HUCKLEBERRY FAMILY 



DEERBERRY. SQUAW HUCKLEBERRY 



Polycbdium stamineum. Vaccinium stamineum. 



Polycodium, many bells, referring to the abundant flowers. 



A widely branching shrub two to five feet high, found in dry 

 gravelly soil and under the shade of deciduous trees. Ranges 

 from Massachusetts to Kentucky and Florida, west to Minnesota. 



Steins. — Branches slender, green, downy at first, finally 

 brown. 



Leaves. — Oval, ovate, oblong or obovate, one to four inches 

 long, rounded or heart-shaped at base, entire, slightly revolute 

 at margin, acute or acuminate at apex; when full grown are light 

 green above, pale or glaucous or slightly downy beneath ; mid- 

 vein and primary veins very prominent beneath. Autumnal 

 tints scarlet and crimson, or the leaves fall with little change of 

 color. Petiole short, downy. 



Flowers. — April. June. Very numerous, pure white bells, 

 borne in graceful, leafy-bracted racemes. 



Calyx. — Tube adnate to ovary, five-toothed. 



Corolla. — Open bell-shaped, white, or white with a purplish 

 tinge, or yellowish green, about one-quarter of an inch long, five- 

 lobed. 



Stamens. — Ten, exserted, anthers upwardly prolonged into 

 tubes ; cells opening by a terminal pore. 



Pistil. — Ovary inferior, five-celled ; style exserted. 



Fruit. — Berry globose or pear-shaped, greenish white, yellow- 

 ish or dull red, three to five-eighths of an inch in diameter, in- 

 edible. September. 



The Deerberry is a plant of wide distribution, but is 

 principally a bush of the Alleghanies. When removed 

 from its wild-wood surroundings, given good soil and 

 generous treatment, it develops into a charming garden 

 plant. Its flowers may be distinguished by their very 

 long, straight stamens, which project far beyond the 

 short, spreading, corolla bells. The fruit is inedible. 



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