''Prunus rufoides'' (syn. ''Prunus dielsiana''), called Diel's cherry, the tawny bark cherry, and in , the tailed-leaf cherry, is a species of

cherry 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 ...

native to China, preferring to grow at 500–1400m above sea level, but reaching 1800m. The fruits are eaten by masked palm civets ('' Paguma larvata'') and the fruits, leaves and buds are eaten by gray snub-nosed monkeys ('' Rhinopithecus brelichi'').

Description

It is shrub or tree, usually 5 to 10m tall. Its bark is brownishgray. The leaves have a 0.8 to 1.7mm petiole, and are elliptic to elliptic-obovate, from 6 to 14cm long and 2.5 to 4.5cm wide. The leaves are a darker green on the top surface, with the underside pilose, even villous on the veins. Typically the umbellate or subumbellate inflorescences have 2 to 6 flowers with white or pink petals. Each flower has 32–36 stamens. The fruit, a drupe, is red, 8 to 9mm.

Distribution

Diel's cherry is found in Anhui, Chongqing, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, and Sichuan provinces in China.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from1=Q17234759, from2=Q11041576, from3=Q25123973, from4=Q25123972 dielsiana Cherries Endemic flora of China Flora of South-Central China Flora of Southeast China Plants described in 1905