Wild Himalayan Cherry

This species is cultivated for its fruit.

Trees 3–10(–30) m tall. Branches grayish black; branchlets green, pubescent, glabrescent. Stipules linear, basally strongly gland-tipped fimbriate. Petiole 1.2–2 cm, apex with 2–4 nectaries; leaf blade ovate-lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate, oblong-ovate, or oblong-obovate, (4–)8–12 × (2.2–)3.2–5 cm, subleathery, abaxially pale green and glabrous or villous along veins, adaxially dark green, base rounded, margin acutely biserrulate, biserrate, or serrate and teeth with a minute capitate apical gland, apex acuminate to long acuminate; secondary veins 10–15 on either side of midvein; reticulate veins fine. Inflorescences umbellate, 1–4-flowered; involucral bracts 1–1.2 cm, apically divided, withered after anthesis;. peduncle 1–1.5 cm, glabrous; bracts brownish to greenish brown, suborbicular, papery, persistent or caducous after anthesis, margin glandular serrate. Flowers opening at same time or before leaves. Pedicel 1–2.3 cm, elongated to 3 cm and apically thickened in fruit. Hypanthium red to dark red, campanulate to broadly campanulate. Sepals usually reddish, triangular, 0.4–5.5 cm, erect, margin entire, apex acute to obtuse. Petals white or pink, ovate to obovate, apically entire or emarginate. Stamens 32–34, shorter than petals. Style as long as stamens, glabrous; stigma disciform. Drupe purplish black, ovoid, 1.2–1. 5 × 0.8–1.2 cm; endocarp ovoid, laterally deeply furrowed and pitted, apex obtuse. Fl. Oct–Dec, Feb–Mar.

S Xizang, NW Yunnan [Bhutan, N India, Kashmir, N Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Sikkim, N Thailand, N Vietnam].

Forests in ravines; 700--3700 m.

Prunus cerasoides Buchanan-Hamilton ex D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 239. 1825; Cerasus puddum Roxburgh ex Seringe; C. cerasoides var. rubea (Ingram) T. T. Yü & C. L. Li; Maddenia pedicellata J. D. Hooker; P. carmesina H. Hara; P. cerasoides var. majestica (Koehne) Ingram; P. cerasoides var. rubea Ingram; P. majestica Koehne; P. puddum (Roxburgh ex Seringe) Brandis (1874), not Miquel (1865–1866).