Family: Rosaceae
Prunus
Citation:
L., Sp. Pl. 473 (1753).
Derivation: Prunus, the Latin name for the plum tree.
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: None
Description:
Shrubs or trees, deciduous (p. laurocerasus evergreen), juvenile phases often spiny; buds with imbricate scales; leaves alternate, stipulate, petiolate, mostly entire, often serrate.
Flowers pedicellate or nearly sessile, solitary, in small clusters or in racemes; sepals 5; petals 5; stamens numerous; ovary superior, ovules 2; style simple.
Fruit a drupe mostly succulent but epicarp and mesocarp sometimes splitting at maturity, usually with a bony endocarp.
Distribution:
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A large genus of about 200 species mainly in the temperate region of the Northern Hemisphere.
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Biology:
No text
Uses:
The genus provides many important horticulture fruits, peach, apricot, plum, cherry, almond, now widely grown in temperate areas of the world. All the examples in Australia are introduced.
Taxonomic notes:
Some authors divide the genus into several smaller generic units e.g. Armeniaca, Amygdalus, Cerasus, etc.
Key to Species:
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1. Evergreen shrub; inflorescence a raceme |
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P. laurocerasus 6. |
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1. Deciduous shrubs or trees; inflorescence not clearly racemose |
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3. Leaves cordate; stone ridged near the suture |
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P. armeniaca 1. |
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3. Leaves oblong to oblong-lanceolate; stone pitted |
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4. Fruit dry, dehiscent; stone finely pitted |
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P. dulcis 5. |
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4. Fruit succulent, indehiscent; stone deeply sulcate |
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P. persica vat. persica 7a. |
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2. Ovary and fruit glabrous |
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5. Pedicel at least twice as long as the ripe fruit |
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P. avium 2. |
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5. Pedicel less than twice as long as the ripe fruit |
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6. Pedicel short or absent; petals pink; stone deeply sulcate |
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P. persica var. nectarina 7b. |
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6. Pedicel present, as long as or longer than the fruit; petals white; stone smooth or ridged near the suture |
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7. Young twigs and leaves usually hairy; pedicel shorter than the length of the fruit |
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P. domestica 4. |
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7. Young twigs usually glabrous or sparsely pubescent on the petiole and mid-vein; pedicel longer than the length of the fruit |
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P. cerasifera 3. |
Author:
Not yet available
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