EMrETRACEiE. 93 



ascending from the central basal angle of the cell, anatropous ; style 

 short or absent. Stigma radiant, with as many segments as there are 

 cells in the ovary. Fruit a berrylike, subglobose, depressed and 

 umbilicate drupe, containing 2 to 9 pyrenes or minute stones. Seeds 

 solitary in each pyrene; testa membranaceous; albumen abundant, 

 fleshy; embryo straight; cotyledons short; radicle superior. 



GENUS L-BM-PIITRVM. Linn. 



Flowers polygamous or dioecious, with 6 imbricated scales at the base. 

 Perianth in 2 rows, the 3 outer leaves coriaceous, the 3 inner petaloid. 

 Male flowers with 3 exerted stamens. Female flowers with a short style, 

 with 6 to 9 radiatmg stigmas. Drupe subglobose, depressed, Avith G 

 to 9 stones. 



Small heathlike plants with the flowers minute, axillary, generally 

 dioecious. Berries black. 



The name of this genus of plants is derived from two Greek words, tj/ (e»), in, 

 TTETpoQ (^j)ctros), stone, from the places where the plant grows. 



SPECIES I.— EM PET RUM NIGRUM. Liun. 



Plate MCCLI. 



Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. V. Tab. CLVIII. Fig. 4810. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 2906. 



Stem procumbent, much branched. Leaves oblong-strapshaped, with 

 the margins folded back and meeting in a white line. Stigma with 9 

 rays. Plant glabrous. 



On heaths. Generally distributed, especially in mountainous 

 districts, except in the south of England, from which it now appears 

 to be absent, although it formerly occurred in Sussex. Very abundant 

 in the Scotch Highlands, descending nearly to the level of the sea. 

 Local in Ireland, and rare in the south, though abundant on the 

 mountains near Dublin and Wicklow, and in the west and north of 

 that island. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Shrub. Spring, early Summer. 



A small much branched procumbent or decumbent shrub, with the 

 stems 3 to 18 inches long, wiry, and bare of leaves at the base; 

 branches usually somewhat tufted and ascending. Leaves crowded, 

 ^ to f inch long, much resembling those of a heath, coriaceous, ever- 

 green, slightly rough on the borders, blunt, the lower ones reddish, 

 the upper bright dark green. Flowers sessile, very minute, axillary. 



