78 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 



cedent flowers. These berries are borne in a cluster on deep 

 red pedicels which enlarge with the fruit. Another species 

 with us not so common, has red berries, very brilliant and 

 showy. The blue cohosh has "deeply, darkly, beautifully blue" 

 seeds, exposed without pod of any kind, and hence unusual. 

 They have a peculiar glaucous appearance. A more exquisite 

 blue berry is that of the fine liliaceous plant, the Northern 

 Clintonia, found in cold, deep woods, where the glossy green 

 leaves in patches, remind one of the lily-of-the-valley. In 

 spring it bears pretty yellowish-green lily-bells. 



Jack-in-the-pulpit presents us a vermilion cluster, very 

 rich and ornamental. So does the dwarf cornel or bunch- 

 berry. The big Solomon's-seal has bluish berries, while the 

 Maianthemum and Smilacinas, known as false Solomon's- 

 seals, have red or mottled ones. The snow-berry (Chiogenes) 

 is white and spotted like some bird's eggs ; many cornels are 

 white or blue, and the range of the latter color is extended 

 by the many species of Vibiirnuin, yet, in this genus, we have 

 also the magnificent red clusters of the hobble-bush or way- 

 farer's tree, a glorious shrub at all times. 



Every one knows the red fruit of the hawthorn, and the 

 brilliant "hips" of wild rose. Then, most showy of all ber- 

 ries, as autumn approaches, are those of black-alder (Ilex 

 vertillata). As one sees from the botanical name, this is a 

 holly and not an alder. The berries are familiar in Christmas 

 decoration. In some parts of New England, the prickly leaved 

 holly {Ilex opaca) is also common, and similarly used. It 

 varies much in its productivity from year to year. 



The twin berries of the fly-honeysuckle, seen in mountain 

 woods, have a peculiar quality of opaque red. Very charming 

 in the forest are the vermilion berries of the little Mitchella 

 or partridge-berry, following one of the very loveliest and 

 most fragrant of our wild flowers. The whole habit of the 



