67 



* ARBLJTUS laurifolia. 

 Laurel-leaved Strawberry tree. 



DECANDRIA MOlslOGY^lA. 



Nat Ord. Ericace.^, 



ARBUTUS. Botanical Register, vol. II. fol. 113. 



A. laurifolia ; foliis petiolatis oblongis obtusis glabris serrulatis, racemis compo- 

 sitis pilosis, bracteis infimis squamasformibus imbricatis, pedicellis glabrius- 

 culis, corolla medio constricta dimidia inferiore corrugata membranacea. 



A. laurifolia, Litin. Suppl. 238, fide Dom. Lambert. 



This plant was introduced from Mexico by the last Lord 

 Napier, and given to Mr. Lambert, who is of opinion that 

 it is the true A. laurifolia of Linnaeus' Supplement, a very 

 obscure plant, said to inhabit North America, concerning 

 which no one seems to have much information. Pursh sup- 

 posed that it was from the North-west Coast, if so it must 

 be the A. Menziesii of that Botanist, and the A. procera of 

 this work, fol. 1753. Sir William Hooker concurs in the 

 opinion that it was from the West Coast, because no true 

 Arbutus has been seen on the east side of the Rocky moun- 

 tains ; but he distinguishes it from A. Menziesii. 



For my own part it seems more likely that Linnaeus 

 should have seen some Mexican specimen, than that any 

 north-west American should have come under his inspection, 

 and if so, this is probably the plant he intended. 



Be this as it may, the present species is certainly very 

 distinct from A. Andrachne, although it also has a bark 

 which peels off when old ; the much less coriaceous and 

 smaller leaves, and the very peculiar form of the corolla 

 affording abundant marks of discrimination ; the contraction 



* See folio 1753. 



