ERICACEAE 



97 



found in Europe, and one (Azalea procumbens) 

 even on the mountains of Scotland. It bears small 

 rose-coloured flowers. 



Bog Whortleberry— Vaccinium uliginosum 

 (Plate LIV) 



This plant is chiefly found in swampy places in 

 mountainous districts, and flowers in April and 

 May. It shoots up many woody, smooth, erect 

 stems, which throw off alternate side-shoots. The 

 leaves grow alternately on short stalks, and are 

 obovate, smooth, obtuse, and sometimes slightly 

 concave at the tip. The upper surface is green 

 and shining, and the underside greyish green, with 

 slender veins. The young leaves are fringed with 

 hairs, which they afterwards lose. The flowers are 

 white, or pale reddish, and stand in clusters at the 

 ends of the twigs. The berries are large and blue- 

 black, with no remarkable flavour. 



The commonest plant of this genus is the 

 Bilberry ( V. Myrtillus), which grows in dry woods 



and on heaths, and has black berries like the plant 

 we have just described. The red-berried Cowberry 

 and Cranberry ( V. Vitis-idaa and V. Oxycoccos) are 

 more local in the British Islands. On the Con- 

 tinent Bilberries are considered to be a remedy for 

 diarrhoea. 



Common Winter Green — Pyrola minor 



(Plate LV) 



This plant is found in shady woods, and is 

 commoner in Scotland than in England or Ireland. 

 It has a creeping root. All the leaves grow close 

 to the root, and lie crosswise round the stem. 

 They have short stalks, and are oval, and pointed 

 at the extremity. They are smooth and stiff, with 

 the edges slightly crenate ; dark green above and 

 paler below. From between the leaves rises an 

 erect, perfectly smooth and bare red stalk, which 

 terminates in a small head of round white or 

 somewhat reddish flowers. The short stalks are 

 protected by narrow lanceolate whitish bracts. 

 The teeth of the calyx are long and pointed, and 



