594 'arctostaphylos. [ci-ass x. order I. 



and are much tlsed for garnishing dishes and other ornamental pur- 

 poses ; but they are still more extensively used for other purposes, for 

 when quite ripe they are pressed and fermented into wine or vinegar, 

 or the liquor is fermented and distilled for the spirit, uhich by some 

 people is not considered an unpleasant kind of brandy. 



GENUS V. ARCTOSTA'PHYLOS.— Adaus. Bear-herry. 



Nat. Ord. Eri'ce^. Jess, 



Gen. Char. Calyx small, five-cleft. Corolla ovate, with a small 

 five cleft revolute limb. Stamens ten, smooth. Anthers without 

 pores. Berry smooth, five-celled, each cell single seeded. — 

 Named from afKToq, a hear ; and a-ra.ipv'Kii;, a bunch of grapes 

 or berries. 

 1. A. al'pina, Sprenyel. (Fig. 673.) Black Alpine Bear-herry. Stem 

 procumbent ; leaves smooth, wrinkled, serrated ; racemes short, ter- 

 minal. 



Lindley, Synopsis, p. 174. — Arbutus alpina, Linn. — English Botany, 

 t. 2030. — English Flora, vol. ii. p. 253.— Hooker,British Flora, vol. i. 

 p. 193. 



A small trailing shrub, with round numerous spreading leafy 

 branches, the cuticle of the bark rolling oflf in thin layers. Leaves 

 alternate, obovale, withering upon the plant, tapering at the base into 

 a broadish footstalk, wrinkled, smooth, except being somewhat fringed 

 on the margins near the base, dark green above, paler beneath, with a 

 prominent mid-rib and netted veins, the margins irregularly serrated. 

 Inflorescence a short terminal raceme, of a few white or pinkish 

 floioers, globose, or ovate, with a short limb, of five obtuse segments, 

 each flower elevated on a footstalk, having at its base an ovate acute 

 ciliated bractea, of a greenish pink colour. Ca?^a; of five short acute 

 teeth. Corolla often scattered over with a few hairs about the middle. 

 Stamens nearly as long as the corolla, the filaments smooth, awl- 

 shaped. Anthers of two cells, opening on the side, and two short 

 awns. Style longer than the stamens, with a small obtuse stigma. 

 Fruit a globose smooth black berry, wiih five cells, and each cell con- 

 taining a single seed. 



Habitat. — Dry heathy places ; Northern Mountains in Sutherland ; 

 not unfrequent on many of the Highland Mountains of Scotland. 

 Shrub ; flowering in May. 



This is a pretty low trailing shrub, flowering before the leaves ap- 

 pear in the spring, and bearing black berries about the size of a black 

 currant, which it also resembles in flavour. The leaves towards 

 autumn change to a fine reddish brown colour, and remain withered 

 upon the stem. 



