''Prunus'' is a genus of
tree
In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...
s and
shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from tree ...
s, which includes (among many others) the fruits
plum
A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes.
History
Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found ...
s,
cherries
A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus '' Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit).
Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet ''Prunus avium'' and the sour ''Prunus cerasus''. The ...
,
peach
The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, n ...
es,
nectarines
The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, no ...
,
apricot
An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus '' Prunus''.
Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are al ...
s, and
almond
The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genu ...
s.
Native to the North American temperate regions, the neotropics of South America, and the paleotropics of Asia and Africa,
430 different species are classified under ''Prunus''.
Many members of the genus are widely cultivated for their fruit and for decorative purposes. ''Prunus'' fruit are
drupe
In botany, a drupe (or stone fruit) is an indehiscent fruit in which an outer fleshy part ( exocarp, or skin, and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a single shell (the ''pit'', ''stone'', or ''pyrena'') of hardened endocarp with a seed (''kernel ...
s, or stone fruits. The fleshy
mesocarp
Fruit anatomy is the plant anatomy of the internal structure of fruit. Fruits are the mature ovary or ovaries of one or more flowers. They are found in three main anatomical categories: aggregate fruits, multiple fruits, and simple fruits. Agg ...
surrounding the
endocarp
Fruit anatomy is the plant anatomy of the internal structure of fruit. Fruits are the mature ovary or ovaries of one or more flowers. They are found in three main anatomical categories: aggregate fruits, multiple fruits, and simple fruits. Aggr ...
is edible while the endocarp itself forms a hard, inedible shell called the
pyrena
A pyrena or pyrene (commonly called a "pit" or "stone") is the fruitstone within a drupe or drupelet produced by the ossification of the endocarp or lining of the fruit. It consists of a hard endocarp tissue surrounding one or more seeds (al ...
("stone" or "pit").
This shell encloses the seed (or "kernel") which is edible in many species (such as
almond
The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genu ...
s) but poisonous in others (such as
apricot
An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus '' Prunus''.
Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are al ...
s). Besides being eaten off the hand, most ''Prunus'' fruit are also commonly used in processing, such as jam production, canning, drying, and seeds for roasting.
Botany
Members of the genus can be
deciduous
In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, ...
or
evergreen
In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...
. A few species have spiny stems. The leaves are simple, alternate, usually
lanceolate
The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf plant morphology, morphology in the description and taxonomy (biology), taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflet (bo ...
, unlobed, and often with
nectaries
Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualist ...
on the leaf stalk along with
stipules
In botany, a stipule is an outgrowth typically borne on both sides (sometimes on just one side) of the base of a leafstalk (the petiole). Stipules are considered part of the anatomy of the leaf of a typical flowering plant, although in many speci ...
. The
flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanis ...
s are usually white to pink, sometimes red, with five
petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corolla''. Petals are usuall ...
s and five
sepal
A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coine ...
s. Numerous
stamens
The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...
are present. Flowers are borne singly, or in
umbel
In botany, an umbel is an inflorescence that consists of a number of short flower stalks (called pedicels) that spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs. The word was coined in botanical usage in the 1590s, from Latin ''umbella'' "p ...
s of two to six or sometimes more on
raceme
A raceme ( or ) or racemoid is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along the shoots that bear the flowers. The oldest flowers grow close to the base and new flowers are produced as the s ...
s. The fruit is a fleshy drupe (a "prune") with a single relatively large, hard-coated seed (a "stone").
Within the rose family
Rosaceae
Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera.
The name is derived from the type genus ''Rosa''. Among the most species-rich genera are '' Alchemilla'' (270), ''Sorb ...
, it was traditionally placed as a
subfamily
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classifica ...
, the
Amygdaloideae
Amygdaloideae is a subfamily within the flowering plant family Rosaceae. It was formerly considered by some authors to be separate from Rosaceae, and the family names Prunaceae and Amygdalaceae have been used. Reanalysis from 2007 has shown that ...
(incorrectly "Prunoideae"), but was sometimes placed in its own family, the
Prunaceae
Amygdaloideae is a subfamily within the flowering plant family Rosaceae. It was formerly considered by some authors to be separate from Rosaceae, and the family names Prunaceae and Amygdalaceae have been used. Reanalysis from 2007 has shown that ...
(or Amygdalaceae). More recently, ''Prunus'' is thought to have evolved from within a much larger clade now called subfamily Amygdaloideae (incorrectly "Spiraeoideae").
[
]
Classification
Evolutionary history
The oldest fossils confirmed to belonging to ''Prunus'' date to the Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', ...
, which are found across the Northern Hemisphere, older potential Late Cretaceous records are unconfirmed.
