Vaccinium. ERICACEAE. 443 



Suborder II. VACCINEiE. DC. The Whortleberry Tribe. 



Ovary adhering to the tube of the calyx (very inferior), becoming a berry or 

 drupe-like fruit. — Shrubs, with the leaves often evergreen. 



CONSPECTUS OP THE GENERA. 



9. Vaccinium. Calyx 4 - 5-toolhed. Corolla urceolate, cylinJrical-ovoid or campanulatc, 4 - 5-clet>. Stamens 8 - 10. 



Berry 4 - 5-cclled; the cells many-seedcil. 

 10 Gaylussaci*. Calyx 5-toothcd or 5-<-left. Corolla ovate, urceolate or campanulute, 5-clcl1. Stamens 10. Berry 



drupaceous, containing 10 onc-sccded nucules or pyrena. 

 11. CurocE.xEs. Calyx 4-partcd, with two ovale bracts at the base. Corolla ovate-campanulate, 4-cleft; the segments 



short. Stamens 8. Berry 4-celled ; the cells many-seeded. " 



9. VACCINIUM. Limi.; Selck. handb. t. 107. whortleberry, or HUCKLEBERRY. 

 [ The true etymology unknown.] 

 Calyx 4 - 5-toolhed. Corolla urceolate, cylindrical, campanulate or somewhat rotate, "4 - 5- 

 toothed or 4 - 5-parted. Stamens 8 - 10 : aniliers often 2-horned on the back ; the cells 

 separate above, each produced into a tubular appendage, and opening by a hole or slit at 

 the summit. Ovary 4 - 5-celled ; the cells with numerous ovules, sometimes longitudinally 

 divided into two loculi by a false partition from the back of each cell, and thus becoming 

 spuriously 8 - 10-celled. Berry globose, 4 - 5-celled, many- (or by abortion few-) seeded. 



Seeds oval ; the testa crustaceous, reticulatc-piltcd, closely investing the nucleus. 



Shrubby plants, with alternate leaves. Flowers solitary and axillary, fasciculate or race- 

 mose. Berries edible, mostly dark blue or black (sometimes red). 



^ 1. Ovary 4 - 5-cclled; the back of the cells not inlrojlexed : corolla urceolate, ovoid, cylindraceous 

 or globose : anthers 2-awned on the back : flowers solitary and axillary or fasciculate, developed 

 simultaneously with the deciduous leaves : seeds angular, not pitted. 



1. Vaccinium uliginosum, Linn. Alpine Bilberry. 



Leaves obovate (small), entire, smooth above, veiny and glaucous underneath ; flowers 

 nearly solitary, or several together and fasciculate, mostly oclandrous ; corolla urceolate-ovoid, 

 4 - 5-loolhed ; anthers awncd on the back. — Linn. sp. I. p. 350 ; Engl. hot. t. 581 ; Miclix. 

 fl.l. p. 235 ; Pursh, fl.\. p. 288 ; Tvrr. Jl. \. p. i\7 ; Beck, but. p. 224 ; Hook.fl. Bor.- 

 Am. 2 p. 32; DC. prodr. 7. p. 574. V. uliginosum, var. alpinum, Bigel. Jl. Bost. p. 153. 

 V. gaulihcrioides, Bigel. in New-Engl. mcd. jour. 5. p. 335. V. pubescens, Wormsk. in 

 Hurnem. Jl. Dan. 



Stem procumbent, with numerous erect brandies, 6-12 inches high. Leaves C - 8 lines 

 long, somewhat glaucous, particularly tinderneaih ; the veins prominent and reticulated. 



56» 



