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egg-shaped to oval buds, and double-flowered cherries have mostly conical buds. In some cases the bud shape may confirm a classification, and some other details may give us keys. Sepals can be tightly pressed against the bud or, in other cultivars, distinctly separated; only rarely sepals are reflexed over the calyx tube. Few cultivars, such as 'Ichihara-torano-o', show part of the style and the stigma sticking out of the bud when it is still closed. All identification characteristics of flower buds can be perceived at their best on mature buds that will open within a week. Fragrant Flowers, Nioi-zakura Many Japanese flowering cherries have distinctly scented flowers. Their cumarin-like fragrance is similar to that of crushed almonds, although the scent of 'Ama-no-gawa' has been associated also with freesia. Fragrant cherries are popularly called nioi-zakura in Japan; the word nioi, meaning "fragrance," is often added to a cultivar name. Thus one may come across 'Goten-nioi', 'Hakusan-nioi', 'Hirano-nioi', 'Yae-nioi', and many others. Most individuals of the Oshima cherry have fragrant flowers in their native habitats, and many nioi-sakura are straight selections of this cherry. 'Hosokawa-nioi' is not seen very often outside Japan, but in the West one may come across 'Goza-no-ma-nioi', 'Jo-nioi', 'Surugadai-nioi', or 'Taki-nioi'. All five are nicely scented and have botanic details very similar to the Oshima cherry. 'Nioi-zakura' as a cultivar name applies to a rarely seen selection of the Japanese mountain cherry. As a key in identifying cultivars, fragrance is not very useful since it is quite variable and is difficult to describe. No "Odor Chart" helps us to define scents more precisely. In cold and rainy periods no fragrance can generally be perceived, except on cherries with strongly scented flowers such as 'Ama-no-gawa' and 'Jo-nioi'. Those flowers whose fragrance is rarely perceived, only when the weather is unusually favorable, are described as having "no distinct fragrance." Inflorescences and Flower Stalks The way cherry flowers are attached to their stalks provides many key characteristics, and it is worthwhile to study the inflorescences in detail. The Prunus serrulata garden forms bear their flowers in corymbs. A flowering