258 VACCINIACE^. 



slender tubes with terminal slits or spurs. Fruit, a 

 globose berry crowned by the calyx-teeth, and contain- 

 ing five or more seeds with firm smooth coat. 



Species loo, in northern hemisphere and mountains of the 

 tropics. 



In Britain 4 species — Whortleberry, Bilberry, Cowberry, Cranberry, 

 etc. Fr, Airelle. Gef. Blanebeere, Heidelbeere. 



Vaccinium Icschenaultii Wight; F.i5./. iii 455, III 17. 



A fair sized tree, with thick rough bark. Young parts 



pubescent, and young leaves pinkish. Leaves 2 to 3 



inches by % to I inch, alternate, erect and curving 



outwards, elliptic, acute at both ends, crenate, hard, 



shining ; stalks H toH inch : very similar to leaves of 



Eurya japonica except that the teeth are slightly larger 



and 5^ inch apart. Flowers in pubescent racemes, 



terminal and in the upper leaf-axils ; H inch long, pink. 



Calyx li inch, its five teeth triangular, 1/20 to 1/16 inch, 



ciliate. Corolla inflated, % inch long, with five minute 



lobes curled back from the narrow mouth. Stamens ten : 



filaments 1/30 inch, very hairy at the base : anthers as 



long, produced in two long white tails of % inch. Ovary 



covered by a green, ten-lobed disk : style rising from its 



centre and jointed to it, white with small punctate 



stigma. Fruit a berry, H to '^ inch, pink. Seeds light 



brown 1/30 inch finely wrinkled, t. 178. Wight Sp. 



Nilg. t. 128; Ic. t. I188. Beddome Fl. Syl. S. Ind. 



t. CCVII. 



Nilgiris : abundant on the plateau, near and in Ootacamund, 

 flowering in winter months, fruiting in summer. Pulneys : in 

 sholas at and above Kodaikanal, common. Fyson ^i']^ i345i 

 1825^ 1920, 2014, 2712. Bounit 426, 1581, 2031. 



Gen. Dist. South Indian mountains and Ceylon. Some Nilgiri speci- 

 mens have nearly round leaves. 



Vaccinium nilghcrrcnse Wight ; F.B.I, iii 454, III 16, 

 with narrow leaves, pointed at each end, occurs at lower 

 levels, e.g., Shembaganur, Pykara rapids. 



