560 GENERAL REVIEW. 



are mostly found in swamps, marshes, and sub-alpine districts 

 in temperate parts of the world, and especially in North and 

 South America, Europe, and Asia. They are represented in 

 cultivation by Oxycoccos and Vaccinium (Whortleberries) ; while 

 several species of Oxycoccos and Vaccinium are grown in swampy 

 ground in North America, and the fruit canned and exported 

 as " Cranberries." The berries of our native V. uliginosum 

 are said to be narcotic, and to be used for rendering beer and 

 porter more heady or intoxicating. 



In ' Science Gossip,' November 1872, is an account of a 

 curious British plant, supposed to be a hybrid between Vaccin- 

 ium myrtillus, which it resembles in time of flowering, flower, 

 and fruit and V. vitis-idaus, which it resembles in stem, leaf- 

 age, and habit. The pollen is slightly irregular and shrunken, 

 and there are but few perfect seeds (see ' Jour, of Bot,' ix. 

 122). 



THE VERBENA FAMILY ( Verbenacece}. 



A very attractive group of trees, shrubs, or herbaceous 

 plants, common to the tropics of both hemispheres, and found 

 plentifully in South America. They are represented in our 

 gardens by Verbena, Lantana, Petrea, Callicarpa, Clerodendron^ 

 and Myoporum. Nearly all the species are readily propagated 

 by cuttings ; Petrea, however, is an exception. Seeds of Ver- 

 bena, Lantana, Callicarpa, Clerodendron, and Myoporum ger- 

 minate freely, sown as soon as ripe in well-drained pots or pans, 

 and afterwards placed in a heated case to germinate. Clero- 

 dendron Kcempferi, C. fallax, C. Balfouri, and others, are 

 best propagated by seed sown in a pot or pan and plunged in 

 a genial bottom-heat of 75 to 80. 



Clerodendron (hybridum) speciosum (see 'Revue Hort.,' 1873, 

 p. 471). This showy scarlet-flowered plant is said to be a hy- 

 brid between C. splendens and C. Balfouri o'r C. Thompsoni, 

 and was sent out in 1868 by Mr W. Bull. It is also known 

 as C. hybridum, Hort., C. speciosum Rollisoni, or simply as 

 C. Rollisoni. 



Verbena. A genus of hardy or half-hardy annuals, biennials, 

 or herbaceous plants, represented in our gardens by V. venosa, 

 V. incisa, and V. teucroides. V. chamcedrifolia was also one of 

 the earlier species from whence our modern varieties origin- 

 ated. All are natives of South America. They are readily 

 propagated by cuttings of the young growth, by seed, or by 

 division. As a florists' flower the Verbena has been much im- 



