PR UN US fpinofa.
Sloe-tree, or Black-thorn.
IC 0 S A N DRIA Monogynia.
G en. Char. Cal. 5-cleft, inferior. Pet. 5. Stone of
the drupa with Lightly prominent feams.
Spec. Char. Flower-ftalks folitary. Leaves lanceolate,
fmooth. Branches ending in a fpine.
Syn. Primus fpinofa. Linn. Sp. PI. 681. Sm. FI.
Brit. 5'28. Hud/. 212. PVith. 457. Hull. 108.
Relh. 189. Sibth. 155. Abbot. 108. IVoodv. Med.
Bot. t. 84.
P. lylveftris. Rail Syn. 462.
C O M M O N in every hedge and thicket, where its blofloitts
are very confpicuous in March or April, and are one of the
earlieft harbingers of fpring. They generally cover the branches
in great profufion before any leaves appear.
This Ihrub is naturally low and deprefled, formed offpreading
hard rigid and thorny branches, clothed with a black rather
glaucous bark. Leaves on ftalks, lanceolate, or inverfely ovate,
(at leaf! the earlier ones), ferrated, fmooth, dark-green.
Scales of the buds much like thofe of the laft. Flowers folitary,
each on a thort ftalk, from a fmall bud at the bafe of each
leaf-bud. Calyx fpreading. Petals white, roundifh. Fruit
globular, black, very auflere and not eatable raw, though it
may be made palatable by being prepared with a great quantity
of fugar. Its expreffed juice infpiffated over a flow fire is a
fubftitutefor theEgyptian Acacia, and not an unufeful aftringent
medicine. The recent fruit is one of the many articles ufed to
adulterate port wine in England. The dried leaves are faid to
be a fubftitute for tea, and are perhaps often mixed with it in
this country. They may be one caufe of its proving fometimes
pernicious; for the green parts of all the plum and cherry tribe
are highly poifonous, and it is fortunate if they a<51 merely as
a purgative.