RUBIACE.^— MADDER FAMILY 



PARTRIDGE BERRY. PARTRIDGE-VINE. 

 TWIN BERRY 



Mitchella ripens 



Named after Dr. John Mitchell, botanist and corre- 

 spondent of Linnaeus from Virginia. 



A small, evergreen creeping herb, found abundantly 

 in the woods. Native. Nova Scotia to Minnesota, 

 south to Florida and Texas. May-September. 



Stems. — Slender, trailing, branching; six to twelve 

 inches long, rooting at the nodes. 



Leaves. — Opposite, petioled, ovate-orbicular, rounded 

 or heart-shaped at base, obtuse at apex; margin entire 

 or wavy, dark green and shining; midrib prominent. 



Flowers. — White, dimorphous, twin ovaries united, fra- 

 grant. 



Calyxes. — Tubular, four-lobed. Of twin flowers united. 



Corolla. — White, trumpet-shaped, four-lobed; lobes re- 

 curved, bearded on the inner side. 



Stamens. — Usually four, inserted on throat of corolla. 

 Dimorphous. 



Pistil. — Ovary four-celled; stigmas four. 



Fruit. — Composed of two united drupes bearing the 

 remains of the two calyx lobes, containing eight rounded 

 nutlets, berry-like. 



Partridge Berry is one of the woodland plants that 

 comes to. the roadway on the mountain paths. One 

 may believe it is the sunlight rather than any occult 

 reason that makes it seek the roadway, but whatever 



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