1910] Fernald,— Plants of Wineland the Good 23 
botanical writers of the North with the true Grape (Vitis). This 
second “ Wine-berry” is Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea, the little berry known 
in northern New England and Canada as the Rock Cranberry or 
Mountain Cranberry; in England and Scotland as Red Whortle-berry, 
Cowberry, Ling-berry, or Wine-berry; in Germany as Preisselbeere or 
Steinbeere; in Denmark and Norway as Tytebaer or Tyteling; and 
in Sweden as Lingon. By the herbalists, at least as late as the 
end of the 16th century, this plant was supposed to be a true Grape, 
and was identified with the Vitis Idaea of Pliny; but in 1597 
Gerarde pointed out, that the plant to which this name had been 
generally applied by students of northern Europe was not the true 
Vitis Idaea of the Ancients. In Gerarde's words, “ Whortle berries 
are called in high Dutch Heydelbéeren: in lowe Dutch Crackebesien, 
bicause they make a certaine cracke whilest they be broken betweene 
the teeth, of diuers Hauerbesien:....and we in England Whortes, 
Whortle berries. . . .and in some places Winberries. .... Most of the 
shops of Germanie do call them Myrtilli, but properly Myrtilli are 
the fruite of the Myrtle tree, as the Apothecaries name them at this day. 
This plant [Vaccinium Vitis-Idaeaj hath no name for ought we can 
learne, either among the Greekes or auncient Latines: for whereas 
most do take it to be Vitis Idaea, or the Corinth tree, which Plinie 
surnameth Alexandrina, it is vntrue; for Vitis Idaea is not onelie like 
to the common Vine, but is also a kinde of Vine. ...This Vine which 
groweth neere to mount Ida, is reported to be like a shrub, with little 
twigs and branches of the length of a cubite, about which are grapes 
growing aslope, black, of the bignes of a Beane, sweete, hauing within 
a certaine winie substance, soft: the leafe of this is rounde, vneut and 
little... . And with this description the little shrub [Vaccinium Vitis- 
Idaea] which the Apothecaries of Germanie do call Myrtillum, doth 
nothing at al agree, as it is very manifest; for it is low, scarce a cubite 
high, with a few short branches not growing to a cubite in length: it 
doth not bring foorth clusters or bunches, nor yet fruite like vnto 
grapes, but berries like those of the Yew tree; not sweete, but some- 
what sower and astringent, in which also there are many little white 
flat seedes. ...Moreouer it is thought that this is not found in Italy, 
Greece, or in lesser Asia, for that Matthiolus affirmeth the same to 
grow no where but in Germanie and Bohemia, so farre is it from being 
called or accounted to be Vitis Idaea, or Alexandrina." ! 
! Gerarde, Herball, 1231 (1597). 
