PLANTS OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. 621 



ARCTOSTAPHYLOS Adanson. 



Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.). Bearberry, "Uvursy." 



PI. XCIX; PI. C, Fig. 3. 



Arbutus Uva-ursi Linnaeus, Sp. PI. 395. 1753 [Europe frig, and Canada]. — 



Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept. I. 283. 1814. 

 Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi Knieskern 20. — Willis 38. — Britton 159. — Saunders, 



Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 544. — Keller and Brown 248. 



Reported from three localities on the Palisades and mountains 

 of the northern counties and frequent in the central Pine Barrens. 



This is one of the species most characteristic of the plains of 

 the Pine Barrens, though it is not so closely restricted to this area 

 of dwarf vegetation as is the Corema. Both are northern species 

 of wind-swept coast and mountain top, which here find their 

 southernmost limit. 



Mr. C. F. Saunders says of it in this region: "In some places 

 the Bearberry formed a veritable carpet, the dry, astringent 

 berries not yet tinged with the crimson that makes them so 

 conspicuous in winter. The gathering of this plant for shipment 

 to the cities, where it has been more or less extensively employed 

 in medicine, used to be a considerable industry in southern New 

 Jersey. A reminiscence of this old-time trade still lingers in 

 one of the common names of the plant down there, viz., Uvursy 

 — the shop name of the berry being uva-ursi." 



In early spring the plant is particularly attractive vvhen we 

 find among the dark, shining evergreen leaves the tiny little 

 urn-shaped pink and white blossoms, like diminutive Huckle- 

 berry flowers, but far more delicaate. 



In mid-summer, on the white sandy wastes, the dense mats 

 of foliage of the Bearberry offer welcome shelter to various 

 grasshoppers, lizards, etc., which go scuttling away as their 

 retreat is threatened. 



Fl. — Late April to mid-May. Fr. — Early August into Sep- 

 tember, persisting through the winter into the following spring. 



Pine Barrens. — L-akehurst, Davenport, Toms River, Whitings, Mt. Misery, 

 Hanover, Bamber, Pasadena, Cedar Grove (S), Cedar Bridge, E. Plains, W. 

 Plains, Speedwell (S), Chatsworth, Atsion (KB), Pleasant Mills, Batsto, 

 Elwood (KB). 



