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"
Joseph R. Rohrer +
(Miller) D. A. Webb +
Amygdalus dulcis +
Sweet almond +  and amandier +
Calif. +, Idaho +, Wash. +, w Asia +  and n Africa. +
20–500 m +
Roadsides, canyons, grasslands +
Flowering Feb–Mar +  and fruiting Jul–Sep. +
Feddes Repert. +
Introduced +
A. communis +  and Prunus amygdalus +
Prunus dulcis +
species +