82 



consulted by him as "Thomas Dale's Observations on many new 

 Plants which he discovered in America." No American species 

 of Viburnum with red fruit is found anywhere near Charleston, 

 and Miller's description applies to no species of Viburnum. 



II 



Miller's description of Viburnum americanum is as follows: 



"8. Viburnum {Americanum) foliis cordato-ovatis acuminatis 

 serratis, petiolis longissimis laevibus. Way-faring-tree with 

 heart-shaped, oval, acute- pointed, sawed leaves, growing upon very 

 smooth foot-stalks. Opulus Americana, foliis acuminatis & ser- 

 ratis, floribus albis. Dale. American Guelder-rose with acute- 

 pointed sawed leaves, and white flower. . . . The eighth sort 

 grows naturally in Carolina, and some other parts of North 

 America; this rises with a shrubby stalk eight or ten feet high, 

 sending out many side branches, which are covered with a 

 smooth purple bark, and garnished with heart shaped oval 

 leaves ending in acute points; they are deeply sawed on their 

 edges, having many strong veins, and stand upon very long 

 slender footstalks opposite. The flowers are collected into large 

 umbels at the end of the branches; those ranged on the border 

 are male and barren, but the middle is composed of hermaphro- 

 dite flowers, which are succeeded by oval berries. The flowers 

 are white, and the berries are red when ripe." 



Miller Card. Diet. (Ed. 8) Viburnum No. 8. 1768. 

 / After reading the above let us read a copy of the original de- 

 scription of Viburnum alnifolium Marsh (Arb. Am. 162. 1785). 

 It is as follows: 



"6. Viburnum alnifolium. Alder-leaved Viburnum. This 

 grows naturally in Carolina and other parts of America; rising 

 with a shrubby stalk to the height of eight or ten feet, covered 

 with a smooth purplish bark, and divided into several branches. 

 The leaves are heart-shaped, oval, sharp-pointed, deeply sawed 

 on their edges, strongly veined, and placed opposite upon long 

 slender footstalks. The flowers are collected in large cymes or 

 umbels at the ends of the branches; those ranged on the border 

 are male, but the center is filled with hermaphrodite flowers, 

 which are succeeded by pretty large, oval berries, red coloured 

 when ripe." 



I do not believe that anyone after reading the above two de- 



