THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 13 



As noted in ;uu>thcr pari of ihoc >ludics, this is truly the 

 "bear-berry." The generic name means a bear and a cluster 

 ol grapes, and the si)ecitic name means grapes and bear so that 

 the tlerivation is doubly certain. Among common names are 

 "red bearberry," "bear's grape," "fox plum," "bilberry," and 

 "barren bilberry." "Univese-vine" and "nvcrsy" are attempts 

 of the unlettered to pronounce the specific name. In the drug 

 trade, by the way, the plant is called "uva-ursa." The rather 

 large bright red and attractive fruits are devoid of juice which 

 accounts for "meal-berry" and "meal plum." Such names as 

 "rock-berry," "crow-berry," "upland cranberry," "hog cran- 

 berry" "wild cranberry" and "mountain cranberry" are self- 

 explanatory and mostly indicate a confusion of this with the 

 true cranberry. "Box-leaved wintergreen" is descriptive of 

 the i)lant, though suggesting the aromatic wintergreen, while 

 "barren myrtle," "ground holly" and "mountain-box" embody 

 in different fcjrms the idea that the plant has small, firm ever- 

 green leaves. The term "kinnikinik," applied to this plant is 

 of Indian c^rigin. It was used by the aborigines for numerous 

 plants adapted to smoking. We are unable to supply the 

 meanings of "bralins," "rapper-dandies" and "creashaks" — if 

 they have any ! The only other Arctostaphyllos with a ver- 

 nacular name is alpiua which is known as the "black bear- 

 berry." 



The only species among the heathworts that excels the 

 bearberry in the length of its list of vernacular names is an- 

 other medicinal plant commonly known as "wintergreen" 

 {(laultlicria procumbcns.) but which is often named the "ar- 

 omatic wintergreen" to distinguish it from other plants of 

 similar appearance. The pungent oil that permeates all parts 

 of the plant give reason for names like "spice wintergreen," 

 "ginger-berry," "spice-berry," "mountain tea," "Canada tea," 



