R0SACE.E. 
5 
leaves . — Name from Ccrasus a town of Pontus in Asia, 
whence Lucullus is said to have introduced into Italy the 
cultivation of the Cherry, 73 years 0. C. 
1. Cerasus Occidentalis. Prune Tree. 
Racemes lateral, stamens 25-26, leaves oblong 
acuminate very entire glabrous on both sides. 
Amygdalus foliis magnis, Nicolsons Doming. 154 — 
Ccrasus latiore folio, fructu racemoso purpureo rnajore, 
Catesb. Carol. II. 94, . 94 ? — Prunus Occidentalis, 
Swartz, FI. hid. Occ. 925. 
11 A B. Common in the woods of the interior. 
F L. February. 
A lofty tree ; branchlets terete. Leaves 5-G inches in 
length, and 2-2.^- in breadth : petioles angulated. Ra- 
cemes lateral, elongated, many-flowered. Flowers 
rather large, yellowish-white, pedicelled. Calyx tur- 
binate ; teeth erect, acute. Petals inserted belween 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: antheis oblong. Ovary globose, green, puberu- 
lous: style subulate, shorter than the stamens: stigma 
enpitato-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 ISotjau, 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 of a 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 sphaerocarpa, Pound-Fruited 
Ft 'line Tree. 
Racemes axillary erect shorter than the leu f. 
