Vaccinittm. ERICACEAE. 443 



Suborder II. VACCINEiE. DC. The Whortleberry Tribe. 



Ovary adhering to the tube of the calyx (very inferior), becoming a berry or 

 drupe-like fruit. — Shrubs, with the leaves often evergreen. 



CONSPECTUS OF THE GENERA. 



9. ViCciNiUM. Calyx 4 - 5-toothed. Corolla urceolate, cylindrical-ovoid or campanulate, 4 - 5-cIeft. Stamena 8 - 10. 



Berry 4 — 5-celIed; the cells many-seeded. 

 10 GiTLtrssACiA. Calyx 5-toothed or 5-cleft. Corolla oVate, urceolate or campanulate, 5-cleft. Stamens 10. Berry 



drupaceous, containing 10 one-seeded nucules or pyrena. 

 11. Chiogenes. Calyx 4-parted, with two ovate bracts at the base. Corolla ovate^campanulate, 4-cleft ; the seorments 



short. Stamens 8, Berry 4-celled ; the cells many-seeded. 



9. VACCINIUM. Linn. ; Selck. handh. t. 107. whortleberry, or huckleberry. 



[ The true etymology unknown.] 



Calyx 4 - 5-toothed. Corolla urceolate, cylindrical, campanulate or somewhat rotate, 4-5- 

 toothed or 4 - 5-parted. Stamens 8 - 10 : anthers often 2-horned on the back ; the cells 

 separate above, each produced into a tubular appendage, and opening by a hole or slit at 

 the summit. Ovary 4 - 5-celled ; the cells with numerous ovules, sometimes longitudinally 

 divided into two loculi by a false partition from the back of each cell, and thus becoming 

 spuriously 8 - 10-celled. Berry globose, 4 - 5-celled, many- (or by abortion few-) seeded. 

 Seeds oval ; the testa crustaceous, reticulate-pitted, closely investing the nucleus. — 

 Shrubby plants, with alternate leaves. Flowers solitary and axillary, fasciculate or race- 

 mose. Berries edible, mostly dark blue or black (sometimes red). 



§ 1. Ovary i - 5-celled; the back of the cells not introjlexed : corolla urceolate, ovoid, cylindraceous 

 or globose : anthers 2-awned on the back : flowers solitary and axillary or fasciculate, developed 

 simultaneously with the deciduous leaves : seeds angular, not pitted. 



1. Vaccinium uliginosum, Linn. Alpine Bilberry. 



Leaves obovate (small), entire, smooth above, veiny and glaucous underneath ; flowers 

 nearly solitary, or several together and fasciculate, mostly octandrous ; corolla urceolate-ovoid, 

 4 - 5-toothed ; anthers awned on the back. — Linn. sp. 1. p. 350 ; Engl. hot. <. 581 ; Michx. 

 fl. 1. p. 235 ; Pursh, fl.. 1. p. 288 ; Torr. fl. 1. p. 417 ; Beck, hot. jt. 224 ; Hook.Ji. Bor.- 

 Am. 2 p. S2; DC. prodr. 7. p. 574. V. uliginosum, var. alpinum, Bigel. fi. Bost. p. 153. 

 V. gaultherioides, Bigel. in New-Engl. med.jour. 5. p. 335. V. pubescens, Wormsk. in 

 Hornem. jl. Dan. 



Stem procumbent, with numerous erect branches, 6-12 inches high. Leaves 6-8 Hnes 

 long, somewhat glaucous, particularly underneath ; the veins prominent and reticulated. 



56* 



