The Prunus reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Prunus

Prunus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Rosales Family: Rosaceae Subfamily: Prunoideae Genus: Prunus
Species
Prunus alabamensis Prunus alleghaniensis Prunus americana Prunus andersonii Prunus angustifolia Prunus armeniaca Prunus avium Prunus caroliniana Prunus cerasifera Prunus cerasus Prunus domestica Prunus dulcis Prunus emarginata Prunus fasciculata Prunus fremontii Prunus fruticosa Prunus geniculata Prunus glandulosa Prunus gracilis Prunus havardii Prunus hortulana Prunus ilicifolia Prunus japonica Prunus laurocerasus Prunus lusitanica Prunus mahaleb Prunus maritima Prunus mexicana Prunus minutiflora Prunus mume Prunus munsoniana Prunus murrayana Prunus myrtifolia Prunus nigra Prunus occidentalis Prunus padus Prunus pensylvanica Prunus persica Prunus pleuradenia Prunus pumula Prunus rivularis Prunus salicina Prunus serotina Prunus serrulata Prunus spinosa Prunus subcordata Prunus subhirtella Prunus tenella Prunus texana Prunus tomentosa Prunus triloba Prunus umbellata Prunus virginiana

Table of contents

1 Introduction 2 Classification 3 Uses 4 Selected species by continent 4.1 Old World: 4.2 North America: 5 External links

Introduction

Prunus is a genus of trees and shrubs traditionally placed within the rose family, (Family Rosaceae), but now sometimes placed in its own family, the Prunaceae (or Amygdalaceae), or in a subfamily of Rosaceae, Prunoideae (or Amygdaloideae). There are several hundred species, spread throughout the northern temperate regions.

The flowers are usually white to pink, with five petals and five calyx-lobes. They are borne singly, or in umbels of two to six, or numerous on racemes. The fruit of all Prunus species is a drupe with a relatively large stone. Leaves are simple and usually lanceolate, unlobed and toothed along the margin.

Classification

Some treatments break the genus up into several smaller genera, but this segregation is not widely recognised other than at subgeneric rank. ITIS recognises just the single genus, with the list of species shown at the right.

• Prunus subgenera:
  • Subgenus Amygdalus: almonds and peaches. Axillary buds in threes (vegetative bud central, two flower buds to sides). Flowers in early spring, sessile or nearly so, not on leafed shoots. Fruit with a grove along one side; stone deeply grooved. Type species Prunus dulcis (Almond).
  • Subgenus Prunus: plums and apricots. Axillary buds solitary. Flowers in early spring stalked, not on leafed shoots. Fruit with a grove along one side; stone rough. Type species Prunus domestica (Plum).
  • Subgenus Cerasus: cherries. Axillary buds single. Flowers in early spring in corymbs, long-stalked, not on leafed shoots. Fruit not groved; stone smooth. Type species Prunus cerasus (Sour cherry).
  • Subgenus Lithocerasus: dwarf cherries. Axillary buds in threes. Flowers in early spring in corymbs, long-stalked, not on leafed shoots. Fruit not groved; stone smooth. Type species Prunus pumila (Sand cherry).
  • Subgenus Padus: bird cherries. Axillary buds single. Flowers in late spring in racemes on leafy shoots, short-stalked. Fruit not groved; stone smooth. Type species Prunus padus (European bird cherry).
  • Subgenus Laurocerasus: cherry-laurels. Axillary buds single. Flowers in early spring in racemes, not on leafed shoots, short-stalked. Fruit not groved; stone smooth. Mostly evergreen (all the other subgenera are deciduous). Type species Prunus laurocerasus (European cherry-laurel).

Uses

The genus Prunus includes the almond, apricot, cherry, peach and plum, and all of which have cultivars developed for fruit or (for almonds) nuts. There are also a number of species, hybrids, and cultivars grown for ornament, including their flowers, leaves, and in some cases their bark. These ornamentals include the group that may be collectively called the flowering cherries.

Because of their value as food and ornamental plants, many Prunus species have been introduced to parts of the world to which they are not native.

Many of the Old World species are grown for ornament or fruit, and have been planted through the rest of the world, and some are naturalised elsewhere.

Selected species by continent

Note that these lists are very incomplete.

Old World:

• Prunus armeniaca -- Apricot. Central Asia to China.
• Prunus avium -- Wild cherry, also called the Gean, Mazzard, or Sweet cherry, and the parent of most of the edible cherries. Europe to West Asia.
• Prunus cerasus -- Sour cherry. Europe and southwest Asia.
• Prunus cerasifera -- Myrobalan plum. Europe and southwest Asia.
• Prunus domestica -- Plum and Damson. Believed to be a hybrid, probably from West Asia and the Caucasus.
• Prunus incisa -- Fuji cherry. Japan.
• Prunus laurocerasus -- Cherry laurel, of the Balkans and West Asia.
• Prunus lusitanica -- Portuguese laurel. From Iberia.
• Prunus mahaleb -- St Lucie cherry, or Mahaleb cherry. Europe.
• Prunus mume -- Ume, aka Japanese apricot. China and Japan.
• Prunus padus -- Bird cherry. Northern Eurasia.
• Prunus persica -- Peach, origin uncertain, probably West Asia.
• Prunus serrula -- Tibetan cherry. Western China to central Asia.
• Prunus serrulata -- Japanese cherry. Eastern Asia.
• Prunus simonii -- Apricot plum, from northern China.
• Prunus spinosa -- Blackthorn or Sloe. Europe, North Africa, West Asia.
• Prunus subhirtella -- origin uncertain, but probably East Asia.

North America:

• Prunus allegheniensis -- Allegheny plum. In the Appalachian belt.
• Prunus americana -- American plum. Most of the U.S. east of the Great Plains and southernmost Canada.
• Prunus angustifolia -- Chickasaw plum. Southeast U.S.
• Prunus hortulana -- Hortulan plum. Mostly Missouri and Illinois and surrounding areas.
• Prunus maritima -- Beach plum. Northeast Atlantic coast.
• Prunus mexicana -- Bigtree plum. Southeast Great Plains.
• Prunus munsoniana -- Wild-goose plum. Mostly Missouri and eastern Kansas and surrounding areas.
• Prunus nigra -- Canada plum. Southeasternmost Canada west to Manitoba and northeasternmost U.S.
• Prunus pensylvanica -- Pin cherry. Southern half of Canada and northernmost U.S.
• Prunus pumila -- Sand cherry. Southeast and south-central Canada and northern U.S. west to Wyoming.
• Prunus serotina -- Black cherry. Southeasternmost Canada and most of U.S. east of Great Plains, also found in Arizona and Guatemala.
• Prunus virginiana -- Chokecherry. Southern Canada and most of eastern U.S. except for deep south.

External links

• Partial Prunus species listing: by National Genetics Resources Program

See also blossom, fruit tree

This is the "Prunus" reference article from the English Wikipedia. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.