Arctostaphylos. ~ ERICACEAE. 431 



Root thick, woody, creeping. Stems numerous, trailing and spreading on the ground ; the 

 sterile branches often 2-3 feet long , the flowering branches shorter. Leaves evergreen, 

 about three-fourths of an inch long, variable in breadth, very thick and rigid, veiny and some- 

 what reticulated (particularly underneath), spreading or a little recurved ; the base narrowed 

 into a short petiole. Flowers drooping ; the peduncles bracteolate at the base. Calyx reddish 

 and persistent ; the lobes roundish. Corolla rose-color, pellucid at the base, hairy inside, 

 with 5 short acute recurved segments. Stamens included : anthers large. Fruit depressed- 

 globose, about the size of a large pea, red, with a mealy insipid pulp, and containing 5 closely 

 cohering almost bony nuts. 



Dry sandy soils, and sometimes on mountains. Abundant in Suffolk county on Long Island, 

 and on Fishkill mountains. Near Troy {Dr. Wright) ; Pine-Plains ; near Rome {Dr. Knies- 

 kern), &c. Fl. April - May. Fr. July - August. This plant has long been known as a 

 diuretic, astringent and tonic. The leaves are also used for tanning. It is called "Heth" on 

 Long Island, and sometimes "Universe" (a corruption of Uva-ursi). 



Tribe II. ANBROMEBEJE. DC. 



Fruit capsular, dehiscent loculicidally . Corolla deciduous. — Shrubs, with the leaves often 



evergreen. Buds usually scaly. 



2. CLETHRA. GcBrt. ; DC. prodr. 7. p. 588 ; Endl. gen. 4320. 



SWEET PEPPER-BUSH. 

 [Kkthra is the ancient Greek name for Alder, which this plant somewhat resembles in its leaves.] 



Calyx deeply 5-parted. Corolla 5-petalled ; the petals ovate-oblong, distinct nearly to the 

 base ! Stamens 10 : anthers inverted and pendulous before flowering, at length erect, acute 

 and raucronate at the base, 2-lobed at the summit ; the lobes diverging, opening by a 

 terminal pore. Style straight : stigma 3-cleft. Capsule 3-celled, 3-valved, covered by 

 the calyx. Seeds several in each cell. — Shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate. Flowers in 

 terminal simple or paniculate racemes, white. 



1. Clethra alnifolia, Linn. Common Sweet Pepper-hush. 



Leaves cuneate-obovate, acute, coarsely serrate, smooth and green on both sides ; racemes 

 spike-like, hoary-tomentose ; bracts linear-subulate, rather longer than the pedicels. — Linn, 

 sp. 1. p. 396 ; Lam. ill. t. 369 ; Michx. fl.l. p. 260 ; Pursh, fl.l. p. 301 ; Ell. sk. 1. 

 p. 502; Bigel.jl. Bost. p. 172; Torr. fl. \.p. 438; Beck, bot. p. 218; Darlingt.fl. Cest. 

 p. 264 ; DC. prodr. 7. p. 588. 



A shrub 4-8 feet high, with brownish bark and erect branches. Leaves 2-3 inches long 

 and 1 — 1 i inch wide, acute or with a short acumination, mucronately serrate ; the midrib 

 underneath slightly pubescent : petiole about one-fourth of an inch long. Racemes 3-6 

 inches in length, erect, solitary or sometimes 2 or 3 together. Flowers fragrant ; the rachis. 



