Prunus domestica, L.

10. P. domestica L. View in CoL , Sp. PI. 475 (1753) View Cited Treatment .

Shrub or tree up to 10 m, in cultivated plants with straight, spineless branches, but in wild plants often somewhat spiny, often spreading by suckers; bark dull brown; young twigs dull, usually pubescent. Leaves 3-8 x 1 8 -5 cm, obovate to elliptical, crenate-serrate, glabrous and dull green above, densely pubescent to subglabrous beneath. Flowers usually in clusters of 2-3, appearing with the leaves; pedicel 5-20 mm; petals 7-12 mm, white. Fruit 20-75 mm, globose to oblong, usually pendent, purple, red, yellow or green, sweet or acid, not astringent; endocarp somewhat rugose. Cultivated for its fruits as a field crop in most of Europe except the north-east and extreme north, and widely naturalized. Probably all except Az Cr Fa Is Rs (N) Sb. (Caucasus.) Cultivated plants referable to this species are hexaploid, with 2« = 48; they are usually interpreted as allopolyploids derived from 7 (diploid) and 8 (tetraploid); triploid and hexaploid hybrids of this parentage have been found in the Caucasus. The numerous cultivars and the very variable naturalized plants are best arranged in 2 subspecies; (a) comprises the plums and (b) the damsons and greengages.