Plum (?), n. [AS. plme, fr. L. prunum; akin to Gr. &?;, &?;. Cf. Prune
a dried plum.]
1. (Bot.) The edible drupaceous fruit of the Prunus domestica, and of
several other species of Prunus; also, the tree itself, usually called
plum tree.
The bullace, the damson, and the numerous varieties of plum, of our
gardens, although growing into thornless trees, are believed to be
varieties of the blackthorn, produced by long cultivation.
G. Bentham.
Two or three hundred varieties of plums derived from the Prunus
domestica are described; among them the greengage, the Orleans, the
purple gage, or Reine Claude Violette, and the German prune, are some
of the best known.
Among the true plums are; Beach plum, the Prunus maritima, and its
crimson or purple globular drupes, -- Bullace plum. See Bullace. --
Chickasaw plum, the American Prunus Chicasa, and its round red drupes.
-- Orleans plum, a dark reddish purple plum of medium size, much grown
in England for sale in the markets. -- Wild plum of America, Prunus
Americana, with red or yellow fruit, the original of the Iowa plum and
several other varieties.
Among plants called plum, but of other genera than Prunus, are;
Australian plum, Cargillia arborea and C. australis, of the same family
with the persimmon. -- Blood plum, the West African HÊmatostaphes
Barteri. -- Cocoa plum, the Spanish nectarine. See under Nectarine. --
Date plum. See under Date. -- Gingerbread plum, the West African
Parinarium macrophyllum. -- Gopher plum, the Ogeechee lime. -- Gray
plum, Guinea plum. See under Guinea. -- Indian plum, several species of
Flacourtia.