AMENTIFERZ. 189 
waxy dots upon them, the fruit thus enclosed forming a false drupe 
like that of Hippophae. 
GENUS VIIIT—M YRICA. Linn. 
Flowers diccious. Male flowers in cylindrical catkins, with ovate 
concave scarious catkin-scales, each of which covers a single flower: 
perianth none or reduced to a pair of scales: stamens 2 to 8, inserted 
on the base of the catkin-scale. Female catkins ovoid-cylindrical 
with densely imbricated catkin-scales, each covering a single flower: 
floral-scales 2 to 4, adhering to the lower part of the ovary: ovary 
1-celled, 1-ovuled, with a short thick style; stigmas 2, elongated. 
Fruit a small 1-celled and 1-seeded nut, surrounded by a fleshy 
covering formed by the enlarged floral-scales which adhere to its lower 
part, so that it resembles a small drupe. Fruit catkins with the 
catkin-scales coriaceous and persistent, or deciduous. 
Shrubs generally sprinkled with resinous dots and fragrant. Leaves 
entire or serrate, generally narrowed towards the base. Flowers pro- 
duced before or with the young leaves. 
The name of this genus of plants is derived from Hupov (muron), sweet ointment, 
in reference to its fragrance. 
SPECIES I-M YRICA GALE. Linn. 
Pirate MCCXCVIIL. 
Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ. et Helv. Vol. XI. Tab. DOXX. Fig. 1277. 
Leaves oblong-oblanceolate, wedgeshaped, serrated towards the apex 
only or entire. Flowers opening before the leaves. Male catkins race- 
mose, crowded; female catkins shortly oblong, with imbricated sub- 
persistent catkin-scales. Nuts in catkins, small, not encrusted with 
white wax. Leaves deciduous, rather pale green, especially below, 
not shining. 
In bogs and wet heaths and thickets. Local, but widely distributed 
over England. Frequent on the moors of Scotland, especially in hilly 
districts, but not reaching as far north as Orkney or Shetland. 
Frequent throughout Ireland. 
England, Scotland, Ireland. Shrub. Spring. 
A small bushy shrub, 2 feet high or more. Stems often decumbent 
_ and rooting at the base, with numerous ascending twigs; bark purplish- 
brown, smooth. Leaves very shortly and indistinctly stalked, 1 to 3 
inches long, tapering gradually towards the base, acute or obtuse, 
