Ericaceae. 



293 



Arctous. Mountain Bearberry. 

 (Family Ericaceae). 



Low northern or alpine shrubs: 

 deciduous. Twigs rather slender, 

 subterete: pith minute, 3-sided, 

 continuous. Buds solitary, sessile, 

 ovoid, appressed, with about 3 ex- 

 posed scales. Leaf scars alternate, 

 somewhat raised, small, croscent- 

 shaped: bundle-trace 1: stipule- 

 scars lacking. (Mairania; Arcto- 

 staphylos) . 



Though the fruits of Arctosta- 

 phylos are eaten by bears, as the 

 scientific and popular names of 

 the genus indicate, they do not 

 appeal to the palate of even the 

 average boy. Even the black bear 

 berries, borne by Arctous, though 

 pulpier and of pleasing appear- 

 ance, are said to be nearly taste- 

 less. Many botanists still place 

 the deciduous bearberry in the genus Arctostaphylos. 



Glabrous: bark quickly exfoliating. 



A. alpinus. 



