obovate, acuminated, glandularly serrated, glabrous
Stipules subulate,
glandular, length
o f th e petiole.
P e tio le glandless.
{Don’s M ill.) A
shrub. China.
Height 4 ft. to 0 ft.
Introd. in 1822.
The flowers small,
and white. Drupe
a b o u t th e size of
th a t o f th e myrobalan
plum.
4 7 0 . C é rü su sía Jícln a.
471. Cérasus Ptíríííuw.
Species belonging to the preceding Subdivision (B .) , not y e t introduced. — C.
Phóshia Hamilt., P rim u s cerasoides D . Don., Cérasus Púddum Roxb. (Wail.
PI. R a r., ii. t. 143. ; and o u r 471.), is a native o f Nepal, producing fruit
like th a t o f the common cherry, and wood which is considered valuable as
timber. T h e flowers are o f a pale rose colour, and th e tre e grows to the
height o f 20 o r 30 feet, C. glandulòsa, C- aspera, and C. incìsa Lois., are Japan
shrubs, with rose-coloured flowers, described by T h u n b e rg ; and C. hmnilis
Moris., a native o f Sardinia.
§ ii. Và d i veri Ser. The true Dird-'Cherry Kinds o f Qérasus.
Sect. Char. Flowers produced upon th e shoots o f the same year’s growth as
th e flowers ; th e la tte r disposed racemosely. Leaves deciduous.
A. Species o f Bird-Cherry Trees already in Cultivation in Britain,
21. C. M a h a ^LEB MiU. Th e Malialeb, or p e r fum e d . Cherry Tree.
Identification. Mill. D ie t., No. 4. ; Dec. P ro d ., 2. p. 539. ; D o n ’s Mill., 2. p. 514.
P rù n u s Mahàleb L . Sp. 678. ; B"looiiss de S ainte L u c ie , o r "P ru n ie r o d o ra n t, Fr . :
Mahalebs-kirsche, G e r .; Ciliegio canino, P o /.
En g ra vin g s. N . Du H am., 5. t. 2. ; Ja c q . F l. A u s tr., t. 227. ; th e p late o f this species in A rb . B rit.
1st ed it., vol. T .j a n d o u r J ig . 472.
Spec. Char., 4 e . Leaves cordately ovate, denticulate, glanded, curved.
Flowers in leafy subcorymbose racemes. F ru it black, between ovate and
round. ( Dec. Prod.) A small tree. Middle and South o f E u ro p e ; common
in Franc e , especially in tb e mountainous districts ; very common near
St. Lucie, whence th e F ren ch name. Height 10 ft. to 20 ft. ; in British
gardens 2 0 ft. to 3 0 ft. Intro d u ced in 1714. Flowers w h ite ; April and
May. Dru p e black; ripe in July.
Varieties. Besides one with variegated leaves, there are ; —•
S C. M. 2 frúctu flavo Hort. — Fruit yellow. There is a plant o f this
variety in the garden o f the Horticultural Society.
Ì C. M. 3 latifòlium 'H o rt. — Leaves broader than in th e species.
A handsome small tree, with a white bark, and numerous branches. The
leaves somewhat resembling those o f the common apricot, b u t of a paler
green. The wood, the leaves, th e flowers, and th e fruit, are powerfully
scented ; th e flowers so much so as n o t to be supportable in a room. The
wood is hard, brown, veined, and susceptible o f a high polish. Its smell is
less powerful, and more agreeable, when it is dry, than when th e sap is in it.
In a dry state it weighs S9 lb. 4 oz. per cubic foot. In France, it is much
sought after by cabinetmakers, on a ccount o f its fragrance, hardness, and the
fine polish which it receives. In Austria it is used for forming th e twisted
tubes o f tobacco pipes. In F rance th e malialeb is used as a stock on which to
graft th e different kinds o f fruit-bearing cherries : for which it has th e advantages
o f growing on a very poor soil ; o f coining into sap 15 days later than
X X V I. r o s a ' c e t e : c e ' r a s u s . ¿89
4 7 2 . Cérasus
the common wild cherry, by which means th e grafting season is prolonged ;
and, lastly, of dwarfing th e plants grafted on it. In British gardens, it is partly
used for this purpose, b u t principally as an ornamental shrub o r low tre e . As
in the case of other dw a rf species o f a genus which will un ite to a tall robust-
growing species, th e mahaleb, when grafted on th e common wild cherry (C.
sylvéstris), grows to a larger tre e than when on its own roots. Th e mahaleb
wil! grow in any poor soil th a t is dry, even in th e most arid sands and naked
chalks ; and, as it forms a low bushy tre e which is capable o f resisting th e
wind, it may be planted in an exposed situation. Wh en young plants are to
be raisetl from seed, th e fruit is sown as soon as ripe, or preserved among sand
till the following spring, in th e same manner as th a t o f th e cherry. Seedling
pi
ilauts generally grow 1 ft. in length th e first year, and 1 ft. to 18 in. th e second.
Tl
The tree may also be propagated by layers ; by slips from th e stool, taken off
with a few roots attached ; and by suckers, o r by cuttings from th e roots.
5* 2 2 . C. P a'dus Dec. The Bird-Cherry Tree.
Identification. De c. F l. F r., 4. p. .580. ; P ro il., 2. p . 539., D o n ’s Mill., 2. p. 615.
Synonymes. P rù n u s F a d u s /.òr.
Birci Cherry, Fowl Cherry ; P "
P u tie r, or P u tie t, faux Bois i
Ciliegio ram o so ,/¿ a /. . , j
Er^ravings. Eng. B o t., 1 .1383. ; th e plate of Ihis species in Arb. B n t., 1st ed it., v o i, v. ; a n d o u r
Sjiec. Char., 4c. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, somewhat
acuminate, thin, serrulate, with th e te e th
rather spreading. Racemes long, leafy. F ru it
round, bitter. {Dec. Prod.) A low tree. Indigenous
in most parts o f Central Eu ro p e, and as
far north as Lapland. Height 12 ft to 40 ft.
Flowers white ; April and May. Dru p e black ;
ripe in July, Decaying leaves greenish yeliow,
or reddish. Naked young wood purplish, with
white spots.
Varieties.
Ì C. P . 1 vidgàrìs Ser. C. P à d u s Dec., H.
D u Ham. v. t. 1. — This kind has large
flowers loosely disposed upon long pe dicels,
and black fruit.
C. P . 2 p a r v iflò ra Ser. (Q id . F l. Dan.,
t. 2 0 5 .)—This has smaller flowers, upon
sh o rte r pedicels, which are disposed more densely ; and black fruit,
u
4 7 3 . Cé rasus P à d u s r u t i a -
M l ’ ’
i l 1
, 1 =