Linnean classification
In 1737, Carl Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, ...
used four genera to include the species of modern ''Prunus''—''Amygdalus, Cerasus, Prunus'', and ''Padus''—but simplified it to ''Amygdalus'' and ''Prunus'' in 1758. Since then, the various genera of Linnaeus and others have become subgenera and sections, as all the species clearly are more closely related. Liberty Hyde Bailey
Liberty Hyde Bailey (March 15, 1858 – December 25, 1954) was an American horticulturist and reformer of rural life. He was cofounder of the American Society for Horticultural Science.Makers of American Botany, Harry Baker Humphrey, Ronald Pres ...
says: "The numerous forms grade into each other so imperceptibly and inextricably that the genus cannot be readily broken up into species."
Traditional classification
Historical treatments break the genus into several different genera, but this segregation is not currently widely recognised other than at the subgeneric rank. The ITIS
The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) is an American partnership of federal agencies designed to provide consistent and reliable information on the taxonomy of biological species. ITIS was originally formed in 1996 as an interagen ...
recognises just the single genus ''Prunus'', with an open list of species, all of which are given at List of Prunus species
Plants of the World Online list
The following species in the genus ''Prunus'' are recognised by Plants of the World Online:
POWO A-C
*'' P. africana''
*'' P. aitchisonii''
*'' P. alaica''
*'' P. albicaulis''
*'' P. americana''
*'' P. ampl ...
.
One treatment of the subgenera derives from the work of Alfred Rehder
Alfred Rehder (4 September 1863 in Waldenburg, Saxony – 25 July 1949 in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts) was a German-American botanical taxonomist and dendrologist who worked at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. He is generally ...
in 1940. Rehder hypothesized five subgenera: ''Amygdalus, Prunus, Cerasus, Padus'', and ''Laurocerasus''. To them C. Ingram added ''Lithocerasus''. The six subgenera are described as follows:
* Subgenus ''Amygdalus'', almond
The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genu ...
s and peach
The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, n ...
es: 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 groove along one side; stone deeply grooved; type species: '' Prunus dulcis'' (almond)
* Subgenus ''Prunus'', plum
A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes.
History
Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found ...
s and apricot
An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus '' Prunus''.
Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are al ...
s: axillary buds solitary; flowers in early spring stalked, not on leafed shoots; fruit with a groove along one side, stone rough; type species: ''Prunus domestica
''Prunus domestica'', the European plum is a species of flowering plant in the family Rosaceae. A deciduous tree, it includes many varieties of the fruit trees known as plums in English, though not all plums belong to this species. The greengag ...
'' (plum)
* Subgenus ''Cerasus'', true cherries
''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus'' is a subgenus of ''Prunus.'' Species of the subgenus have a single winter bud per axil. The flowers are usually in small corymbs or umbels of several together (occasionally solitary, e.g. ''P. serrula''), but some s ...
: axillary buds single; flowers in early spring in corymbs, long-stalked, not on leafed shoots; fruit not grooved, stone smooth; type species: ''Prunus cerasus
''Prunus cerasus'' (sour cherry, tart cherry, or dwarf cherry) is a species of ''Prunus'' in the subgenus '' Cerasus'' (cherries), native to much of Europe and southwest Asia. It is closely related to the sweet cherry (''Prunus avium''), but ha ...
'' (sour cherry)
* Subgenus ''Lithocerasus'', bush cherries
''Prunus'' sect. ''Microcerasus'' is a section of ''Prunus''. It used to be included in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus'', but phylogenetic research indicates it belongs to ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus''. It differs from ''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus'' by ...
: axillary buds in threes; flowers in early spring in corymbs, long-stalked, not on leafed shoots; fruit not grooved, stone smooth; type species: '' Prunus pumila'' (sand cherry)
* Subgenus ''Padus'', bird cherries
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweight ...
: axillary buds single; flowers in late spring in racemes on leafy shoots, short-stalked; fruit not grooved, stone smooth; type species: ''Prunus padus
''Prunus padus'', known as bird cherry, hackberry, hagberry, or Mayday tree, is a flowering plant in the Rosaceae, rose family. It is a species of cherry, a deciduous small tree or large shrub up to tall. It is the type species of the subgenus ...
'' (European bird cherry), now known to be polyphyletic
* Subgenus ''Laurocerasus'', cherry laurel
''Prunus'' subg. ''Padus'' is a subgenus of ''Prunus'', characterised by having racemose inflorescences. ''Padus'' was originally a distinct genus, but genetic and morphological studies have shown that ''Padus'' is polyphyletic. It has been propo ...
s: mostly evergreen
In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...
(all the other subgenera are deciduous
In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, ...
); axillary buds single; flowers in early spring in racemes, not on leafed shoots, short-stalked; fruit not grooved, stone smooth; type species: ''Prunus laurocerasus
''Prunus laurocerasus'', also known as cherry laurel, common laurel and sometimes English laurel in North America, is an evergreen species of cherry ('' Prunus''), native to regions bordering the Black Sea in southwestern Asia and southeastern ...
