Part 20 (1/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. avium.]

8. =Prunus avium=, L. (BIRD-CHERRY OR ENGLISH CHERRY.) Leaves oval-lanceolate, sharp-pointed, coa.r.s.ely or doubly serrate. Flowers in sessile umbels, opening when the leaves appear. Fruit of various colors, somewhat heart-shaped. This is the Cherry tree, 30 to 50 ft. high, of which there are many named varieties usually cultivated for the fruit.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. Cerasus.]

9. =Prunus Cerasus=, L. (GARDEN RED CHERRY. MORELLO CHERRY.) Leaves obovate and lance-ovate, serrate, on slender spreading branches. Flowers rather large. Fruit globular, bright red to dark purple, very sour; in sessile umbels. A small, round-headed tree, 10 to 30 ft. high, often cultivated. The preceding species and this one are the parents of most of the Cherry trees in cultivation.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. serotina.]

10. =Prunus serotina=, Ehrh. (WILD BLACK CHERRY.) Leaves oblong or lance-oblong, thickish, smooth, usually taper-pointed, serrate, with incurved, short, thick teeth. Flowers in long racemes. June. Fruit as large as peas, purple-black, bitter; ripe in autumn. A fine tree, 15 to 60 ft. high, with reddish-brown branches. Wood reddish and valuable for cabinet-work. Common in woodlands and along fences.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. Virginiana.]

11. =Prunus Virginiana=, L. (CHOKE-CHERRY.) Leaves thin, oval-oblong or obovate, abruptly pointed, very sharply, often doubly serrate, with slender teeth. Racemes of flowers and fruit short and close. Fruit dark crimson, stone smooth. Flowers in May; fruit ripe in August; not edible till fully ripe. A tall shrub, sometimes a tree, with grayish bark.

River-banks, common especially northward.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. Padus.]

12. =Prunus Padus=, L. (SMALL BIRD-CHERRY.) Like Prunus Virginiana, excepting that the racemes are longer and drooping, and the stone is roughened. Occasionally planted for ornament.

GENUS =37. PYRUS.=

Trees and shrubs, with alternate, stipulate, simple, or pinnately compound leaves. Flowers conspicuous, white to pink, apple-blossom-shaped (5 petals); in spring. Fruit a fleshy pome, with the cells formed by papery or cartilaginous membranes within juicy flesh.

* Leaves deeply pinnatifid or fully pinnate (Mountain Ashes) (=A.=)

=A.= Leaf deeply pinnatifid, sometimes fully divided at the base. 6.

=A.= Leaf once-pinnate throughout. (=B.=)

=B.= Leaf-buds pointed, smooth and somewhat glutinous 7.

=B.= Leaf-buds more or less hairy 8, 9.

* Leaves simple and not pinnatifid. (=C.=)

=C.= Leaves entire; fruit solitary (Quinces) 5.

=C.= Leaves serrate; fruit cl.u.s.tered. (=D.=)

=D.= Fruit large, sunken at both ends (Apples) 1.

=D.= Fruit small (-1 in.), sour, much sunken at the stem end and but little at the other (Crab-apples). (=E.=)

=E.= Leaves very narrow; fruit in. 2.

=E.= Leaves broad; fruit 1 in. 3.

=D.= Fruit usually obovate, not sunken at the stem end (Pears). 4.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. Malus.]