ERICACEAE. 293 
Arctous. Mountain Bearberry. 
(Family Ericaceae). 
Low northern or alpine shrubs: 
deciduous. Twigs rather slender, 
subterete: pith minute, 3-sided, 
continuous. Buds solitary, sessile, 
ovoid, appressed, with about 3 ex- 
posed scales. Leaf-scars alternate, 
somewhat raised, smal!, crescent- 
shaped: bundle-trace 1:  stipule- 
scars lacking. (Mairania; Arcto- 
staphylos). 
Though the fruits of Arctosta- 
phylos are eaten by bears, as the 
scientific and popular names of 
the genus indicate, they do not 
appeal to the palate of even the 
average boy. Even the black bear 
berries, borne by Arctous, though 
pulpier and of pleasing appear- 
ance, are said to be nearly taste- 
less. Many botanists still place 
the deciduous bearberry in the genus Arctostaphylos. 
Glabrous: bark quickly exfoliating. A. alpinus. 