'' (European cherry-laurel)
Phylogenetic classification
An extensive phylogenetic study based on different chloroplast and nuclear sequences divides ''Prunus'' into three subgenera:
* Subg. ''Padus'': In addition to species of ''Padus'' (bird cherries), this subgenus also includes species of ''Maddenia'' (false bird cherries), ''Laurocerasus'' (cherry laurels) and ''Pygeum''.
* Subg. ''Cerasus'': This subgenus includes true cherries such as sweet cherry, sour cherry
''Prunus cerasus'' (sour cherry, tart cherry, or dwarf cherry) is a species of ''Prunus'' in the subgenus '' Cerasus'' (cherries), native to much of Europe and southwest Asia. It is closely related to the sweet cherry (''Prunus avium''), but ...
, mahaleb cherry and Japanese flowering cherry
''Prunus serrulata'' or Japanese cherry is a species of cherry tree that grows naturally in Japan, China, and Korea, and it also refers to a cultivar produced from ''Prunus speciosa'' (Oshima cherry), a cherry tree endemic in Japan.Toshio ...
.
* Subg. ''Prunus'': This subgenus includes the following sections:
** Sect. ''Prunus'': Old World plums
** Sect. ''Prunocerasus'': New World plums
** Sect. ''Armeniaca'': apricots
** Sect. ''Microcerasus'': bush cherries
** Sect. ''Amygdalus'': almonds
** Sect. ''Persica'': peaches
** Sect. ''Emplectocladus'': desert almonds
Species
The lists below are incomplete, but include most of the better-known species.
Eastern Hemisphere
* '' P. africana'' – African cherry
* '' P. apetala'' – clove cherry
* '' P. armeniaca'' – apricot
* '' P. avium'' – sweet cherry or wild cherry
* '' P. brigantina'' – Briançon apricot
* '' P. buergeriana'' – dog cherry
* '' P. campanulata'' – Taiwan cherry
* '' P. canescens'' – gray-leaf cherry
* '' P. cerasifera'' – cherry plum
* '' P. cerasoides'' – wild Himalayan cherry
* '' P. cerasus'' – sour cherry
* '' P. ceylanica''
* '' P. cocomilia'' – Italian plum
* '' P. cornuta'' – Himalayan bird cherry
* '' P. davidiana'' – David's peach
* '' P. darvasica'' – Darvaz plum
* '' P. domestica'' – common plum
* '' P. dulcis'' – almond
* '' P. fruticosa'' – European dwarf cherry
* '' P. glandulosa'' – Chinese bush cherry
* '' P. grayana'' – Japanese bird cherry
* '' P. incana'' – willow-leaf cherry
* '' P. incisa'' – Fuji cherry
* '' P. jacquemontii'' – Afghan bush cherry
* '' P. japonica'' – Japanese bush cherry
* '' P. laurocerasus'' – cherry laurel
* '' P. lusitanica'' – Portugal laurel
* '' P. maackii'' – Manchurian cherry
* '' P. mahaleb'' – Mahaleb cherry
* '' P. mandshurica'' – Manchurian apricot
* '' P. maximowiczii'' – Korean cherry
* '' P. mume'' – Chinese plum
* '' P. nipponica'' – Japanese alpine cherry
* '' P. padus'' – bird cherry
* '' P. persica'' – peach
* '' P. pseudocerasus'' – Chinese sour cherry
* '' P. prostrata'' – mountain cherry
* '' P. salicina'' – Japanese plum
* '' P. sargentii'' – north Japanese hill cherry
* '' P. scoparia'' – mountain almond
* '' P. serrula'' – Tibetan cherry
* '' P. serrulata'' – Japanese cherry
* '' P. sibirica'' – Siberian apricot
* '' P. simonii'' – apricot plum
* '' P. speciosa'' – Oshima cherry
* '' P. spinosa'' – blackthorn, sloe
* '' P. ssiori'' – Hokkaido bird cherry
* '' P. subhirtella'' – winter-flowering cherry
* '' P. tenella'' – dwarf Russian almond
* '' P. tomentosa'' – Nanking cherry
* '' P. triloba'' – flowering plum
* '' P. turneriana'' – almondbark
* '' P. ursina'' – Bear's plum
* ''P.'' × ''yedoensis'' – Yoshino cherry
* '' P. zippeliana'' – big-leaf cherry (Chinese: 大叶桂樱)
Western Hemisphere
* '' P. alabamensis'' – Alabama cherry
* '' P. alleghaniensis'' – Allegheny plum
* '' P. americana'' – American plum
* '' P. andersonii'' – desert peach
* '' P. angustifolia'' – Chickasaw plum
* '' P. brasiliensis''
* '' P. buxifolia''
* '' P. caroliniana'' – Carolina laurelcherry
* '' P. cortapico''
* '' P. emarginata'' – bitter cherry
* '' P. eremophila'' – Mojave Desert plum
* '' P. fasciculata'' – wild almond
* '' P. fremontii'' – desert apricot
* '' P. geniculata'' – scrub plum
* '' P. gentryi''
* '' P. gracilis'' – Oklahoma plum
* '' P. havardii'' – Havard's plum
* '' P. hortulana'' – Hortulan plum
* '' P. huantensis''
* '' P. ilicifolia'' – hollyleaf cherry
* '' P. integrifolia''
* '' P. maritima'' – beach plum
* '' P. mexicana'' – Mexican plum
* '' P. minutiflora'' – Texas almond
* '' P. murrayana'' – Murray's plum
* '' P. myrtifolia'' – West Indies cherry
* '' P. nigra'' – Canada plum
* '' P. occidentalis'' – western cherry laurel
* '' P. pensylvanica'' – pin cherry
* '' P. pleuradenia'' – Antilles cherry
* '' P. pumila'' – sand cherry
* '' P. rigida''
* '' P. rivularis'' – creek plum
* '' P. serotina'' – black cherry
* '' P. subcordata'' – Klamath plum
* '' P. subcorymbosa''
* '' P. texana'' – peachbush
* '' P. umbellata'' – flatwoods plum
* '' P. virginiana'' – chokecherry
Cultivation
The genus ''Prunus'' includes the almond
The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genu ...
