=3. Prunus nìgra= Aiton. Canada Plum. Plate 101. Small trees with the
characteristic bark of the genus; twigs smooth; leaves obovate or oval,
5-11 cm. long and 3-6 cm. wide, rounded or somewhat narrowed at the
base, abruptly short acuminate toward the apex, smooth or sparsely
covered above with a short appressed pubescence, more or less pubescent
beneath especially along the veins, usually pubescent on the veins at
maturity, margins crenate-serrate, the teeth ending in persistent
glands, petioles more or less pubescent on the inner surface, and
generally bearing a pair of glands, which number varies from 1 to 3, or
sometimes absent; flowers appear in April or May in umbels of 2-3, about
2 cm. in diameter--the largest of the genus in Indiana, calyx smooth,
the lobes smooth without and within, except toward the base which is
pubescent, the lobes reddish and the margins studded with numerous red
glands; fruit ripens in July, globose, red; stone short oval and very
flat.
=Distribution.=--New Brunswick to Massachusetts and west to Minnesota
and south to central Indiana. In Indiana it is definitely known only
from Wells, Blackford and Marion Counties. No doubt it ranges throughout
the northern part of Indiana, but it has not been separated from _Prunus
americana_. Higley and Raddin[53] in 1891, when our text books did not
separate this species, in a flora which included a part of Lake County
Indiana, remark: "There are two distinct forms of _Prunus americana_;
one with slender branches and large flowers with glandular calyx, found
in swamps and another found with stout branches and much smaller flowers
with the calyx less glandular, grows in dry soil." This no doubt refers
to the species under discussion.
In 1898 the author found this species growing in a swamp in Wells
County, and transplanted a specimen to high ground in his orchard. It
has persisted ever since, growing vigorously and freely suckering from
the roots, but it has been quite susceptible to the San Jose scale.
=4. Prunus hortulàna= Bailey. Wild Goose Plum. Plate 102. Small trees
with bark exfoliating in plates or rolls on old trees; twigs smooth;
leaves oblong-oval, oval, slightly ovate or obovate, generally 6-11 cm.
long and 2.5-5.5 cm. wide, rounded and often slightly oblique at the
base, acuminate at the apex, margins finely serrated with short rounded
and glandular teeth, generally glossy and smooth above, more or less
pubescent all over beneath with long hairs, the midrib and lateral veins
usually prominent below, petioles pubescent on the inner face and
usually bearing one or more glands; flowers appear with the leaves in
April or May in umbels of 2-4; calyx glabrous, the lobes glabrous on the
outer face, and more or less pubescent within, margins glandular; fruit
ripens in August, generally globose, red; stone generally short oval,
very turgid, face reticulated.
[Illustration: Plate 102.