VACCINIACEAE. 



[Vol.. II. 



2. Oxycoccus macrocarpus (Ait.) Pers. 

 Large or American Cranberry. (Fig. 2800.) 



Vaccinium macrocarf>on Ait. Hort. Kew. 2: 13. pi. 7. 1789. 

 Oxycoccus macrocarpus Pers. Syn. x: 419. 1805. 



Similar to the preceding species, but stouter and 

 larger, the branches often 8' long. Leaves oval, ob- 

 long, or sometimes slightly obovate, obtuse at both 

 ends, entire, 3"-7" long, i"-3" wide, white or pale 

 beneath, the margins revolute; flowers several in 

 terminal somewhat racemose clusters, noddiug ou 

 erect usually 2-bracteolate pedicels; corolla light 

 pink, 4 // -5 // broad, divided very nearly to the base; 

 filaments puberulent, about one-third the length of 

 the anthers; berry ovoid, oblong or nearly globose, 

 acid, 4"-9 // long. 



In bogs, Newfoundland to the Northwest Territory, 

 south to North Carolina, West Virginia, Michigan and 

 Minnesota. June-Aug. Fruit ripe Sept.-Oct. 



3. Oxycoccus erythrocarpus (Michx.) Pers. 

 Southern Mountain Cranberry. (Fig. 2801.) 



Vac. erythrocarpon Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. i: 227. 1803. 

 Oxycocctis erytArocarpus'Pera. Syn. i: 419. 1805. 



A divergently branched shrub, i-6 high, the 

 twigs pubescent or glabrous. Leaves thin, green both 

 sides, paler beneath than above, reticulate-veined, 

 ovate, ovate-lanceolate, or ovate-oblong, acuminate at 

 the apex, rounded, subcordate or the terminal ones 

 narrowed at the base, finely serrulate with bristle- 

 pointed teeth, flat, i'-3' long, #'-i' wide; flowers 

 solitary in the axils; peduncles pendulous, filiform, 

 usually minutely 2-bracteolate at the base and less 

 than one-half as long as the leaves; corolla deeply 

 4-parted, red, about 5" broad; filaments villous, about 

 one-fourth the length of the anthers; berry globose, 

 dark red when ripe, acid, a "-3" in diameter. 



In woods, mountains of Virginia to Georgia. June- 

 July. Fruit ripe July-Sept. 



1829. 



Family 6. DIAPENSIACEAE Link. Handb. i: 595. 

 DIAPKNSIA FAMILY. 



Low tufted shrubs, or perennial scapose herbs, with alternate or basal sim- 

 ple exstipulate leaves, and small white pink or purple gamopetalous or polypet- 

 alotis perfect and regular flowers, solitary in the axils, or racemose at the 

 summit of scapes. Calyx 5-parted, persistent; sepals imbricated in the bud. 

 Corolla 5-lobed, 5-cleft, or 5-parted, deciduous. Stamens 5, inserted on the 

 throat of the corolla and alternate with its lobes, or connate, sometimes with as 

 many alternating staminodia; anther-sacs longitudinally or transversely dehis- 

 cent; pollen-grains simple. Disk none. Ovary free from the calyx, superior, 

 3-celled; style mostly stout, persistent; stigma 3-lobed; ovules few or numerous 

 in the cavities, anatropous or amphitropous. Capsule 3-celled, loculicidally 3- 

 valved. Seeds minute, the testa loose or close; endosperm fleshy; embryo 

 terete; cotyledons short; radicle elongated. 



Six genera and about 8 species, natives of the northern hemisphere. 

 Low tufted evergreen shrubs; corolla gamopetalous. 



Tufted arctic-alpine shrub; flowers terminal, peduncled. I. Diapensia. 



Trailing shrub; flowers solitary, sessile. 2. Pyxtdanthera. 



Tall scapose perennial herb; flowers spicate-racemose; petals separate. 3. Gala.v. 



i. DIAPENSIA L. Sp. PI. 141. 1753. 



Densely tufted glabrous low evergreen shrubs, with thick rather fleshy imbricated nar- 

 row leaves, and solitary terminal erect peduncled white or pink flowers. Calyx 2-4-bracted 

 at the base, the sepals oval, obtuse, somewhat rigid. Corolla campanulate, tardily decidu- 

 ous, 5-lobed, the lobes obtuse. Stamens 5, inserted at the sinuses of the corolla; filaments 



