Leaves and bark of a wide range of Prunus species were surveyed for the presence of coumarins. Herniarin was found in leaves of all three species (P. mahaleb, P. pensylvanica, P. maximowiczii) previously reported to contain this compound, but the bark of P. maximowiczii contained scopolin. Herniarin was also found in the leaves of P. maackii and P. cerasus cvs. Montmorency and Northstar, but the bark of these species contained only scopolin. Scopolin, and sometimes scopoletin, occurred in the bark of P. cyclamina, P. nipponica var. kurilensis, P. serotina, P. verecunda, P. virginiana and three grafted cultivars of P. avium but not in P. avium seedlings. The inheritance of scopolin in bark was determined in control. pollinated interspecific progenies of P. cyclamina, P. maackii, P. nipponica var. kurilensis, and P. verecunda. The inheritance of heriarin in leaves was determined in several MXM (Mahaleb X Mazzard) root-stocks and a few other progenies.
