626 VACCINIUM 



Native of the south-eastern United States; introduced in 1787. It is 

 not very hardy in the London district, and is better adapted for trie south- 

 western counties. It was in cultivation early in the nineteenth century, but 

 was lost sight of until recently offered by American nurserymen. The only 

 other evergreen Vaccinium in cultivation with which it could be confused is 

 V. Vitis-idasa, which is a much sturdier shrub with larger leaves, speckled 

 beneath with black dots. 



V. ERYTHROCARPUM, MichdUX. MOUNTAIN CRANBERRY. 

 (Bot. Mag., t. 7413 ; Oxycoccus erythrocarpus, Persoon.) 



A deciduous shrub, from 3 to 6 ft. high, with downy young branches. 

 Leaves short-stalked, ovate or ovate lance-shaped, taper-pointed; i to 3 ins. 

 long, scarcely half as wide; bristle-toothed, tinged with red and slightly 

 hairy when young. Flowers produced in June singly on slender pendulous 

 stalks, about i in. long, from the axils of the young leaves. Corolla pale 

 red, deeply four-lobed; the lobes narrow, in. long, and curled back, leaving 

 the long anthers exposed and standing close together in a sort of column. 

 Berries acid, roundish, J in. wide, turning red, then purplish black. 



Native of the mountains of the south-eastern United States ; introduced in 

 1806 by Loddiges of Hackney, but never common. It is a pretty shrub and 

 of peculiar interest in forming a connecting link between Vaccinium and 

 Oxycoccus (the true cranberries). It has the shrubby habit of the former, 

 but the flower structure and arrangement of the latter. When first introduced 

 it was hoped that it might prove of value as a fruiting bush, but like the 

 rest of the imported species, it has never borne fruit freely enough to 

 count for much. Closely allied to this species is 



V. JAPONICUM, Miguel, a native of the mountains of Japan. It is 

 distinguished from V. erythrocarpum by its quite glabrous shoots and leaves. 

 The flowers are similar, but are smaller and usually longer-stalked. 



V. GLAUCO-ALBUM, Hooker fit. 



An evergreen shrub, 2 to 4 ft. high;. young stems smooth. Leaves stiff 

 and hard in texture, oval or ovate, \\ to 2^ ins. long, j to i^ ins. wide; 

 pointed, with bristle-like teeth on the margins, green and smooth above, 

 of a vivid blue-white and slightly bristly on the midrib beneath. Racemes 

 slightly downy, 2 to 3 ins. long, produced from the leaf-axils, and conspicuous 

 for their large, persistent, blue-white bracts, edged with bristles. Corolla 

 pinkish white, in. long, cylindrical ; calyx smooth, shallowly lobed. 

 Berries \ in. diameter, globose, black, covered with blue-white bloom. 



Native of the Himalaya at 9000 to 10,000 ft. altitude; only hardy in the 

 milder parts of the kingdom. It is remarkable for the vivid blue-white 

 bloom on the fruit, bracts, and under-surface of the leaves. It used to grow 

 well with the late Mr T. Acton of Kilmacurragh, Co. Wicklow, Ireland. 



V. HIRSUTUM, Buckley. HAIRY HUCKLEBERRY. 



A low, deciduous shrub, 2 ft. high, spreading by underground rhizomes; 

 young shoots very downy, and remaining so the second year. Leaves ovate 

 to oval, i to 2% ins. long, to ij ins. wide, shortly stalked, pointed, deep 

 green and slightly downy above, paler and more downy beneath; not toothed. 

 Flowers in broad, short racemes, produced towards the end of May. 

 Corolla cylindrical, narrowed towards the mouth, in. long, white tinged 



