iSyi.] NOTES ON '^AMERICAN" SHRUBS. 541 



aspect, or one partially shaded from the rays of tlie mid-day sun. 

 Several of the dwarf evergreen species make pretty edging or carpet 

 plants in damp shady woods or shrubberies ; their close habit of 

 growth, shining green foliage, and elegant flowers, rendering them 

 attractive at all seasons. 



SELECT SPECIES AND VARIETIES. 



ArdostapJiyJos. — From mountain woods on the coast of the Black 

 Sea, is a handsome deciduous species growing from 6 to 8 feet in 

 height, with leaves of an elliptic acute shape minutely serrated, hairy 

 beneath, and from 2 to 2 J inches long. The flowers are white, slightly 

 tinged with purple, and produced in racemes from the wood of the 

 preceding year j the berries are of a fine purple colour. 



Frondosum. — From woods in New Jersey and Carolina ; forms a 

 neat shrub of about 3 feet high, and with deciduous leaves of an 

 obovate oblong shape about 2 J inches long, glaucous beneath, and 

 sprinkled with minute resinous dots. The flowers are white, produced 

 in racemes from the wood of the preceding year; the berries are 

 bright blue. 



Macrocarpus. — Found wild over the greater portion of Canada and 

 the United States in almost every situation which supplies peat and 

 moisture ; is the well-known American Cranberry, a pretty prostrate 

 evergreen shrub, w^ith sweet pink flowers, small heath-like foliage, 

 and large red berries, which, though ripe in October, hang on the 

 plant during the greater part of the winter. 



Ovatum. — From the banks of the Columbia river, and abundant on 

 the north-west coast of America ; is a beautiful evergreen about 2 J 

 feet high, with a dense habit of growth, smooth shining ovate leaves, 

 and pretty black berries, which remain long on the plants. 



Stamineum. — An interesting and distinct deciduous species from 

 the swamps of New England, growing about 2 feet high, with fine 

 glaucous foliage nearly 2 inches long, the 'flowers pure white, and the 

 berries very light green, almost white. 



Vitis iclcBCL — Found wild over a large area in North America, the 

 northern countries of continental Europe, and abundant in the moun- 

 tain Heaths of Britain ; is one of the most beautiful of dwarf evergreen 

 shrubs, growing from 6 to 12 inches high, and densely clothed with 

 glossy-green boxlike foliage, bearing terminal racemes of waxy pink- 

 coloured flowers and showy red berries, which, like many of the other 

 species, hang for months after they are ripe. It forms a pretty margin 

 or edging plant, being perfectly hardy, and of a neat compact habit of 

 growth. The varieties "major" and "maximum " are American forms 

 with larger leaves, more robust, and equally ornamental with the 

 species. 