, the nectarine and peach
The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, n ...
, several species of apricots
An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus '' Prunus''.
Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are al ...
, cherries
A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus ''Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit).
Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet ''Prunus avium'' and the sour ''Prunus cerasus''. The nam ...
, and plums
A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes.
History
Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found i ...
, all of which have cultivar
A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...
s developed for commercial fruit
In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering.
Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...
and nut production. The almond is not a true nut
Nut often refers to:
* Nut (fruit), fruit composed of a hard shell and a seed, or a collective noun for dry and edible fruits or seeds
* Nut (hardware), fastener used with a bolt
Nut or Nuts may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Co ...
; the edible part is the seed. Other species are occasionally cultivated or used for their seed and fruit.
A number of species, hybrids, and cultivar
A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...
s are grown as ornamental plant
Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...
s, usually for their profusion of flowers, sometimes for ornamental foliage and shape, and occasionally for their bark.
Because of their considerable value as both food and ornamental plants, many ''Prunus'' species have been introduced to parts of the world to which they are not native, some becoming naturalised.
The Tree of 40 Fruit has 40 varieties grafted on to one rootstock.
Species such as blackthorn (''Prunus spinosa
''Prunus spinosa'', called blackthorn or sloe, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. The species is native to Europe, western Asia, and regionally in northwest Africa. It is locally naturalized in New Zealand, Tasmania, ...
''), are grown for hedging, game cover, and other utilitarian purposes.
The wood of some species (notably black cherry
''Prunus serotina'', commonly called black cherry,World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference, Second Edition'. CRC Press; 19 April 2016. . p. 833–. wild black cherry, rum cherry, or mountain black cherry, is a deciduous tree or shrub of the g ...
) is prized as a furniture
Furniture refers to movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g., stools, chairs, and sofas), eating (tables), storing items, eating and/or working with an item, and sleeping (e.g., beds and hammocks). Fu ...
and cabinetry
A cabinet is a case or cupboard with shelves and/or drawers for storing or displaying items. Some cabinets are stand alone while others are built in to a wall or are attached to it like a medicine cabinet. Cabinets are typically made of wood (s ...
timber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
, especially in North America.
Many species produce an aromatic gum from wounds in the trunk; this is sometimes used medicinally. Other minor uses include dye production.
Pygeum, a herbal remedy containing extracts from the bark of ''Prunus africana
''Prunus africana'', the African cherry, has a wide distribution in Africa, occurring in montane regions of central and southern Africa and on the islands of Bioko, São-Tomé, Grande Comore, and Madagascar. It can be found at above sea level. I ...
'', is used as to alleviate some of the discomfort caused by inflammation in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also called prostate enlargement, is a noncancerous increase in size of the prostate gland. Symptoms may include frequent urination, trouble starting to urinate, weak stream, inability to urinate, or loss o ...
.
''Prunus'' species are food plants for the larva
A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle.
The ...
e of many Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...
species (butterflies
Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...
and moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...
s); see List of Lepidoptera which feed on ''Prunus''.
''Prunus'' species are included in the Tasmania
)
, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
n Fire Service's list of low flammability
A combustible material is something that can burn (i.e., ''combust'') in air. A combustible material is flammable if it ignites easily at ambient temperatures. In other words, a combustible material ignites with some effort and a flammable mat ...
plants, indicating that it is suitable for growing within a building protection zone.
Ornamental ''Prunus''
Ornamentals include the group that may be collectively called "flowering cherries
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
" (including ''sakura'', the Japanese flowering cherries).
Toxicity
Many species are cyanogenic
Cyanide is a naturally occurring, rapidly acting, toxic chemical that can exist in many different forms.
In chemistry, a cyanide () is a chemical compound that contains a functional group. This group, known as the cyano group, consists of a ...
