2506 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART JII. 



CHAP. CXIV. 



OF THE HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE ORDER £MPETRA^CEjE. 



Identification. Nutt. Gen., 2. 233.; Don in Edinb. New Phil. Journ., 1826; Hook in Bot. Mag., 

 t. 2758. ; LindL Syn., 224. ; Bart. Ord. Nat., 372. ; Arnott in Edinb. Encyc, 129. 



Gen. Char, of the Order. Flowers semi-sexual. Sepals hypogynous im- 

 bricated scales, the innermost of which are sometimes petaloid. Stamens 

 equal in number to the inner sepals, and alternate with them ; anthers 

 roundish, 2-celled, the cells distinct, bur&ting longitudinally. Ovary superior, 

 seated in a fleshy disk, 3- 6- or 9-celled ; ovules solitary, ascending. Style 1 ; 

 stigma radiating, the number of its rays corresponding with the cells of the 

 ovary. Fruit fleshy, seated in the persistent calyx, 3- 6- or 9-celled ; the 

 coating of the cells bony. Seeds solitary, ascending ; embryo taper, in the 

 axis of fleshy watery albumen; radicle inferior. Small shrubs, with heath-like 

 ever'ireen leaves, without stipules, and with minute flowers in their axils. 

 A very small group, comprising a few species from North America, the south 

 of Europe, and the Straits of Magellan. {LindL Nat. Si/st. of Bot,, ^.\\1.) 

 The fruit is in all a small berry. 



There are only three genera, which are as follows : — 



^'mpetrum L. Calyx 3-leaved, coriaceous, with 6 imbricated scales at the 

 base. Petals 3. Stamens 3. Stigma 6— 9-cleft. Berry depressed, 6 — 9- 

 stoned. Small, branchy, procumbent shrubs; natives of the north of 

 Europe and the Straits of Magellan. Leaves alternate, linear tongue- 

 shaped, obtuse ; flat above, convex and marked with a membranaceous line 

 beneath ; dark green, shining. Flowers axillary, solitary, sessile, dark red. 

 Berries black or red. {D. Don in Edinb. New Phil. .Tourn.) 



Core'ma D. Don. Calyx 3-leaved, membranaceous, naked at the base. 

 Petals 3. Stamens 3. Stigma 6-cleft. Berry globose, 3-stoned. A small, 

 erect, branchy, rigid shrub, covered with resinous dots ; a native of the 

 south of Europe. Leaves scattered, linear, obtuse, spreading ; flattish above, 

 revolute on the margin. Flowers in terminal heads, sessile, situated on a 

 hairy disk ; white, large. Heads having villous scales. Berries white, 

 (D. Don in Edinb. Xew Phil. Journ.) 



Cerati^ola Rich. Calyx 2-leaved, membranaceous, with 4 scales at the base. 

 Petals 2, converging into a tube. Stamens 2. Stigma 6-cleft. Berry 

 globose, 2-stoned. A small, upright, branchy, rigid shrub; a native of 

 North America. Branches straight, simple. Leaves alternate, spreading, 

 needle-shaped, obtuse, glabrous, shining, green ; marked beneath with a 

 narrow furrow; sliiihtly canaliculate above; about ^ in. long ; sometimes 

 crowded, as if verticillate. Flowers axillary, sessile, numerous (2— 4), 

 rarely solitary; sometimes (like the leaves) verticillate. Berries red,? 

 {D. Don in Edinb. New Phil. Joiirn.) 



Genus I. 



£'MPETRUM L. The Crow berry. Lin. S^sL Dioe'ciaTriandria. 



Idenlification. Lin. Gen., 515. ; Juss., 162. ; Fl. Br., 1072. ; Tourn., t. 421.; Lamb., t. 803., Gaertn.. 

 Dc't-lmiion. From en, upon, and pcDos, a rock , in allusion to the place of growth. 



