''Prunus dictyoneura'' () is a species of

bush cherry ''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 ...

found in Gansu, Hebei, Henan, Jiangsu, Ningxia, Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces of China. A shrub 0.3 to 1.0 (occasionally 2.0)m tall, it prefers to grow in thickets in grasslands on hillsides from 400 to 1600 (occasionally 2,300)m above sea level.

Chloroplast DNA Chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) is the DNA located in chloroplasts, which are photosynthetic organelles located within the cells of some eukaryotic organisms. Chloroplasts, like other types of plastid, contain a genome separate from that in the cell nu ...

sequencing has shown that its closest relative is ''

Prunus humilis ''Prunus humilis'' ( zh, 欧李) is a species of bush cherry native to northern China. It is cultivated for its edible fruit. Chloroplast DNA sequencing has shown that its closest relative is ''Prunus dictyoneura ''Prunus dictyoneura'' () ...

'', at least as far as chloroplasts are concerned.

Description

''P. dictyoneura'' are shrubs at most 2m tall. The bark of branchlets is brownish gray, and young branchlets are pubescent. Winter buds are ovoid and densely downy. The stipules are linear, 3 to 4mm long, with margins gland-tipped and serrate. Petioles are 2 to 3 mm long and densely pubescent. ''P. dictyoneura'' leaf blades are obovate-elliptic, and 1.0 to 2.5cm wide by 2 to 4cm long. They have cuneate bases, serrate or biserrate margins, and rounded to acute apices, with 5 to 8 secondary veins on either side of the midvein, with conspicuous reticulate veins. The abaxial surface of the leaves are pale green and densely brown hirsute, and the adaxial surface of the leaves is dark green and glabrous or pubescent, and usually crisp.Cerasus dictyoneura in Flora of China @ efloras.org
/ref> Inflorescences are one-flowered to three-flowered, and held in a fascicle. Pedicels are 4 to 8cm and densely pubescent. The hypanthia are campanulate, 3 by 3mm and externally pubescent. The sepals are ovate, 3mm long, with acute apices. Petals are white to pink, and obovate. There are 30 to 35 stamens per flower. The styles are almost as long as the stamens. The fruit, a drupe, is red when ripe, and globose. Flowers open before the leaves, in April through May, and fruits set in July through September, depending on local temperatures.

Uses

It is occasionally cultivated for medicinal purposes.

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q17234710, from2=Q11126612 dictyoneura Cherries Medicinal plants of Asia Flora of Ningxia Flora of North-Central China Flora of South-Central China Flora of Southeast China Endemic flora of China Plants described in 1905 dictyoneura