CHAP. LXIX. JSRICA CE2E. y^RCTOSTA PHYLOS. I 123 



Genus XIV. 



JRCTOSTA'PHYLOS Adans. The Bearberry. Lin. Sj/sf. Dccandria 



Monogynia. 



Identification. Gall. Adans. Fam. : H. B. et Kunth Nov. Gen. Araer., 3, p. 277. ; Snrcng. Syst., 2. 



p. 287. 

 Synonymes. UVa-v'irsi Dod., Tourn. ; Arbutus sp. hin. 

 Derivation. From arktos, a bear, and staphule, a grape. 



Description. Evergreen undershrubs, natives of Europe and of North and 

 South America. 



i^ \. A. U'va-u'rsi Spreng. The common Bearberry. 



Identification. Spreng. Syst., 2. p. 827. ; Don's Mill., 3. p. 83.5. 



Synonymes. vi'rbutus U"va-ursi Lin. Sp., 566., Ft. /,«/)/;., No. 162., t. 6. f. 3., Woodv. Med. Jiot., 

 194. t. 70., Fl. Dan., t. 33., li/ac/cw., t. 592., Smith Eng. Bof.,lU. ; A'rbutus huwfbVm Stokes Bot., 

 509. ; UVa-ursi 6uxift)lia Sal. in Gray's Arr., 2. p. 400. ; Bcarberries, and Bcar.whortle-berries, 

 Eng. ; Barentraube, or Barenbeere, Gcr. ; Beerenduuif, Dutch. ; la Basserole, Fr. ; Uva d'Orzo, 

 Ital. ; Uva de Oso, Span. ; Uva dc Urso, Port. ; and Uva-ursi in tbe works of most old botanists. 



Engravings. Lin. Fl. Lapp., No. 162. t. 6. f. 3. ; Woodv. Med. Bot., 194. t. 70. ; Fl. Dan., t..S3. ; 

 Blackw., t. 592. ; Engl. Bot, t. 714. ; Schmidt Bauni., t. 138. ; and our fig. 923. 



Sjjec. Char., Sj-c. Stems procumbent. Leaves permanent, obovate, quite 

 entire, coriaceous, shining. Flowers fasciculate. Drupe 5-celIed. Leaves 

 like those of the common box. Flowers pale red, 

 or white with a red mouth, growing in small clusters 

 at the extremities of the branches. {Don^s Mill,, iii. 

 p. 836.) A trailing shrub, a native of North America, 

 in the pine barrens of New Jereey, in mountains and 

 rocky situations of Canada and New England, and y 

 in the Island of Unalascha. It is abundant on the 

 continent of Europe; as, for example, in Sweden, 

 Denmark, and most parts of the north ; also in 

 Switzerland, Germany, Carniola, Dauphine, Savoy, 

 Siberia, &c. With us, it is common upon dry, heathy, mountainous, and 

 rocky places, throughout the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland ; 

 also in the north of England and Wales; flowering in May and June; 

 and producing red berries, which are ripe in September. The berries 

 are filled with an austere mealy pulp, and serve as food for grouse and 

 other birds in Britain ; and, in Sweden, Russia, and America, they form a 

 principal part of the food of bears. The whole plant is powerfully astrin- 

 gent : it abounds in the tannin principle ; and, both in Sweden and America, 

 it has been used for tanning leather, and dyeing it an ash-grey colour. It 

 is also prescribed by rural practitioners in nephritic complaints ; and, on 

 the plains of the Mississippi, it is smoked by the Indians as a febrifuge. In 

 British gardens, it finds a place among othcV peat-earth plants ; and, though 

 a native of cold and elevated regions, it thrives well in peat, kept moist,1n 

 the vicinity of London. 



-* 2. A. alpi'na Spreng. The Alpine Bearberry. 



Identification. Spreng. Syst., 2. p. 287. ; Don's Mill., 3. p. 836. 



Synonyme. /4'rbutus alpina Lin. Sp., 566., (Ed. Fl. Dan., 73., Smith Ensl. Bot.. t. 2030 . Liah/f 

 Fl. Scot.,2\5.t.U.f.a.b. ' b j- 



Engravings. Engl. Bot., t. 2030. ; Lightf. Fl. Scot., 215. t. 11. f. a. b. 



Spec. Char.,Sfc. Stems procumbent. Leaves obovate, acute, wrinkled, ser- 

 rated, deciduous. Racemes terminal. Pedicels rather hairy. The flowers 

 grow in reflexed racemes, and are pure white. The berries are black when 

 ripe, and of the size of a sloe, with a taste somewhat resembling that of black 

 currants, but more mawkish; insomuch, that Linnreus says tiie Laplanders 

 will scarcelv eat them. Haller, on the contrary, think.s the flavour not 



+ K 3 



