Fncnus] XLYI. EOSACE.E 279 



well described by Lace (Journ. Linn. Soc. xxviii. 297), jjetioles slender, half tlie length 

 of leaf or longer, il. red, 1^ in. acrosb, appearing with or after the leaver, drupe velvety, 

 pericarp dry. Lojjped by the bhexjherdh for feeding their herds, when long pollard 

 shoots spring np ^\ith a few narrow linear leaves. 



3. P. braliuica, Aitch. et liemsl. {Amyqdalus hrahidca. Boibts.) Zarg^ Zargah, Baluch. 

 Hills of Baluchistan and Afghanitetan. 4-9,000 ft., a stiff scraggy thorny gregariou-. 

 shrub ; branchlets spinescent, young branches and leaves silvery- white, 1. J- J in. long, 

 pubescent while young. Covei-ed with a profusion of pink ii. before the leaves appear, 

 calyx-tube cylindric glabrous, fr. velvety, yellow when ripe, the joericarp bursting 

 open longitudinally. The kernel is eaten. P. ehurnea^ Aitch. et HemsL. which has 

 been stated to grow in Baluchistan and Afghanistan, 1. glabrous, calyx hairy, is, I 

 believe, limited to Persia and Western Afghanistan, but probably is not specifically 

 distinct from 3. 



4. P. persica, Benth. et Hook, f. ; Brandi.s F. Fl. 191. — Syn. Amygclaliis 

 pdvsica^ Linn. The Pmch with velvet}^ and Xecfarine with smooth fruit. 

 Vern. Shqftdlu, Baluch. ; Eek^ Beim, Sutlej ; Ant, Hind. 



A middle-sized tree, foliage dark green. L. lanceolatej sharpl}" serrate, 



petiole shorter than greatest width of leaf, stipules subulate, fimbriate. FL 



sessile, pink, generally appearing before the leaves, mostly solitary, from scaly 



buds on last year's wood. Oalyx campanulate, segments wo">lly. Drupe downy 



or glabrous, pericarp tender succulent, stone deeply and irregularly furrowed. 



Indigenous probably in China, commonly cultivated in ^Yestern Asia, Eux'ope and 

 China. x4.]so in Baluchistan, in the Himalaya, Kunawar to 10,000 ft., in the plains of 

 Northern India, in Manipur and ITjoper Burma. Fl. according to elevation, between 

 January and May, the fr. ripening between May and October. 



5. P. armeniaca, Linn. ; Brandis F. Fl. 191. TJie Apricot. Vera- 

 Hari^ Hazara: Chilli^ ChuU, Sharif IST.-W. Himalaya; Jaldanc, Zarddlttj 

 Hind. 



A middle-sized tree, 1. broadly ovate, nearly as broad as long, acuminate, 

 crenate, petiole half the length of leaf, stipules lanceolate. Fl. pinkish- white, 

 solitary or fasciculate, from scaly buds on the previous year's woodj appearing 

 before or with the leaves, peduncles short. Drupe downy or glabrous, pericarp 

 tender succulent, stone smooth with a thickened sulcata margin. 



Believed to be indigenous in the Caucasian region, commonly cultivated in Western 

 and Centrial Asia and Europe, in Baluchistan to 8,000 ft., in the N. W. Himalaya, in 

 Western Tibet to 12,000 ft. and in the plains of the Punjab. Fl. Jan.-Maj^, the fr. 

 ripens between June and Sept. 



6. P. communis, Hudson; Brandis F. Fl. 192. The Flum^ Prune^ Sloe^ 

 Damson, Vern. AJucha, KW. Himal. 



A shrub or middle-sized tree, unarmed or spinescent, young shoots pubescent, 

 L. ovate or ovate-lanceolate, serrate, more or less pubescent beneath along the 

 nerves, petioles shorter than greatest breadth of leaf, stipules linear fimbriate. 

 Pedicels slender, 3 or 4 times the length of calyx, solitary or fasciculate from 

 lateral often leaf-bearing buds, calyx-tube campanulate. Drupe globose or 

 oblong, pericarp fleshy. 



Indigenous in Europe and Western A&ia, where the different kinds have been culti- 

 vated from time immemorial. The plum is cultivated in Kashmir and in the Punjab 

 plains. The plum cultivated in Baluchistan, Afghanistan and the N. W. Himalaya, 

 called Alu Bokhara^ has been referred to P. divaricata, Ledebour, which may be regarded 

 as a distinct species, or as a sub-spacies of P. commtmis. 



7. P. Puddum, Boxb. ; Kurz F. FL i. iM.—Cerasiis Puddum^ Wall PL 

 As. Rar. t. 143. Vern* Phaja^ Pajia^ Padanij Hind. Panni, Burm. 



A middle-sized or large tree, bark peeling off in horizontal strips^ wood pale 

 red. Nearly glabrous, 1. glossy, ovate, long-acuminate, sharply serrate, blade 

 3-5, petiole ^ in, long, 1 or more conspicuous glands on petiole, stipules 

 pinnately or palmately divided, the divisions linear, glandular-fimbriate. Fl. 

 v^hite, pink or crimson, appearing before the leaves, in umbellate fascicles, 

 approximate near the ends of branchlets, pedicels slender, as long as or longer 