; that is, they contain compounds called cyanogenic glucoside
A glucoside is a glycoside that is derived from glucose. Glucosides are common in plants, but rare in animals. Glucose is produced when a glucoside is hydrolysed by purely chemical means, or decomposed by fermentation or enzymes.
The name was o ...
s, notably amygdalin
Amygdalin (from Ancient Greek: ' "almond") is a naturally occurring chemical compound found in many plants, most notably in the seeds (kernels) of apricots, bitter almonds, apples, peaches, cherries, and plums.
Amygdalin is classified as a cy ...
, which, on hydrolysis
Hydrolysis (; ) is any chemical reaction in which a molecule of water breaks one or more chemical bonds. The term is used broadly for substitution reaction, substitution, elimination reaction, elimination, and solvation reactions in which water ...
, yield hydrogen cyanide
Hydrogen cyanide, sometimes called prussic acid, is a chemical compound with the formula HCN and structure . It is a colorless, extremely poisonous, and flammable liquid that boils slightly above room temperature, at . HCN is produced on an ...
. Although the fruits of some may be edible by humans and livestock (in addition to the ubiquitous fructivore of birds), seeds, leaves and other parts may be toxic, some highly so. The plants contain no more than trace amounts of hydrogen cyanide, but on decomposition after crushing and exposure to air or on digestion, poisonous amounts may be generated. The trace amounts may give a characteristic taste ("bitter almond") with increasing bitterness in larger quantities, less tolerable to people than to birds, which habitually feed on specific fruits.
Benefits to human health
People are often encouraged to consume many fruits because they are rich in a variety of nutrients and phytochemicals that are supposedly beneficial to human health. The fruits of ''Prunus'' often contain many phytochemical
Phytochemicals are chemical compounds produced by plants, generally to help them resist fungi, bacteria and plant virus infections, and also consumption by insects and other animals. The name comes . Some phytochemicals have been used as poisons ...
s and antioxidant
Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals. This can lead to polymerization and other chain reactions. They are frequently added to industrial products, such as fuels and lubricant ...
s. These compounds have properties that have been linked to preventing different diseases and disorders. Research suggests that the consumption of these fruits reduces the risk of developing diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes
Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...
, and other age-related declines. Many factors can affect the levels of bioactive compounds in the different fruits of the genus ''Prunus'', including the environment, season, processing methods, orchard operations, and postharvest management.
Cherries
Cherries contain many different phenolic compounds and anthocyanin
Anthocyanins (), also called anthocyans, are water-soluble vacuolar pigments that, depending on their pH, may appear red, purple, blue, or black. In 1835, the German pharmacist Ludwig Clamor Marquart gave the name Anthokyan to a chemical compo ...
s, which are indicators of being rich in antioxidants. Recent research has linked the phenolic compounds of the sweet cherry (''Prunus avium
''Prunus avium'', commonly called wild cherry, sweet cherry, gean, or bird cherryWorld Economic Plants: A Standard Reference, Second Edition'. CRC Press; 19 April 2016. . p. 833–. is a species of cherry, a flowering plant in the rose family, ...
'') with antitumor properties.
Reactive oxygen species
In chemistry, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive chemicals formed from diatomic oxygen (). Examples of ROS include peroxides, superoxide, hydroxyl radical, singlet oxygen, and alpha-oxygen.
The reduction of molecular oxygen () p ...
(ROS) include superoxide radical
In chemistry, a superoxide is a compound that contains the superoxide ion, which has the chemical formula . The systematic name of the anion is dioxide(1−). The reactive oxygen ion superoxide is particularly important as the product of the ...
s, hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound with the formula . In its pure form, it is a very pale blue liquid that is slightly more viscous than water. It is used as an oxidizer, bleaching agent, and antiseptic, usually as a dilute solution (3% ...
, hydroxyl radical
The hydroxyl radical is the diatomic molecule . The hydroxyl radical is very stable as a dilute gas, but it decays very rapidly in the condensed phase. It is pervasive in some situations. Most notably the hydroxyl radicals are produced from the ...
s, and singlet oxygen
Singlet oxygen, systematically named dioxygen(singlet) and dioxidene, is a gaseous inorganic chemical with the formula O=O (also written as or ), which is in a quantum state where all electrons are spin paired. It is kinetically unstable at ambie ...
; they are the byproducts of metabolism. High levels of ROS lead to oxidative stress, which causes damage to lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. The oxidative damage results in cell death, which ultimately leads to numerous diseases and disorders. Antioxidants act as a defense mechanism against the oxidative stress. They are used to remove the free radicals
In chemistry, a radical, also known as a free radical, is an atom, molecule, or ion that has at least one unpaired valence electron.
With some exceptions, these unpaired electrons make radicals highly chemically reactive. Many radicals spont ...
in a living system that are generated as ROS. Some of those antioxidants include gutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase
Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) () is the general name of an enzyme family with peroxidase activity whose main biological role is to protect the organism from oxidative damage. The biochemical function of glutathione peroxidase is to reduce lipid h ...
