148 History of Hingham. 



Common or Swamp Blueberry ( Vaccinium corymbosum, L.) 

 This, a high-bush whortleberry, has a number of varieties for- 

 merly considered as separate species. It varies greatly in our 

 woods and swamps, where it grows freely. Its bell-like white 

 blossom is, in some varieties and in certain favorable locations, 

 quite large, and iu other cases very small. The foliage also differs 

 according to locality. 



Large or American Cranberry ( Vaccinium macrocarpon, Ai- 

 ton). The Cranberry grows quite commonly in our swamps and 

 bogs, its delicate sprays being quite easily found when loaded with 

 its white flowers or crimson fruit. 



Mountain Partridge Berry (Chiogenes serpyllifolia, Sal is.). 

 A pretty, evergreen, creeping plant, very rare, but existing in 

 swamps in the extreme southerly part of the town. The bell- 

 shaped white flowers arc like those of the checkerberry, and a 

 resemblance to this shrub is also found in the flavor of its white 

 berries. 



Bearberry (Arctostajiliylos uva-ursi, Sprengel). This pretty 

 and rare little shrub, which grows in beds in the woods, has been 

 found by the writer between Old Colony Hill and Weir River, at 

 Martin's Lane, and at Liberty Plain. Its stem trails under the 

 dead leaves and leaf mould, sending up shoots some six inches 

 high, clothed with bright, polished, thick evergreen leaves. The 

 flowers are white, at the ends of the branches. The fruit is a red 

 berry. 



Trailing Arbutus, Mayflower {Epiytea repens.L.'). The well- 

 known Mayflower grows in the woods near the Weymouth line 

 and in the extreme south part of the town. Efforts made to 

 domesticate it nearer the seashore have been unsuccessful, as it 

 is a very wild plant and does not take well to cultivation. 



Creeping Wintergreen, Checkerberry (G-aultheria procum- 

 bens, L.). The Checkerberry is very common in our woods. Its 

 bright evergreen leaves, sweet white flowers, and scarlet aromatic 

 berries arc well known to all. 



Andromeda (Andromeda Ugustrina, Muhl.). This shrub is 

 common everywhere in low grounds. Its very full panicles of 

 small, globular, white flowers in July are replaced later by cor- 

 responding clusters of the seed-vessels, which hang on for a year 

 or more. This plant can be distinguished at all seasons by its 

 thin outer layer of light, cinnamon-colored bark, which seems 

 always just ready to peel off. 



Leucothoe (Leucothoe racemosa. Gray). This beautiful shrub 

 is rare in Hingham and but little known. It is found in the 

 woods east of Old Colony Hill, in Cushing Street, in Leavitt 

 Street woods, and probably grows elsewhere in the south part of 

 the town. It is from six to ten feet in height, has rather strag- 

 gling branches, and elliptical leaves, and long one-sided racemes 

 of white, bell-like flowers, exquisite in beauty and fragrance. Thi 

 raceme is generally branched once, and the flowers all hang 



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