236 



THE KOSE FAMILY. 



A considerable genus, distributed over the whole of the northern 

 hemisphere, and even abundant within the tropics, both in the new 

 and the old world, but not extending into the south temperate zone. It 

 is the onty British genus with a stone fruit. 



Flowers in axillary racemes 3. BirdcJierry P. 



Flowers solitary or clustered, from leafless buds. 



Flowers single or two together, on short pedicels ... 1. Blackthorn P. 



Flowers in clusters, on pedicels longer than the flower itself 2. Cherry P. 



The well-known common Laurel and Portugal Laurel of our gar- 

 deners, are species of Prunus (P. Lauro-cerasus and P. lusiianicus), 

 and have no affinity with the true Laurel of the ancients, which is our 

 Bay -tree (Laurus nobilis). The Mahaleb (P. Mahaleb) and the P. 

 semperflorens, both from the continent of Europe, are also frequently 

 to be met with in our shrubberies. The Apricot is another Prunus 

 (P. armeniaca) ; the Almond, the Peach, and the Nectarine, belong 

 to the genus Amy g dolus, only differing from Prunus in the wrinkled 

 surface of the stone. 



1. Blackthorn Prunus. Prunus communis, Huds. 

 (Fig. 293.) 



(P. spinosa, Eng. Bot. t. 842, and P. insititia, Eng. Bot. t. 841. Black- 

 thorn or Sloe.) 



In the common, trul} r wild state, this 

 is a much branched shrub, the smaller 

 branches often ending in a stout thorn. 

 Leaves ovate or oblong, stalked, and 

 finely toothed, usually glabrous, but oc- 

 casionally, especially the under sides as 

 well as the young shoots, more or less 

 downy. Flowers small, white, nearly 

 sessile, solitary or in pairs, appearing 

 before the leaves. Fruit small, globular 

 or shortly ovoid, nearly black, with a 

 bluish bloom. 



In hedges, thickets, and open woods, 

 common in Europe and in Russian and 

 central Asia. Abundant in Britain. 

 Fl. early spring, A variety of a some- 

 what taller growth, and less thorny, 

 with the leaves rather more downy, and the fruit rather more oblong and 

 less acrid, has been distinguished under the name of P. insititia. It is 