, superoxide dismutase
Superoxide dismutase (SOD, ) is an enzyme that alternately catalyzes the dismutation (or partitioning) of the superoxide () radical into ordinary molecular oxygen (O2) and hydrogen peroxide (). Superoxide is produced as a by-product of oxygen me ...
, and catalase
Catalase is a common enzyme found in nearly all living organisms exposed to oxygen (such as bacteria, plants, and animals) which catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen. It is a very important enzyme in protecting t ...
. The antioxidants present in cherry extracts act as inhibitors of the free radicals. However, the DNA and proteins can be damaged when an imbalance occurs in the level of free radicals and the antioxidants. When not enough antioxidants are available to remove the free radicals, many diseases can occur, such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...
, etc. Recent studies have shown that using natural antioxidants as a supplement in chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (often abbreviated to chemo and sometimes CTX or CTx) is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemotherap ...
can decrease the amount of oxidative damage. Some of these natural antioxidants include ascorbic acid
Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid and ascorbate) is a water-soluble vitamin found in citrus and other fruits and vegetables, also sold as a dietary supplement and as a topical 'serum' ingredient to treat melasma (dark pigment spots) an ...
, tocopherol
Tocopherols (; TCP) are a class of organic chemical compounds (more precisely, various methylated phenols), many of which have vitamin E activity. Because the vitamin activity was first identified in 1936 from a dietary fertility factor in rats, i ...
, and epigallocatechin gallate
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), also known as epigallocatechin-3-gallate, is the ester of epigallocatechin and gallic acid, and is a type of catechin.
EGCG – the most abundant catechin in tea – is a polyphenol under basic research for its ...
; they can be found in certain cherry extracts.
Almonds
Similar to cherries, strawberries, and raspberries, almonds are also rich in phenolics. Almonds have a high oxygen radical absorbing capacity (ORAC), which is another indicator of being rich in antioxidants. As stated before, high levels of free radicals are harmful, thus having the capacity to absorb those radicals is greatly beneficial. The bioactive compounds, polyphenols and anthocyanins, found in berries and cherries are also present in almonds. Almonds also contain nonflavonoid and flavonoid
Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids; from the Latin word ''flavus'', meaning yellow, their color in nature) are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, and thus commonly consumed in the diets of humans.
Chemically, flavonoids ...
compounds, which contribute to the antioxidant properties of almonds. Flavonoids are a group of structurally related compounds that are arranged in a specific manner and can be found in all vascular plants on land. They also contribute to the antioxidant properties of almonds. Some of the nonflavonoid compounds present are protocatechuic, vanillic, and p-hydroxybenzoic acids. Flavonoid compounds that can be found in the skin of the almond are flavanols
Flavan-3-ols (sometimes referred to as flavanols) are a subgroup of flavonoids. They are derivatives of flavans that possess a 2-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2''H''-chromen-3-ol skeleton. Flavan-3-ols are structurally diverse and include a range of comp ...
, dihydroflavonols
The flavanonols (with two "o"s a.k.a. 3-hydroxyflavanone or 2,3-dihydroflavonol) are a class of flavonoids that use the 3-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-2-phenylchromen-4-one (IUPAC name) backbone.
Some examples include:
* Taxifolin (or Dihydroquercetin)
* ...
, and flavanone
The flavanones, a type of flavonoids, are various aromatic, colorless ketones derived from flavone that often occur in plants as glycosides.
List of flavanones
* Blumeatin
* Butin
* Eriodictyol
* Hesperetin
* Hesperidin
* Homoeriodictyol
* Iso ...
s.
Plums
Of all of the different species of stone fruits, plums are the richest in antioxidants and phenolic compounds. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) varies within each fruit, but in plums, TAC is much higher in the skin than in the flesh of the fruit.
Apricots
Apricots are high in carotenoid
Carotenoids (), also called tetraterpenoids, are yellow, orange, and red organic compound, organic pigments that are produced by plants and algae, as well as several bacteria, and Fungus, fungi. Carotenoids give the characteristic color to pumpki ...
s, which play a key role in light absorption during development. Carotenoids are the pigments that give the pulp and peel of apricots and other ''Prunus'' fruits their yellow and orange colors. Moreover, it is an essential precursor for vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and an essential nutrient for humans. It is a group of organic compounds that includes retinol, retinal (also known as retinaldehyde), retinoic acid, and several provitamin A carotenoids (most notably bet ...
, which is especially important for vision and the immune system in humans. Moreover, these fruits are quite rich in phenolic substances, including catechin
Catechin is a flavan-3-ol, a type of secondary metabolite providing antioxidant roles in plants. It belongs to the subgroup of polyphenols called flavonoids.
The name of the catechin chemical family derives from ''catechu'', which is the tannic ...
, epicatechin
Catechin is a flavan-3-ol, a type of secondary metabolite providing antioxidant roles in plants. It belongs to the subgroup of polyphenols called flavonoids.
