OCTANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 251 



tlons of the leaves about 4, points of the younger leaves, 

 peduncles and the marg-in of the cahx and bractes pu- 

 bescent; fiovver-bearing- branches proliferous a!\d erect, 

 llie rest becoming- prostrate and radicant; pedlcells bi- 

 bracteate, bract«s acute. Berries immaculate red and 

 spherical, often persistent throug'hout the winter. Hab. 

 In sphagnose swamps or overgrown ponds, from Labra- 

 dor to Carolina — T he fruit an article of commerce as well 

 as domestic consumption. 



2. hispidulus, Vacciniiim hispiibihim, ^Wch. 1. p. 228. tab, 

 23. Willd. Sp. pi. 2. p. 2,55. Gaultheria SerpyllifoUa, Fursh, 

 1. p. 283. The whole habit of this singular plant, as well 

 as its being- octandrous, is certainly in favour of this g-e- 

 nus, rather than GaiiUhei-iu, aliliough it possesses occult 

 qualities similar to G. proci/mben-'i, having the same aro- 

 matic taste and smell. The berries of this species are 

 ?mali, white, and produced in very inconsiderable qnan- 

 lities, tliey are aromatic, not very acid, and rather insipid 

 than agreeable, cei'tainiy not "very sweet." Hab. I have 

 observed this plant north-westward as far as tlie outlet of 

 Jake Michigan, and as Mr. Pursh vei'^' justly remarks, 

 abounding" where evergreens are predominant, keepinsf 

 pretty constant pace witii the boreal forests of Pines, Lar- 

 ches and Firs. It is not uricommon on the mountains of 

 I'ennsylvania, growing always amidst Spjjagnum. 3. ery- 

 ih'^orinpus. Vaccivium erythvocarpnm. Mich. 1. p. 227. 



A North American genus, with the exception of O. eu- 

 rop<eus: (Vaccininm Oxijcoccus, Willd.) whiCh has not, I 

 believe, yet been found in America. 



]\ Germ superior, 

 \&5. MENZIESIA. Smith, 



Calix of 1 leaf. Corolla monopetalous, ovate. 

 Filaments inserted upon the receptacle. Capsule 

 superior, 4-ceIled, di-ssepiments produced by tlie 

 inflected margins of the valves^ Seeds numerous, 

 oblong. 



An heteromorphous g-enus, M.ferruginea and M. ^lobu- 

 laris possessing the habit and fruit of Azalea, but the 

 flowers of .'27j£/ro77;e£/a; the flowers and ciliated oblanceo- 

 late leaves terminally fasciculated; — M. empetriformis, M. 

 ccsrulea with decandrous flowers, and M. polifolia, having 

 leafy stems, linear or minute leaves with revolute mar- 

 gins and conspicuous red flowers, are scarcely distinrt 

 from Erica 



