180 



Properties. Their general qualities are, to be astringent and diuretic ; 

 Azalea procumbens, Rhododendron ferrugineum and chrysanthemum, and 

 Ledum palustre, being examples of the former, and Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi 

 of the latter. This, Decandolle observes, has been confounded with Vacci- 

 nium Vitis Idea by some practitioners, but most improperly, the chemical 

 composition of the two plants being extremely different. See Essai M.ed. 

 194. An infusion of the leaves of Uva Ursi has been employed with success 

 in cases of gonorrhoea of long standing. Ibid. [Bigelow 1. 66.] The berries 

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

 Gaultheria procumbens and Shallon, Arctostaphylos alpina, and Bross»a 

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

 is said to be prepared from the berries of Arbutus Unedo. Ed. P. J. 2. 199. 

 Gaultheria procumbens possesses stimulating and anodyne properties. In 

 North America an infusion of it is used as tea. Barton, 1. 178. An infusion 

 of the berries in brandy is taken in small quantities, in the same way as com- 

 mon bitters. Ibid. [Bigeloiv, 2. 27.] 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 ; Ledum palustre renders beer heady, when 

 used in the manufacture of that beverage ; Rhododendron ponticum and maxi- 

 mum, Kalmia latifblia, and some others, are well known to be venomous. 

 The honey which poisoned some of the soldiers in the retreat of the ten 

 thousand "through Pontus was gathered by bees from the flowers of Azalea 

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

 Prodr. 149. It is stated by Dr. Horsfield that a very volatile heating oil, 

 with a peculiar odour, used by the Javanese in rheumatic affections, is obtained 

 from a species of Andromeda. Jlinslie, 2. 107. 



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



CLXXI. EPACRIDEiE. 



Epacrideje, R. Brown Prodr. 535. (1810) ; Link Handb. 1. 601. (1829), a%of Ericese. 



Diagnosis. Monopetalous dicotyledons, with regular flowers, a superior 

 several-celled ovarium, an imbricated corolla, a single style, and dry 1 -celled 

 anthers. 



Anomalies. Monotoca has but 1 cell in the ovarium. 



Essential Chabacteb. — Calyx 5- parted (very seldom 4-parted), often coloured, persistent. 

 Corolla hyposrynoua, monopetalous, either deciduous or withering-, sometimes capable of be- 

 ing separated into 5 pieces, its limb with 5 (rarely 4) equal divisions, sometimes, in consequence 

 of the cohesion of Hie segments, bursting- transversely; the aestivation valvular or imbrica- 

 ted. Stamens equal in number to the segments of the corolla, and alternate with them ; very 

 seldom fewer in number. Filaments arising- froms the corolla, or hypogynous. Anthers simple, 

 with asinglc receptacle of pollen, which formsa complete partition sometimes having aborder; 

 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 seve- 

 ral, 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 opposite, entire or occasionally ser- 

 rated, usually stalked; their bases sometimes dilated, cucullate, 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 bractea?, which ate 

 usually of the same texture as the calyx. 



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

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



