Cherry Laurel

''Prunus'' subg. ''Padus'' is a subgenus of ''Prunus'', characterised by having racemose inflorescences. ''Padus'' was originally a distinct genus, but genetic and morphological studies have shown that ''Padus'' is polyphyletic. It has been proposed that all the racemose taxa within ''Prunus'' (''Padus'', ''Maddenia'', ''Laurocerasus'' and ''Pygeum'') are incorporated into a broad-sense ''Prunus'' subg. ''Padus''.

''Padus'' is the Latin name for the Po River. The term ''Padus'' (παδος) in reference to the plant comes from the Greek father of botany, Theophrastus, meaning "from the River Po."

Species

''Padus''

Species formerly included in the genus ''Padus'' are mostly incorporated into this subgenus, except '' P. maackii'' and '' P. xingshanensis'' which are included in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus''. They are deciduous and have small, sour fruit usually only palatable to birds, hence the name bird cherries. Bird cherries are native throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere, including:
* Prunus alabamensis – Alabama black cherry, Southeastern United States
* ''Prunus brachypoda'' – China
* ''Prunus brunnescens'' – Sichuan and Yunnan
* ''Prunus buergeriana'' – Buerger's bird cherry, East Asia and Himalaya
* ''Prunus cornuta'' – Himalayan bird cherry, Himalaya
* ''Prunus grayana'' – Gray's bird cherry, China and Japan
* ''Prunus gyirongensis'' entire-leaved bird cherry, Tibet
* ''Prunus napaulensis'' Nepalese bird cherry, China and Himalaya
* ''Prunus obtusata'' - China
* ''Prunus padus'' – bird cherry or Eurasian bird cherry, Eurasia
* ''Prunus perulata'' – Sichuan and Yunnan
* ''Prunus serotina'' – black cherry, North America
* ''Prunus ssiori'' – Hokkaido bird cherry, Japan and Sakhalin
* ''Prunus stellipila'' – China
* ''Prunus velutina'' – China
* ''Prunus virginiana'' – chokecherry, North America
* '' Prunus wilsonii'' – Wilson's bird cherry, China

''Maddenia''

Species formerly included in the genus ''Maddenia'' ( zh, 假稠李, false bird cherries, or , odorous cherries) form a monophyletic group. They are similar to bird cherries but lack petals. There are five species:
* '' Prunus fujianensis'' – Fujian false bird cherry, southeastern China
* '' Prunus gongshanensis'' – Gongshan false bird cherry, southwestern China
* ''Prunus himalayana'' – Himalayan false bird cherry, southwestern China, Myanmar, Himalaya
* '' Prunus hypoleuca'' (synonyms: , ''Prunus incisoserrata'') – false bird cherry, China
* '' Prunus hypoxantha'' – Sichuan false bird cherry, western to central China

''Laurocerasus''

Species formerly included in the genus ''Laurocerasus'' (cherry laurels) are evergreen. Examples are:
* ''Prunus amplifolia''
* '' Prunus brittoniana''
* ''Prunus caroliniana''
* '' Prunus ilicifolia''
* '' Prunus integrifolia''
* '' Prunus javanica''
* ''Prunus laurocerasus''
* ''Prunus lusitanica''
* ''Prunus myrtifolia''
* '' Prunus oblonga''
* '' Prunus occidentalis''
* ''Prunus oleifolia''
* '' Prunus phaeosticta''
* ''Prunus reflexa''
* '' Prunus spinulosa''
* '' Prunus tucumanensis''
* '' Prunus undulata''

''Pygeum''

The ''Pygeum'' group is monophyletic if '' P. africana'' (possibly as well as '' P. crassifolia'') is excluded. All the species formerly included in the genus ''Pygeum'', except ''P. africana'' (and ''P. crassifolia''), are native to tropical Asia and Oceania. They are similar to cherry laurels but lack petals. Examples are:
* ''Prunus africana''
* '' Prunus arborea''
* ''Prunus ceylanica''
* '' Prunus costata''
* '' Prunus crassifolia''
* '' Prunus dolichobotrys''
* '' Prunus gazelle-peninsulae''
* '' Prunus grisea''
* ''Prunus lancilimba''
* '' Prunus malayana''
* '' Prunus oligantha''
* ''Prunus oocarpa''
* '' Prunus polystachya''
* ''Prunus pullei''
* '' Prunus schlechteri''
* '' Prunus turneriana''
* '' Prunus wallaceana''

References

External links

* North Dakota State University agriculture information page about ''Prunus virginiana'



{{Taxonbar, from=Q1935589

Bird cherries,
Padus
Cherries
Plant subgenera