236 
26. AMYGDALACEiE. 
Bab. 90. u Primus austera Ehrh. and P. acicla Ehrh. Beitr. vii. 
129 and 139” (Koch). 
Var. rustica ; fr. subsolitary on rather short stiff stalks glo- 
bose rather large dark dull blood-red approaching to black 
(atropurpureous), the flesh red, neither acid nor very juicy, 
slightly bitter. — Slir. per. Mad. reg. 2, §. Fences of upland 
cottage-fields or gardens, on hill-sides, &c., from 1500 to 2500 ft. ; 
Camacha, Curral das Freiras, Serra d’Agoa, &c., general. FI. 
April, May ; fr. July, Aug. — A low shr. rather than tr. throw- 
ing up suckers abundantly from the roots. St. short and in- 
distinct or several irregularly branched from the base, with 
straggling spreading or declining branches ; rarely more than 
10-15 ft. high, often considerably less. FI. like those of the 
Common Cherry ((7. Avium L.) w., appearing rather with than 
before the 1. Fr. nearly the size of a Morelia Cherry, which it 
resembles equally in shape and colour ; its flavour rather pecu- 
liar, slightly bitter, yet agreeable, and, though rather insipid and 
not distinctly acid or very juicy, making a most excellent pre- 
serve. Fr.-stalks about an in. long. 
A cognate var. from the same stock as our common English 
Morelia Cherry (C. Capronianci 6. griotta Ser. in DC.), which, 
although much less acid and juicy, it resembles in lateness of 
season, succeeding at not less interval than a month or two the 
common “Cereja ” in Mad. ( C. Avium L.). Though often grow- 
ing apparently quite wild, and always without culture, it has 
probably been originally introduced from Portugal. 
§. FI. in racemes coeetaneous with the 1. Tr. or shr., in Mad. 
sp. evergreen with persistent coriaceous 1. 
3. C. lusitanica (L.). Portugal Laurel. Gingeira brava. 
L. ovate-lanceolate or ovate-oblong, acuminate serrate with- 
out glands ; rac. axillary straight loosely spreading longer than 
the 1. Primus lusitanica Linn. ; Brot. ii. 252. Cerasus lusi- 
tanica Ser. in DC. ii. 540. 
/3. Hixa Ser. in DC. 1. c. ; 1. narrower and longer oblong ab- 
ruptly acuminate ; rac. elongate with laxer fl. — Primus Hixa 
Brouss. ex Willd. Primus lusitanica Buch 197. no. 381. Primus 
( Pad us ) lusitanica \V B. ii. 19. Cerasus Hixa WB. t. 38. — Tr. 
per. Mad. reg. 2, 3, rr. Almost extinct now in a wild state, but 
undoubtedly indigenous. "Thirty years ago I found a fine tr. 
in full vigour in the forests of the Serra d’Agoa under Pico 
Grande, and on the path leading down to the bottom of the 
valley from the Caminho Central about a mile nearer the 
Jardim ; also I have seen it in the Corral das Freiras on the 
right hand high above the road going down the Voltns ; Bib. 
de Sao Martinho, a branch of the Rib. de Joao Gomes, near 
