prune Dee. 



Racemes axillary erect shorter than the Jeaf T 



