183 



succulent-fruited kinds are usually grateful, and sometimes used as food. 

 Gaultheria procumbent and Shallon, Arctostaphylos alpina, and Brosseea 

 coccinea, are examples of this. In the island of Corsica an agreeable wine 

 is sclid to be prepared from the berries of Arbutus Unedo. Ed. P.J.I. 199. 

 Gaultheria procumbens possesses stimulating and anodyne properties. In 

 North America an infusion of it is used as tea. Barton, I. 178. An infu- 

 sion of the berries in brandy is taken in small quantities, in the same way 

 as common bitters. Ibid. The fruit of Arbutus Unedo, taken in too great 

 quantity, is said to be narcotic, and a similar quality no doubt exists in 

 several other plants of the order ; Letlum palustre renders beer heady, when 

 used in the manufacture of that beverage ;• Rhododendron • ponticum and 

 maximum, Kalmia latifolia, and some others, are well known to be venom- 

 ous. The honey which poisoned some of the soldiers in the retreat of the 

 ten thousand thi'ough Pontus was gathered by bees from the flowers of 

 Azalea pontica. The shoots of Andromeda ovalifolia poison goats in Nipal. 

 Do7i Frodr. 149. It is stated by Dr. Horsfield that a very volatile heating 

 oil, with a peculiar odour, used by the Javanese in rheumatic aftections, is 

 obtained from a species of Andromeda. Ainslie, 2. 107. 



Examples. Erica, Andromeda, Ledum, Rhododendron, Azalea. 



CLXXI. EPACRIDE^. 



Efacride.i, R. Broicn Prodr. 535. (1810); Link Handb. 1. GOl. (1820), a % o/Ericeae. 



Diagnosis. Monopetalous dicotyledons, with regular flowers, a supe- 

 rior several-celled ovarium, an imbricated corolla, a single style, and dry 

 1 -celled anthers. 



Anomalies. Monotoca has but 1 cell in the ovarium. 



Essential Character. — Calyw 5-parted (very seldom 4-parted), often coloured, 

 persistent. Corolla hypogynous, monopetalous, either deciduous or withering, sometimes 

 capable of being separated into 5 pieces, its limb with 5 (rarely 4) equal divisions, sometimes, 

 in consequence of the cohesion of the segments, bursting transversely ; the aestivation val- 

 vular or imbricated. Stamens equal in number to the segments of the corolla, and alternate 

 with them ; very seldom fewer in number. Filaments arising from the corolla, or hypogy- 

 nous. Anthers simple, with a single receptacle of pollen, which forms a complete partition 

 sometimes having a border; undivided, opening longitudinally. Pollen either nearly round 

 or Formed of 3 connate grains. Ovarium sessile, usually surrounded at the base with 5 

 distinct or connate scales; with several, rarely a single, cell; ovules solitary or indefinite; 

 style 1 ; stigma simple, or occasionally toothed. Fruit drupaceous, baccate, or capsular. 

 Seeds with albumen. Embryo taper, straight, in the axis, more than half as long as the 



albumen Shrubs or small trees, their hair, when present, being simple. Leaves alternate, 



very rarely ojiposite, entire or occasionally serrated, usually stalked ; their bases sometimes 

 dilated, cucuUate, overlapping each other and half sheathing the stem.. Flowers white or 

 purple, seldom blue, either in spikes or terminal racemes, or solitary and axillary ; the calyx 

 or pedicels with 2 or several bractese, which are usually of the same texture as the calyx. 



Affinities. This order differs from Ericeec solely in the structure of 

 the anther; but that organ being one of the principal features of Ericeae, 

 any 'material deviation from it acquires a peculiar degree of consequence. 

 In Ericeae the anther consists of 2 cells, usually furnished with peculiar 

 appendages; in Epacridesc it is simply 1-celled, with no appendages 

 whatever. The order is remarkable for containing species with both de- 

 finite and indefinite seeds. 



Geography. All natives of Australasia or Polynesia, where they 

 abound as tieaths at the Cape of Good Hope. It is remarkable that only 

 1 or 2 of the Heath tribe are found in the countries occupied by Epacrideee. 



