238 THE MOUNTAIN. 



treme beauty and splendor of flowering. Others are ever- 

 green, and give a characteristic expression to woods of 

 which they are the undergrowth. 



Of the SUB-ORDER I. VACCINES, or Whortleberry Family, 

 the mountain has a number of genera. 



GAYLUSSACIA. Of this genus there are three species, 

 " resinosa," "frondosa," and "dumosa," on the Alleghany, 

 the two first named being highly esteemed for their delight- 

 ful fruit. 



In many of the mountain districts the huckleberry is con- 

 sidered not only innocent as an article of food, but to be 

 endowed with certain medicinal properties. Many of the 

 bare knobs and barren heights of the mountain are covered 

 by the whortleberry, giving varieties of fruit, which ripen in 

 different seasons. The family is very hardy, requiring only 

 the " drifting sand-heap" for a resting-place. 



YACCINIUM, or bilberry. Species " Macrocarpon," or 

 American cranberry, is found on many of the parallel moun- 

 tains, and in some localities on the Alleghany itself, (from re- 

 port,) but is not abundant. The stamineum, Canadense, 

 Pennsylvdnicum, pdllidum, fuscdtum, and corymbosom, 

 grow there. Some of these species are tall, graceful bushes, 

 twelve feet high, and bear large, black and blue berries. 

 The large, delicious, " blue huckleberry p ," is obtained from 

 the Pennsylvdnicum. The Vitis-Idcea bears a red, flesh- 

 colored berry, but bitter and acid, without much flavor. 

 Some of these "big huckleberries," as they are called, are 

 found in moist places, others on dry hills and open woods. 



SUB-ORDER II. ERICINE^, or Proper Heath Family. 

 Tribe, ANDROMEDE^E. Two genera of this tribe are small, 

 creeping plants. They are the Gaultheria procumbens, 

 creeping wintergreen or mountain-tea, and the Epigcea re- 

 pens, ground-laurel. The genus ANDR6MEDA contains a 

 number of handsome bushes, and one tree, arborea. The 

 species on the mountain are the calyculdta, racemosa, 

 Mariana, Ligustrina, several of which are tall and comely 

 shrubs. 



