Read about Prunus armeniaca in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
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Prunus armeniaca, Linn. (Armeniaca vulgaris, Lam.). Common Apricot. Figs. 279-284, Vol. I. Small round- topped tree with reddish bark much like that of the peach tree: lvs. ovate to round-ovate, sometimes slightly cordate at the base, abruptly short-pointed, glabrous (at least above), closely serrate, the stalks stout and gland-bearing: fls. pinkish, solitary and sessile or very nearly so, appearing from lateral buds of last year's growth (sometimes on short year-old spurs) before the lvs.: fr. variable, nearly smooth when ripe, short-stalked like a peach, usually somewhat flattened, mostly yellow and overlaid more or less with red, the stone flat and smooth, ridged or sulcate on one edge. Probably Siberia (Dahuria, Manchuria) to China as a native plant. It early reached Eu., where it was once supposed to be native of Armenia, whence the name Armeniaca. The Russian apricot is a hardy race of this species. Var. pendula, Dipp., has hanging or pendulous twigs. Var. variegata, Hort., has white-variegated foliage.—P. Armeniaca is apparently widespread in farther Asia and it is variable. By some authors the main forms are separated as species but the differences appear to be too unimportant or inconstant for clear definition and they are here retained as varieties. Var. sibirica, Koch (P. sibirica, Linn. Armeniaca sibirica, Pers.).Siberian Apricot. Bush or small tree, 10 or 12 ft. high: lvs. small and glabrous, or sometimes sparingly bearded beneath, ovate to rounded, long- pointed, unequally crenate-serrate: fls. white or pink, appearing early in the season and usually in great profusion, subsessile, the calyx minutely puberulent: fr. globular, rarely more than 1/2in. diam., vellow with a reddish cheek, scarcely fleshy, practically inedible, finally splitting; stone smooth, very sharp-edged. Mongolia, Dahuria. L.B.C. 17:1627.—Sometimes planted as an ornamental bush. Var. mandshurica, Maxim. (P. mandshurica, Koehne). Lvs. rounded, subcordate or cuneate at base, at apex long-cuspidate and acute, margin strongly double-toothed, the teeth sharp and twice longer than wide: peduncle long (about 1/4 in.): fr. nearly globular, scarcely 1 in. long, yellow, red-spotted, succulent and sweet; stone small and smooth, the margin obtuse, the seed sweet. Manchuria.—Distinguished by the narrow sharp teeth and double serration of the lvs. ; kept as a distinct species by some authors. Var. Ansu, Maxim. (P. Ansu, Komar.). Lvs. broad- elliptic, at base short-cuneate, at apex acuminate, very glabrous, the margins crenate-serrate: peduncles hispid: fls. twin: fr. subglobose, deeply umbilicate or sulcate, red, tomentose, the flesh grayish brown and sweet and free from the minutely reticulated stone which has one very sharp edge. Japan; cult.—Retained as a separate species by some, being marked by the cuneate base of the lf.
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