Prunus mahaleb L.
(W.R.S., D.R.G.)
St Lucie cherry
Deciduous, densely leafy and rounded small tree or large shrub, up to 6-(10) m high when mature, not armed; trunk short. Lf petiole (6)-8-10 mm long, glabrous; blade thin, broadly elliptic-oblong to orbicular, (16)-20-35 × 15-32 mm, short-apiculate, rounded to slightly attenuate at base, glabrous and slightly shiny on upper surface, with scattered, sparse hairs on lower surface, the hairs denser near base; marginal teeth with small dark cusp; stipules short-triangular, deciduous. Infl. a raceme of (3)-8-12-(14) fragrant fls, on a very short to subsessile lateral shoot, 20-30-(50) mm long, arching; pedicels (3)-6-12-(16) mm long, glabrous, subtended by minute bracts. Hypanthium campanulate; sepals oblong to triangular, 1-2 mm long, rounded at apex, glabrous, greenish, becoming reflexed. Petals 5, spreading, oblong, (3)-4-5-(7) × 2-4 mm, ± rounded, white. Stamens ± = petals; filaments white. Fr. 6-8 × 5-7 mm, globose, glabrous, dark reddish, finally glossy black, very bitter; stone smooth.
S.: N. Canterbury (Waiau R. at Lochiel and Montrose), C. Canterbury (Allandale in Lyttelton Harbour), C. Otago (Fraser Dam area), Southland (Tapanui).
Europe, S.W. Asia 1958
Gully sides, hillsides and terrace faces, on stony and rocky soils.
FL Sep-Nov.
The St Lucie cherry is grown for its early, fragrant fls and is also sometimes used as a stock for grafting other cherries. It is occasionally found as a relic of cultivation. At Montrose on the Waiau R. near Culverden (Canterbury) it forms an extensive scrub on the river terrace bank with hundreds of mature trees and seedlings.
