Prunus dulcis

(Miller) D. A. Webb

Feddes Repert. 74: 24. 1967.

Common names: Sweet almond amandier
Introduced
Basionym: Amygdalus dulcis Miller Gard. Dict. ed. 8, Amygdalus no. 2. 1768
Synonyms: A. communis Linnaeus Prunus amygdalus Batsch
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 9. Treatment on page 372. Mentioned on page 355, 358.

Trees, not suckering, 50–80 dm, not thorny. Twigs with terminal end buds, glabrous. Leaves deciduous; petiole (8–) 10–25 mm, usually winged distally, glabrous, usually glandular distally or on margins at bases of blades; blade oblong to lanceolate, 2.5–10 × 1–3 cm, base obtuse, margins crenulate-serrulate to crenate-serrate, teeth blunt, glandular, apex acuminate, surfaces glabrous. Inflorescences solitary flowers or 2-flowered fascicles. Pedicels 1–5 mm, glabrous. Flowers blooming before leaf emergence; hypanthium cupulate, 4–7 mm, glabrous externally; sepals erect-spreading to spreading, oblong-ovate, 4–8 mm, margins entire, tomentose, surfaces glabrous; petals pink to nearly white, obovate, elliptic, or suborbiculate, 12–25 mm; ovaries hairy. Drupes gray-green, ovoid-oblong, compressed, 25–40 mm, velutinous; mesocarps leathery (splitting); stones ellipsoid, strongly flattened, pitted. 2n = 16.


Phenology: Flowering Feb–Mar; fruiting Jul–Sep.
Habitat: Roadsides, canyons, grasslands
Elevation: 20–500 m

Distribution

V9 612-distribution-map.jpg

Introduced; Calif., Idaho, Wash., w Asia, n Africa

Discussion

The United States now dominates world almond production with over 40% of the annual crop, all of it grown in or near the Central Valley of California. The in-shell “nuts” sold in stores are the pits of drupes with the leathery mesocarp removed. Almond is among the earliest blossoming trees and one of the first signs of spring in areas where it is grown.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Prunus dulcis"
acuminate +
Joseph R. Rohrer +
(Miller) D. A. Webb +
dark gray +, gray-brown +, reddish-brown +  and reddish +
compound +  and simple +
opposite +  and alternate +
Amygdalus dulcis +
2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
oblong +  and lanceolate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (18 cm180 mm <br />0.18 m <br />) +
membranous +  and leathery +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (?) +  and 3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (?) +
free +  and distinct +
Sweet almond +  and amandier +
solitary +, fascicles +, 2-flowered +  and umbellate +
Calif. +, Idaho +, Wash. +, w Asia +  and n Africa +
not +  and aggregated +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br />) +
compressed +  and ovoid-oblong +
2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
20–500 m +
flattened +
hairy +  and glabrous +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
not +  and aggregated +
not +  and aggregated +
not +  and aggregated +
Roadsides, canyons, grasslands +
persistent +  and deciduous +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
1-64(-90)[-100]-flowered +
crassinucellate +
deciduous +
undulate +, toothed +, entire +, flat +  and lobed +
crenulate-serrulate to crenate-serrate +
inferior +  and superior +
biseriate +  and clustered +
collateral +  and apical +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
0 (?) +  and 4 (?) +
pink +  and nearly white +
free +  and distinct +
suborbiculate;elliptic;suborbiculate;elliptic;obovate +
1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
Flowering Feb–Mar +  and fruiting Jul–Sep. +
adnate +, free +, connate +  and distinct +
Feddes Repert. +
not arillate +
free +  and distinct +
erect-spreading +  and spreading +
oblong-ovate +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
Introduced +
free +  and distinct +
branched +  and simple +
1 +  and 20 +
linear;lanceolate +
flattened +  and ellipsoid +
deciduous +
distinct +
basal +, lateral +, subterminal +  and terminal +
not elongate +
A. communis +  and Prunus amygdalus +
Prunus dulcis +
species +
inconspicuous +
tree +  and not suckering +
hairy +  and glabrous +