DECANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 217 



BUTUS alpina, as I found by fearching the 

 identical fpot where the firft grows in the greateit 

 plenty, but not a fingle plant of the latter is to 

 be feen. T? . V. 

 The branches of this flirub trail upon the ground 

 two or three feet round the root, or more : the 

 leaves grow alternate, are bluntly oval, intirc 

 •on the edges, finely reticulated underneath, firm 

 and evergreen : the flowers grow at the extremi- 

 ties of the branches in fmall clufters, each fup- 

 ported by a fhort red footftalk : they are of an 

 oval-conical figure, fielh-color'd, and divided 

 into five obtufe, refiex'd fegments at the rim- 

 the berries are round, with a deprefs'd umbilicus 

 fmooth and glofTy, red when ripe, and of the 

 fize of a holly-berry, replete with an auftere 

 mealy pulp, in which are five cells, containing- 

 five angular feeds. It may readily be diftin^ 

 guifiied from the VACCINIUM vitis id^a by 

 it's trailing branches, and leaves not dotted, but 

 reticulated underneath. 



It is found in England as well as Scotland. I faw 

 great abundance of it growing at the top of a 

 wood call'd Eaji-Ccmmon-Wood, belono-inp ^q 

 the Duke of Porliand, about a "mile from Hex- 

 ham, in Nortbumherla7id. 



The powder of the leaves taken fix or eight morn- 

 ings in the quantity of half a drachm was not 

 long fince a celebrated medicine for the ftone 

 and gravel, but it is at prefent out of repute. 



The whole plant is however found to be very fer- 



viceable. 