The name of the catechin chemical family derives from ''catechu'', which is the tanni ...
, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid
Caffeic acid is an organic compound that is classified as a hydroxycinnamic acid. This yellow solid consists of both phenolic and acrylic functional groups. It is found in all plants because it is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of lignin, one ...
, and ferulic acid
Ferulic acid is a hydroxycinnamic acid, an organic compound with the formula (CH3O)HOC6H3CH=CHCO2H. The name is derived from the genus ''Ferula'', referring to the giant fennel (''Ferula communis''). Classified as a phenolic phytochemical, ferulic ...
.
Peaches and nectarines
Similar to the plum, peaches and nectarines also have higher TAC in the skin than in the flesh. They also contain moderate levels of carotenoids and ascorbic acid. Peaches and nectarines are orange and yellow in color, which can be attributed to the carotenoids present.
Pests and diseases
Various ''Prunus'' species are winter hosts of the Damson-hop aphid, ''Phorodon humuli
The Hop Aphid, or Damson-hop aphid, (''Phorodon humuli''), is an aphid in the superfamily Aphidoidea in the order Hemiptera. It is a true bug and sucks sap.
Host plants
Hop aphid hosts various plants in summer and winter seasons. In winter s ...
'', which is destructive to hops ''Humulus lupulus
''Humulus lupulus'', the common hop or hops, is a species of flowering plant in the hemp family Cannabinaceae, native to Europe, western Asia and North America. It is a perennial, herbaceous climbing plant which sends up new shoots in early spr ...
'' just at the time of their maturity, so plum trees should not be grown in the vicinity of hop fields.
Corking is the drying or withering of fruit tissue. In stone fruit, it is often caused by a lack of boron
Boron is a chemical element with the symbol B and atomic number 5. In its crystalline form it is a brittle, dark, lustrous metalloid; in its amorphous form it is a brown powder. As the lightest element of the ''boron group'' it has th ...
and/or calcium
Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to ...
.
Gummosis
Gummosis is the formation of patches of a gummy substance on the surface of certain plants, particularly fruit trees. This occurs when sap oozes from wounds or cankers as a reaction to outside stimuli such as adverse weather conditions, infection ...
is a nonspecific condition of stone fruits (peach, nectarine, plum, and cherry) in which gum is exuded and deposited on the bark of trees. Gum is produced in response to any type of wound – insect, mechanical injury, or disease.
'' Apiosporina morbosa'' is a major fungal disease in the Northern Americas, with many urban centres running black knot fungus management programs. This disease is best managed by physical removal of knot-bearing branches to prevent spore spread and immediate disposal of infected tissue. Chemical treatment is not largely effective, as trees can easily be re-infected by neighbouring knots.
Palaeobotanical models
The earliest known fossil ''Prunus'' specimens are wood, drupe, seed, and a leaf from the middle Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', ...
of the Princeton Chert of British Columbia, Canada. Using the known age as calibration data, a partial phylogeny
A phylogenetic tree (also phylogeny or evolutionary tree Felsenstein J. (2004). ''Inferring Phylogenies'' Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, MA.) is a branching diagram or a tree showing the evolutionary relationships among various biological spec ...
of some of the Rosaceae from a number of nucleotide sequence
A nucleic acid sequence is a succession of bases signified by a series of a set of five different letters that indicate the order of nucleotides forming alleles within a DNA (using GACT) or RNA (GACU) molecule. By convention, sequences are usu ...
s was reconstructed. ''Prunus'' and its sister clade Maloideae
The Maloideae C.Weber was the apple subfamily, a grouping used by some taxonomists within the rose family, Rosaceae. Recent molecular phylogenetic evidence has shown that the traditional Spiraeoideae and Amygdaloideae form part of the same c ...
(apple subfamily) has been suggested to have diverged which is within the Lutetian
The Lutetian is, in the geologic timescale, a stage or age in the Eocene. It spans the time between . The Lutetian is preceded by the Ypresian and is followed by the Bartonian. Together with the Bartonian it is sometimes referred to as the Midd ...
, or older middle Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', ...
. Stockey and Wehr report: "The Eocene was a time of rapid evolution and diversification in Angiosperm
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
families such as the Rosaceae
Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera.
The name is derived from the type genus ''Rosa''. Among the most species-rich genera are '' Alchemilla'' (270), ''Sorb ...
...."[
The Princeton finds are among a large number of angiosperm fossils from the ]Okanagan Highlands
The Okanagan Highland is an elevated hilly plateau area in British Columbia, Canada, and the U.S. state of Washington (where it is spelled Okanogan Highlands). Rounded mountains with elevations up to above sea level and deep, narrow valleys are ...
dating to the late early and middle Eocene. ''Crataegus
''Crataegus'' (), commonly called hawthorn, quickthorn, thornapple, Voss, E. G. 1985. ''Michigan Flora: A guide to the identification and occurrence of the native and naturalized seed-plants of the state. Part II: Dicots (Saururaceae–Cornacea ...
