Gautiera. ■ ERICACEAE. 433 



4. GAUTIERA. Kalm in mem. acad. Par. 1751. 2. p. 378, ex Endl. gen. 4323. 



PARTRIDGE-BERRY. 



Gaultiieria, Linn., &c. 



[ In honor of M. Gaitier, a French physician of ducbec.] 



Calyx 5-lobed, becoming fleshy and baccate, and llicn covering the capsule. Corolla ovoid ; 

 the orifice 5-toothed. Stamens 10, included ; the filaments hairy : anthers 2-lobed, opening 

 longitudinally on the outside ; the horns 2-awned at the summit. Style filiform : stigma 

 undivided, obtuse. Capsule depressed - globose, 5 -celled; the cells many- seeded. — 

 Frutescent plants, with alternate evergreen toothed or entire leaves, and the flowers either 

 axillary and solitary, or in terminal racemes. 



1. Gautiera procumbens. Partridge-berry, or Tea-berry. 



Smooth ; stem procumbent, creeping, with the branches erect and naked below ; leaves 

 obovate, cuneate at the base, remotely and setaceousl^ denticulate ; pedicels from the axils of 

 the upper leaves, recurved. — Gaultheria procumbens, Linn. sp. 1. p. 395 ; Bot. rep. t. 116; 

 Michx. fl. I. p. 249 ; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 283 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 501 ; Bigel. fi. Post. p. 164, and 

 mad. bot. 2. p. 27. t. 22; Bart. veg. mat. med. 1. t. 15 ; Nutt. gen. 1. p. 262; Torr. fl. 1. 

 p. 412; Bot. mag. t. 1966; Beck, bot. p. 216 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 258 ; DC. prodr. 1. 

 p. 592. 



Stem creeping extensively a little beneath tlie surface of the ground, throwing up erect 

 branches 3-5 inches high- Leaves 3-6 toward the summit of each branch, about an inch 

 long, thick and coriaceous, often purplish ; the margin slightly revolute, rather remotely 

 serrulate, particularly toward the base ; the serratures appressed, and tipped with a short 

 bristle : petiole very short. Pedicels nearly half an inch long, with two roundish bracteoles 

 close to the flower ; the segments semiovate and ciliate. Corolla one-third of an inch long, 

 white, obtuse, 5-angled ; the teeth of the orifice revolute. Stamens included ; filaments rather 

 broad : anthers large ; the lobes parallel, with 2 short incurved awns at the summit. Ovary 

 globose, surrounded at the base with a 10-toothed torus : style cylindrical : stigma small, 

 somewhat capitate. Capsule completely enclosed in a large red berry-like calyx. Seeds 

 ovoid, smooth. 



Woods and rather dry swamps, particularly in sandy soil ; common. Fl. May — July. 

 Fr. October. The whole plant has an agreeable spicy flavor, somewhat resembling that of 

 Sweet Birch. It yields an essential oil, which is used as a stimulant, cordial and emmena- 

 gogue, and is sold under the name of Oil of wintergreen. An infusion of the leaves is also 

 used for the same purpose. The berries are edible, and have a pleasant flavor, but are dry. 

 The oil is very remarkable in its chemical composition, having recently been ascertained by 

 M. Caliours to be a sahjcilite of the oxide of methyl , or composed of an acid called the 

 salycilic (hitherto only found in the oil of Spircea), united with the ether of wood-spirit 

 {methylic ether). 



[Flora.] 55 - _ 



