VOL. II.] 



HEATH FAMILY. 



I. Oxydendrum arboreum (I,.) DC. 

 Sour-wood. Sorrel-tree. (Fig. 2773.) 



Andromeda arborea L. Sp. PI. 394. 1753- 

 Oxydendrum arboreum DC. Prodr. 7: 601. 



18.39- 



A smooth-barked tree, reaching a maximum 

 height of about 60 and a trunk diameter of 15'. 

 Leaves oblong, oval or oval-lanceolate, sharply 

 serrulate, or entire, green and glabrous on both 

 sides, finely reticulate-veined, acuminate at the 

 apex, mostly narrowed at the base, 4 / -6 / long, 

 i '-3' wide; racemes numerous, long and slender, 

 erect or curving, panicled at the ends of the 

 branches, the rachis and short pedicels canes- 

 cent; flowers 3 ^"-3" long; capsule 2"-$" long, 

 canescent, tipped by the persistent style, the 

 pedicels curving. 



In woods, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland to 

 Alabama and Florida, both in the mountains and 

 towards the coast. Wood hard, reddish-brown; 

 weight per cubic foot 46 Ibs. Elk-tree. June-July. 



17. EPIGAEA L. Sp. PI. 395. 1753. 



Prostrate slightly woody more or less hirsute branching shrubs, with alternate petioled 

 coriaceous evergreen entire leaves. Flowers rather large, perfect, heteromorphous or dioe- 

 cious, bracted, sessile, white or pink, fragrant, clustered at the ends of the branches. Sepals 

 5, oblong, persistent, dry, much imbricated. Corolla salverform, the limb 5-lobed (rarely 

 4 or 6-lobed). Stamens 10, about as long as the corolla-tube and attached to its base; filaments 

 filiform; anthers linear-oblong, attached to the filaments below the middle. Disk lo-lobed. 

 Ovary ovoid, hirsute, 5-lobed, 5-celled; ovules numerous; style columnar; stigma 5-lobed. 

 Capsule depressed-globose, hirsute, slightly 5-lobed, at length loculicidally 5-valved. Seeds 

 oval, the testa close and reticulated. [Greek, on the earth.] 



Two species, the following of eastern North America, the other of Japan. 



i. Epigaea repens L,. Trailing Arbutus. 



Mayflower. Ground Laurel. 



(Fig. 2774.) 



Epigaea repens L. Sp. PI. 395. 1753. 



Spreading on the ground, twigs hirsute, branches 

 6'-i5' long. Leaves oval or nearly orbicular, 

 thick, acute or obtuse and mucronulate at the 

 apex, cordate or rounded at the base, mostly gla- 

 brous above, more or less hirsute beneath, green 

 both sides, i'-tf long, ^ / -i^ / wide; petioles hir- 

 sute, ]'-i' long; flowers few or several in the 

 clusters, s'^-S" long, and nearly as broad when ex- 

 panded; corolla-tube somewhat longer than the 

 sepals. 



In sandy or rocky woods, especially under ever- 

 green trees, Newfoundland to the Northwest Terri- 

 tory, south to Florida, Kentucky and Michigan. 

 Often forms large patches. March-May. 



18. GAULTHERIA L. Sp. PI. 395. 1753. 



Low or tall shrubs, with alternate coriaceous persistent evergreen leaves, and small 

 axillary, solitary or racemose, white red or pink flowers. Calyx 5-parted or 5-cleft, per- 

 sistent. Corolla urn-shaped or campanulate, 5-toothed or 5-lobed, the lobes recurved or 

 spreading. Stamens 10, included, inserted at the base of the corolla; filaments dilated above 

 the base; anther-sacs opening by a terminal pore, commonly awned. Stigma obtuse, entire. 

 Disk lo-toothed. Ovary s-celled, 5-lobed. Calyx becoming fleshy and at length surround- 

 ing the capsule, forming a berry-like fruit. [Named after Dr. Gaultier, of Quebec.] 



About 100 species, mostly of the Andes of South America, a few North American and Asiatic. 

 Besides the following 3 others occur on the Pacific Coast. 



