ERICACEJE. 



230 



ANDROMEDA. 



ORDER LXXIX. ERICACEiE. 



The Heath Tribe. 



Cat. — Inferior or superior, 5 (seldom 4 — 6-)leaved or cleft, rarely entire. 



Cor. — Regular or somewhat irregular, 4 — 5 (rarely G-) cleft, the petals rarely almost distinct. 



Sta. — Generally distinct and inserted with the corolla. 



Anth. — As many or twice as many as the lobes of the corolla, 2-celled, generally opening 



by pores, ot'ten appendaged. 

 Ova. — Free or rarely coherent with the calyx, 2-^several-eelled. 

 fStylt'S and stigmas united into one. 

 Fr. — Capsular or baccate, with (usually) indefinite and minute seeds. 



A moderately large family, consisting of shrubs with a few herbs. It is diffused 

 throughout all countries, but comparatively rare in the torrid zon*. The true EricacejE 

 (Heatlis) are chiefly native of the Cape of Good Hope, there being none in Asia, NeW- 

 HoUand or America. The Tribe vaccinefG arjj chiefly natilves of N. America. 



Properties. The Ericaceae are, in general, astringent and diuretic. Some of them yield 

 a stimulating and aromatic resinous matter. The Bearberry, (Arctostaphylos uvo-ursi) is 

 a well known remedy in nephritic complaints. An infusion of the leaves is astringent, 

 denulcent and diuretic. Snnilar properties are also possessed by the Pipsissewa (Pyrola 

 umbellata). The species of Rhododendron and Kalmia are pervaded by a narcotic princi- 

 ple, rendering them (particularly their leaves) often actively poisonous. The lioney 

 collected from their flowers by bees appears to have been so to some of the soldiers iri the 

 retreat of the immortal ten thousand (Xenophon's Anabasis.) The berries of the Vaccinece 

 (AVhortleberries, Blaeberries and Cranberries,) and of Gauetheria procumbens (spicy 

 Wiiitergreeii) are esculent and wholesome. 



Conspectus of the Genera. 



i Flowers regular. 



! Leaves ( smooth. ) Flowers irregular, 

 cauline, ( rusty downy beneath. 

 Leaves radical, evergreen, 

 distinct. ( Capsule 3-celled. Leaves deciduous, smooth. . 



( Calyx glandular. 



If Fruit a capsule., j Calyx smooth. . •^ 

 Corolla j Drupe the matured ovary, 5-seeded. 

 ovoid. . . . ( Berry the matured, fleshy calyx. 

 ( holding the anthers in 10 pits. 

 Corolla salver-form, | anthers free. Calyx calyculate. 

 Corolla somewhat lunnel-sliaped or campanulate. 

 m \ ' I Corolla ovoid-campanulate. 



J I Calyx adherent to the ovary ) Cor. rotate, with reflexed seg. 



I Petals distinct. . 

 Plants destitute of leaves or verdure. | Petals united. 



Suborder 1. ERICINE^. 



Ovary free from the calyx. Testa conformed to the nucleus of the seed. Mostly shrubs . Leaves 

 often evergreen. 



1. ANDRO'MEDA. 



Calyx minute, 5-partecl, persistent ; corolla ovoid-cjlindrlc ; 

 the limb S-cleft, reflexed; stamens 8 — 10; capsule 5-celled, 

 5-valved. the dissipiments produced from the middle of the 



valves. 



Named for the virgin Andromeda, of ancient fable, who, like these shrubs, 

 was confined in a marsh and surrounded by the monsters of the waters. 

 Leaves mostly alternate. Cal. colored, of 5 deep, acute segments. Cor. 

 smooth. Fil. shorter than the corolla. Anth. 2-horned at the summit and 

 opening by 2 terminal pores. Caps, roundish, 5-cornered, many-seeded. 



* Leaves evergreen. 



1. A. hypnoi'des. 



Stems filiform, spreading; leaves subulate, smooth, crowded; peduncles 

 solitary, terminal ; co?-oZ/ft globose, campanulate. One of the smallest and 

 most delicate of shrubs, a tree in miniature, resiMTibling some of the mosses, 

 found on the alpine summits of the White Mis. Stems woody, much 



