766 



Tree Huckleberry 



minutely tipped, more or less wedge-shaped at the base, slightly re volute and 

 glandular on the margin; they are reddish and hairy when unfolding, becoming 

 deep green 'and shining with some hairs along the venation above, paler, glaucous 

 and smooth except along the principal veins beneath; the leaf-stalk is short and 

 broad; in the southern part of its range the leaves persist until the new ones are 

 fully unfolded. The flowers appear from March to May, according to latitude, in 

 spreading, bracted racemes or panicles 5 to 8 cm. long, on slender, drooping pedi- 

 cels 8 to 12 mm. long; the corolla is bell-shaped, white or pinkish, the 5 lobes 

 sharp-pointed and reficxed, one half to one third the length of the tube; stamens 



Fig. 699. Tree Huckleberry. 



10, their filaments distinct and shorter than the anthers, which are 2-awned on the 

 back; ovary inferior, 5-celled ; style exserted. The fruits are subglobose berries, often 

 remaining upon the branches until the following spring, 5 to 6 mm. in diameter, 

 black and shining, the flesh dryish and astringent; seeds many. 



The wood is hard, very compact, light reddish brown, and satiny; its specific 

 gravity is about 0.76. It is used like other very hard woods, for tool-handles and 

 other turned ware. The genus, of which this species is the type, is a small one, 

 consisting of 4 known species, all North American. The name is Greek, signi- 

 fying Blackberry tree. 



