XIV. THE PLYMOUTH CROWBERRY. 327 



FAMILY XIV. THE CROWBERRY FAMILY. EMPETRA'CEJE. 



NUTTALL. 



This forms a small group of heath-like plants, natives of the 

 northern temperate zone and the southern extremity of South 

 America. It consists of low under-shrubs, with simple, entire, 

 coriaceous leaves, scattered or verticillate, often revolute, without 

 stipules. Flowers in the axils of the upper leaves, sterile, fertile, 

 and perfect, on different or on the same plants, with a calyx 

 of persistent, imbricated scales ; stamens equal in number and 

 alternate with the sepals ; anthers two-celled, the cells distinct, 

 bursting longitudinally. Ovary three to nine-celled ; ovules 

 solitary, ascending ; stigma radiating, the number of its rays 

 equal to that of the cells. Fruit fleshy, globular, three to nine- 

 celled, three to nine-seeded. 



This family was proposed by Mr. Nuttall, to contain the 

 Empetrum and Ceratlola. It includes only these and Corema, 

 and the genus found in this State, Oakesia. Mr. Nuttall point- 

 ed out its distant affinity to Taxus among the Coniferae. The 

 resemblance to the Heaths in appearance and habit is striking. 



Little is known of the properties of this family. Linnaeus 

 informs us that the fruit of Empetrum nigrum, of the north of 

 Europe, is eaten by many animals, and even by man. 



Of this family, I believe there is but one plant known in 

 Massachusetts. It is the — 



OAKESIA. Tuckerman. 

 Of which there is one species, 



The Plymouth Crowberry. Oakesia Conradi. Tuckerman. 



First noticed by Mr. Conrad among the pine barrens of New 

 Jersey, and called after that gentleman by Dr. Torrey ; sepa- 

 rated from Empetrum, and called Tuckermania, by Dr. Klotzch, 

 in honor of Mr. Edward Tuckerman, but named by the latter 

 Oakesia, in honor of William Oakes, Esq. 



