624 VACC1NIUM 



Native of the Caucasus; introduced in 1800. It is allied to V. padifolium 

 from Madeira, but is a hardier shrub and (in cultivation at least) has larger 

 leaves and differs in the hairy stamens. Its leaves, which are the largest 

 among hardy Vacciniums, die off a pretty purplish red. It occasionally 

 bears a second crop of flowers in September in the leaf-axils of the current 

 year's shoots. A decoction of the leaves is used in the Caucasus as a tea, 

 especially by the Circassians. When dried they have the appearance and 

 aroma of black tea, but are very dissimilar and inferior in flavour. It is known 

 as " Broussa tea." 



V. ATROCOCCUM, Heller. BLACK HUCKLEBERRY. 



A deciduous shrub, 4 to 10 ft. high, with the leaves not toothed, and very 

 downy, even woolly beneath, the down persisting to the end of the season. 

 Berries black and shining, without any bloom. 



Native of the eastern United States and Canada.' Except in its much 

 more downy leaves, its broader, shorter corolla, and especially its bright 

 black berries, this species resembles V. corymbosum, of which A. Gray made 

 it a variety. 



V. C^ESPITOSUM, Michaux. DWARF BILBERRY. 



A dwarf deciduous shrub of tufted habit, 4 to 6 ins., sometimes only 

 2 or 3 ins. high; branches round, minutely downy or smooth. Leaves 

 obovate to narrowly wedge-shaped, tapered towards the base, toothed, 

 usually to i in. long, about half as wide; smooth and shining. Flowers 

 appearing in May with the young shoots, and produced singly on decurved 

 stalks ^ in. long. Corolla pitcher-shaped, ^ in. long, pale pink, five-toothed 

 at the much contracted mouth. Berry globose, about in. wide, black with 

 a blue bloom, sweet. 



Native of N. America, spreading across the continent from Labrador to 

 Alaska and southwards to New York on the east, to California on the west, 

 inhabiting mountain summits at its more southerly limits. Introduced in 

 1823. A neat little shrub now rare in cultivation, but recently reintroduced 

 from* California; very suitable for the rock garden. A form known as MAJOR 

 grows i ft. high, and has leaves up to i ins. long. 



V. CANADENSE, Kalm. SOUR-TOP, VELVET LEAF. 



A low, much-branched deciduous shrub usually under i ft. high; shoots 

 very downy, even bristly. Leaves f to i ins. long, \ to | in. wide; narrowly 

 oval, pointed, not toothed ; downy on both sides. Flowers produced during 

 May along with the young leaves in short dense clusters. Corolla bell- 

 shaped, J in. or less long, white tinged with red. Berries blue-black, \ in. 

 or more wide, very agreeably flavoured. 



Native of Eastern N. America; introduced in 1834, but first distinguished 

 in 1748 by Kalm, the Swedish traveller. It has been much confused in. 

 gardens with the various forms of V. pennsylvanicum, but is readily dis- 

 tinguished by its very downy entire leaves. Like that 'species, it gives a 

 valuable wild fruit, its berries ripening later, and forming a useful succession 

 to the other in N. America. 



V. CORYMBOSUM, Linnaus. SWAMP BLUEBERRY. 



A deciduous shrub, 4 to 12 ft. high, forming a dense thicket of erect, much- 

 branched stems; young shoots downy to nearly smooth. Leaves ovate to 



