BOTANICAL EXCURSION TO NORTH CAROLINA. 405 
contain as many as four perfect seeds; and it is proper to 
remark that the embryo is not “very minute,” as described 
in the “ Flora of North America”; but, in the ripe seeds 
recently examined, is one third the length of the albumen, 
as stated by Decaisne, or even longer. The cotyledons are 
elliptical, flattish, and nearly the length of the thick, slightly 
club-shaped radicle. The whole embryo is also somewhat 
flattened ; so that when the seed is longitudinally divided in 
one direction, the embryo, examined in place, appears to be 
very slender, and to agree with De Candolle’s description. 
The albumen is horny when dry, and has a bitter taste. 
Along the roadside we shortly afterwards collected the equivo- 
eal Vaccinium erythrocarpum of Michaux, or Oxycoccus erec- 
tus of Pursh; a low, erect, dichotomously branched shrub, 
with the habit, foliage, and fruit of Vaccinium, but the flowers 
of Oxycoceus. It here occurred at a lower elevation than 
usual, scarcely more than three thousand feet above the level 
of the sea, and in a dwarfish state (about a foot high): sub- 
sequently we only met with it on the summit of the Grand- 
father and other mountains which exceed the altitude of five 
thousand feet, where it is commonly three or four feet high. 
We were too early for the fruit, a small, red or purplish 
berry, which does not ripen until August or September. It 
has an exquisite flavor, according to Pursh, who found the 
plant on the mountains of Virginia; but our friend Mr. 
Curtis informs us that it is rather insipid, and entirely desti- 
tute of the fine acidity of the cranberry. 
On the 2d of July we continued our journey (eleven miles) 
to Jefferson or Ashe Court House, a hamlet of twenty or 
thirty houses, and the only village in the county. Intending 
to make this place our headquarters while we remained in the 
region, we had the good fortune to find excellent accommoda- 
tions at the house of Colonel Bower, who evinced every dis- 
position to further our inquiries, and afforded us very impor- 
tant assistance. We may remark indeed, that during our 
residence amongst the mountains we were uniformly received 
with courtesy by the inhabitants; who for the most part 
lacked the general intelligence of our obliging host at Jeffer- 
