Prunus vachuschtii

Summary

Prunus vachuschtii is a species of plum known by the common name in Georgian: ალუჩა, romanized: alucha. It is native to the Caucasus region.

Prunus vachuschtii
In fruit
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Prunus
Section: Prunus sect. Prunus
Species:
P. vachuschtii
Binomial name
Prunus vachuschtii
Bregadze, 1976

Uses edit

 
The fruit are green even when ripe

In Georgia, it is eaten in hand and is used to make tkemali, a tart sauce for meat dishes. Although it is probably conspecific with Prunus cerasifera, the cherry plum (in Georgian: ტყემალი, romanized: t'q'emali), Georgians distinguish the two botanically and culinarily.[1] In the Caucasus, P. vachuschtii tends to be found from Caspian sea level up to 500–700 m and P. cerasifera tends to be found at higher elevations, up to 1600–1800 m.[citation needed]

Classification edit

N. N. Bregadze, who was apparently quite the splitter, described the species in 1976, and identified three forms; Prunus vachuschtii f. imeretinea, P. v. f. meczibuche, and P. v. f. vachuschtii.[2]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Batello, Caterina; Avanzato, Damiano; Akparov, Zeynal; Kartvelishvili, Tamar; Melikyan, Andreas (2010). "Chapter 5: A treasury of genetic resources is maintained in gardens" (PDF). Gardens of Biodiversity: Conservation of genetic resources and their use in traditional food production systems by small farmers of the Southern Caucasus. FAO. p. 197. ISBN 978-92-5-106613-3.
  2. ^ Bregadze N. N. Trudy Inst. Bot. Akad. Nauk Gruzinsk. S.S.R., Ser. Fl. Sist. 28:77. 1976