Trees and Shrubs

Prunus persica ‘Merchant Campbell’s’

A Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cultivar. I have found neither a peach nor a nectarine of this name.

Prunus persica ‘Old Newington’

A Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cultivar. ‘Flowers large, pale rose. Fruit large, somewhat globular. Skin pale yellowish white on the side next the wall, but of a beautiful red marbled with dashes and streaks of a deeper colour where fully exposed to the sun. Flesh yellowish white, but very red at the stone, to which it firmly adheres. Juice rich, and of a high vinous flavour. Ripe the middle of September.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.276/1831].

Prunus persica ‘Oldenburg’

A Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cultivar. ‘Fruit medium sized, ovate. Skin pale yellow on the shaded side, but very much covered with very dark red on the side next the sun. Flesh yellowish-white throughout, and without any trace of red next the stone, very melting and juicy, with a rich, sugary, and vinous flavour. Glands kidney-shaped. Flowers small. Ripens in the end of September, and hangs well till it shrivels, when it is very rich.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.128/1860].

Prunus persica ‘Red Roman’

A Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cultivar. ‘Flowers large. Fruit of the largest size, frequently measuring eight inches and a quarter in circumference, somewhat globular, and a little flattened at its apex. Skin greenish yellow next the wall, but where exposed to the sun of a deep muddy red or purple colour, somewhat scabrous, with brown russetty specks. Flesh firm, greenish yellow, but very red at the stone, to which it firmly adheres. Juice plentiful, sugary, of a very high and vinous flavour. Ripe the beginning and middle of September.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.296/1831].

Prunus persica ‘Royal George’

A Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cultivar. ‘Flowers small. Fruit above the middle size, nearly globular. Suture deep, especially at the apex, where it extends almost two thirds across. Skin of a yellowish white next the wall, sprinkled with numerous red dots; but of a deep red, and slightly marbled with a deeper colour on the side next the sun. Flesh melting, yellowish white, but very red at the stone, from which it separates. Juice plentiful, rich, and high-flavoured. Stone ovate, slightly furrowed. Ripe about the middle of September.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.270/1831].

Prunus persica ‘Royal Kensington’

A Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cultivar. For more detailed information on this peach see Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. var. ‘Grosse Mignonne’, ‘Royal Kensington’ being a recognised synonym of this old peach.

Prunus persica ‘Royal’

A Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cultivar. ‘Flowers small, pale red. Fruit large, 10 or 11 inches in circumference, of a roundish figure, rather inclining to oval. Suture deep, having the flesh swelled boldly and equally on both sides, with a slight depression on the summit, where there is usually a small, pointed nipple. Skin pale green or yellowish next the wall; but of a pale red, marbled and streaked with darker shades on the sunny side, cavity of the base rather small, flesh delicate, melting, of a greenish white, but red at the stone, from which it separates. Juice plentiful, and, in a warm season, highly flavoured. Ripe the end of September.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.260/1831].

Prunus persica ‘Shanghai’

A Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cultivar. ‘Fruit very large, roundish. Skin pale yellowish-green on the shaded side, and light red next the sun. Flesh pale yellow, very deep red at the stone, to which some of the strings adhere; melting, juicy, and richly flavoured. Glands kidney-shaped. Flowers large. Ripens in the middle of September. The tree is an excellent bearer, and requires a very warm situation to ripen the fruit properly.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.146/1860].

Prunus persica ‘Stanwick’

A Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cultivar. ‘Fruit large, roundish oval. Skin pale lively green where shaded, and purplish-red where exposed to the sun. Flesh white, melting, rich, sugary and most delicious. Kernel sweet, like that of the sweet almond. Glands kidney-shaped. Flowers large. Ripe the middle and end of September. The fruit is very apt to crack, and requires to be grown under glass. Hitherto it has generally failed to ripen thoroughly against walls in the open air, except in one or two instances, with which I am acquainted, where grown in a light sandy soil and a good exposure, it then ripened thoroughly without cracking.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.129/1860].

Prunus persica ‘Walburton Admirable’

A Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cultivar. ‘Fruit large and round. Skin pale yellowish-green on the shaded side, and crimson, mottled with a darker colour, next the sun. Flesh yellowish-white, melting, juicy, rich, and highly flavoured. Glands round. Flowers small. Ripens in the end of September and beginning of October. This is one of the best late peaches, and the tree is very hardy and a good bearer.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.147/1860].

Prunus persica ‘White China’

A Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cultivar. I have found no record of a peach of this name in the contemporary literature but it is very likely to be a seedling of ‘Shanghai’, which see.

Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.

Bushy, smooth-limbed, small tree or large shrub with lance-shaped leaves and solitary or paired rose-colored flowers, followed by edible round or oval fruits. To 8m. [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’]. 

Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. var. flore pleno

A number of double-flowered varieties of the common peach were available at this time, and this may be an introduction from China or an older variety.  In either case it is a spreading, deciduous tree with solitary, bowl-shaped white, pink or red flowers, before the leaves, in spring, followed by edible red-blushed fruit.  [RHSE, Hortus].  The variety grown by Macarthur is unknown but the discrepancy in dates means that it cannot be one of the very double forms introduced by Robert fortune in 1845.  

Prunus tenella Batsch.

Fully-hardy, bushy, deciduous shrub with upright shoots and bowl-shaped, bright pink flowers, solitary or in profuse clusters of 2-3, produced with the leaves in spring, followed by almond-like fruit.  To 1.5m.  [RHSE, Hilliers’].

Pseudanthus species unidentified

Small heath-like shrubs, leathery leaves, alternate or apparently opposite, flowers in the upper leaf axils, the males clustered on short peduncles, the female solitary.  Three species are found in the Sydney region:

Pseudanthus pimeleoides Sieb. Ex Spreng., uncommon and growing in sandy soils in mist gullies.

Pseudanthus orientalis (Baill.) F.Muell., growing in coastal dunes and heath.

Pseudanthus divaricatissimus (J.Muell.) Benth. found on rocky sites on higher land.  [FNSW].

Macarthur’s plant is likely to be one of these.