Nov. io, 1913 
Pubes cent-Fruited Species of Prunus 
155 
the strongly reflexed, short rounded lobes being glandular ciliate margined, with 
fine soft hairs on both surfaces. The inner face of the tube is lined with an orange- 
colored, nectariferous layer. The thin white petals, 5 mm. long, are broadly ovate, 
often truncate at the base, attached by short, stout claws. The ovary and two-thirds 
of the length of the style are finely pubescent. The fruit is roundish oval or oblong, 
usually with a ventral shallow furrow, 1 to 2.5 cm. in length, a sharp depression at 
the base, pedicel 5 to 8 mm. long. The skin is rather thick, coated with fine pubes¬ 
cence, yellowish, greenish yellow, or rarely taking a rich reddish flush on one side; 
flesh yellowish or greenish yellow, finely netted, juicy and luscious, sometimes 
very richly flavored, clinging to the rather large stone by a curious tough, persistent 
elastic pile, like coarse plush, which, when scraped away, leaves an ovate obtusely 
pointed, thin-walled seed without pits or furrows. The 
kernel is plump, roundish pointed, slightly furrowed, and 
with a strong flavor of prussic acid. (PI. IX, and fig. 3.) 
It is plain that with its strongly glandular 
pubescent leaves and luscious, fleshy fruit with 
the pilose or velvety stone it has little near rela¬ 
tionship with the five species of the group in 
which it has been included. It has accordingly 
been placed in the subgenus Euprunus and in 
a new section, Piloprunus. Analogy for the 
pubescent fruit is found in the Prunus oregana 
of Greene and for the netted flesh clinging to the 
stone in the sand plum, P. watsoni. 
With a promising wild species of distinctly 
limited range it is of first importance to learn 
under what conditions of soil, temperature, and 
rainfall it has been able to reach its present 
standing in the plant world. In a State afford- 
. , ,, „ Fig. 3.— Prunus texana Dietr.: A r 
mg so vast an open range,” so to speak, as the section of calyx, x 3; b, detail 
State of Texas, the restriction of a species to a of calyx Iobes - showinK s landl1 - 
range must mean certain limitations in endur- calyx from flower of the horticui- 
ance. If it stops rather sharply as soil types tural variety Ramsey, P. Uxana 
1 . w . ^ X Wild Goose plum, X 4. 
change, with no other apparent reason for not 
extending farther in that direction, we must suspect a soil preference 
amounting to limitation. A fairly well-defined northern boundary is 
pretty sure to mark the limit of cold endurance, provided soil and moist¬ 
ure conditions would seem to invite farther advance in that direction. 
Therefore, the geographic range or distribution of the wild peach should be 
studied and also related conditions of soil, temperature, and moisture. 