'' is found at three locations: the McAbee Fossil Beds, British Columbia
McAbee is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*Cory McAbee (born 1961), American writer, director, singer, and songwriter
* Palmer McAbee (1894–1970), American blues harmonica player
See also
*McAbee Fossil Beds
The McAbee F ...
; the Klondike Mountain Formation
The Klondike Mountain Formation is an Early Eocene (Ypresian) geological formation located in the northeast central area of Washington state. The formation, named for the type location designated in 1962, Klondike Mountain north of Republic, Wash ...
around Republic, Washington
Republic is a city in Ferry County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,073 at the 2010 census, a 12.5% increase over the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ferry County. It was the largest mining camp in the Republic Mining Distr ...
, and the Allenby Formation
The Allenby formation is a sedimentary rock formation in British Columbia which was deposited during the Ypresian stage of the Early Eocene. It consists of conglomerates, sandstones with interbedded shales and coal. The shales contain an abun ...
around Princeton, British Columbia
Princeton (originally Vermilion Forks) is a town in the Similkameen region of southern British Columbia, Canada."The rich history of Princeton or how Vermilion Forks made it on the map...", Princeton 2008 Visitors Guide, p. 4. It lies just east o ...
, while ''Prunus'' is found at those locations plus the Coldwater Beds
The Coldwater Beds are a geologic formation of the Okanagan Highlands in British Columbia, Canada. They preserve fossils dating back to the Ypresian stage of the Eocene period, or Wasatchian in the NALMA classification.[Quilchena, British Columbia
Quilchena ( thp, q̓əłmíx) is an unincorporated community located on the south shore of Nicola Lake near the city of Merritt, British Columbia, Canada in that province's Nicola Country region. On the former main route between Merritt and Ka ...]
and Chu Chua Formation
Chu or CHU may refer to:
Chinese history
* Chu (state) (c. 1030 BC–223 BC), a state during the Zhou dynasty
* Western Chu (206 BC–202 BC), a state founded and ruled by Xiang Yu
* Chu Kingdom (Han dynasty) (201 BC–70 AD), a kingdom of the H ...
around Chu Chua, British Columbia. A review of research on the Eocene Okanagan Highlands
The Eocene Okanagan Highlands or Eocene Okanogan Highlands are a series of Early Eocene geological formations which span a transect of British Columbia, Canada, and Washington state, United States. Known for a highly diverse and detailed Paleoflo ...
reported that the Rosaceae were more diverse at higher altitudes. The Okanagan highlands formations date to as early as 52 mya, but the 44.3 mya date, which is approximate, depending on assumptions, might still apply. The authors state: "... the McAbee flora records a diverse early middle Eocene angiosperm-dominated forest."[
]
Etymology
The '' Online Etymology Dictionary'' presents the customary derivations of plum and prune from Latin ''prūnum'', the plum fruit. The tree is ''prūnus''; and Pliny
Pliny may refer to:
People
* Pliny the Elder (23–79 CE), ancient Roman nobleman, scientist, historian, and author of ''Naturalis Historia'' (''Pliny's Natural History'')
* Pliny the Younger (died 113), ancient Roman statesman, orator, w ...
uses ''prūnus silvestris'' to mean the blackthorn
''Prunus spinosa'', called blackthorn or sloe, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. The species is native to Europe, western Asia, and regionally in northwest Africa. It is locally naturalized in New Zealand, Tasmania, ...
. The word is not native Latin, but is a loan from Greek προῦνον (), which is a variant of προῦμνον (), origin unknown. The tree is προύμνη (). Most dictionaries follow Hoffman, ''Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Griechischen'', in making some form of the word a loan from a pre-Greek language of Asia Minor
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
, related to Phrygian.
The first use of ''Prunus'' as a genus name was by Carl Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, ...
in ''Hortus Cliffortianus
The ''Hortus Cliffortianus'' is a work of early botanical literature published in 1737.
The work was a collaboration between Carl Linnaeus and the illustrator Georg Dionysius Ehret, financed by George Clifford in 1735-1736. Clifford, a wealthy A ...
'' of 1737, which went on to become ''Species Plantarum
' (Latin for "The Species of Plants") is a book by Carl Linnaeus, originally published in 1753, which lists every species of plant known at the time, classified into genera. It is the first work to consistently apply binomial names and was the ...
''. In the latter, Linnaeus attributes the word to "Varr.", who it is assumed must be Marcus Terentius Varro
Marcus Terentius Varro (; 116–27 BC) was a Roman polymath and a prolific author. He is regarded as ancient Rome's greatest scholar, and was described by Petrarch as "the third great light of Rome" (after Vergil and Cicero). He is sometimes calle ...
.
Notes
References
External links
*
*
Tree of 40 fruit website
{{Authority control
Rosaceae genera
Fruit trees
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus