402 WOODY PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



growth of the previous year, are nearly leafless. The flowers 

 are crowded towards the extremity, pendent or nodding, in short 

 racemes, on stems one quarter or one third of an inch long. At 

 the base of each stem are from one to three yellowish, mem- 

 branous bracts, the middle one broad, hollow, rounded. The 

 segments of the calyx project a little, are rather acute, and glau- 

 cous, with a reddish edge. The corolla is very large and showy, 

 white, often tinged with purple, nearly cylindrical, contracted 

 at the mouth, with tooth-like, spreading segments. The fila- 

 ments are hairy, as long as the anthers. The anthers are at- 

 tached above the base, the terminal distinct tubes opening to- 

 wards the top obliquely. The berries are large, black, with a 

 bluish bloom, sweet, with a very agreeable acidulous taste. 

 The flowers appear in May and June, and the fruit ripens in 

 August and September. 



There are many varieties, differing in the size of the bush, 

 which changes according to the soil, and in the size and color 

 and shape of the corolla. 



The Black Swamp Whortleberry, ( V. disombrphum of Mi- 

 chaux and Bigelow,) has leaves smaller and later; corolla much 

 smaller and crowded, and berries very black and shining, 

 crowned with an erect calyx ; a variety with narrower and 

 more acute leaves, with glandular serratures. 



Sp. 6. The Blue Whortleeerry. V. virgdtum. Muhlenberg. 



A shrub from one to three feet high, distinguished for the soft, 

 light green of its leaves. Branches approaching to straight, or 

 less crooked than in the previous species. Bark of the twigs 

 yellowish green, sometimes clouded with dark purplish, very 

 closely set with whitish dots, sometimes warts. Leaves on the 

 lower, lateral branches, sessile, broad elliptic, or obovate wedge- 

 form, with a brown acuminatum; waving, reflexed, often ob- 

 tusely denticulate, smooth, of a light green, often purplish, with 

 a glaucous tinge, lighter beneath. Flowers on terminal and 

 lateral branchlets, above the leaf-branches, on racemes, with 

 few or no bracts, or fugacious or very minute bracts. Teeth of 

 the calyx rather acute, standing out, often red. Corolla ovate or 



