EHICACE^. 843 



■n-liite, with a tinge of red, growing singly on short recurved pedicels in the 

 axils of the leaves. Berry globular, nearly black, covered with a glaucous 

 bloom, and crowned by the short teeth of the calyx. 



In mountain heaths and woods, in northern and central Europe and Rus- 

 sian Asia, restricted to great mountain-ranges in southern Europe, and 

 usually occupies large ti"acts of land. Common in Britain, with the excep- 

 tion of eastern England. Fl. spring. 



2. Bog Vacciniuiu. Vaccinium uliginosum, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 581.) 



A smaller plant, more woody and branched than the Bilberry V., with 

 smaller, obovate or orbicular leaves, quite entire, but tlun, deciduous, and 

 much veined, as in that species. The branches are cylindrical, or have 

 scarcely 'perceptible angles, and are much shorter and not so straight. 

 Flowers rather smaller ; the hemes very similar in size and colour. 



In mountain heaths and bogs, in northern and central Europe, Eussian 

 Asia, and northern America ; generally restricted to gi-eater elevations than 

 the Bilberry V. Common in the Higlilands of Scotland, and descends to 

 the northern counties of England, but not recorded from Ireland. Fl. 

 spring. 



3. CoTvberry Vaccmium. Vacciaiuia Vitis-idsea, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 598. Red Whortleberry. Cowberry.) 

 Stems much branched, procumbent, and straggling, with numerous ever- 

 green, obovate or oblong leaves, hke those of the Box. Flowers several to- 

 gether, in short, dense, terminal, drooping racemes. Corolla of a pale flesh- 

 colour, campanulate, with spreading but not reflexed lobes. Berries much 

 resembling those of the Cranberry, for which they are sometimes sold. 



In dry, rocky moors, and heaths, and open woods, in northern and central 

 Eiu-ope, Russian Asia, and North America, becoming a mountain plant in 

 southern Europe. In Britain, spread over Scotland, northern and western 

 England, Wales, and Ireland. Fl. ea/rly summer. 



4. Cranberry Vaccinium. Vaccinium Oxycoccos, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 319. Cranberry.) 



Stem creeping, and very much more slender and wiry than in any of the 

 preceding species. Leaves small, evergreen, ovate or lanceolate, with their 

 edges rolled back, and the under side very glaucous. Flowers drooping, on 

 long, slender peduncles, which have a pair of small bracts below the middle. 

 Corolla deeply divided into 4 lobes, which are verj- spreading or turned 

 back, exposing the stamens. Berry globular, red, crowned by the 4 short 

 teeth of the calyx. 



In peat-bogs, in northern Europe, Asia, and America, and in the high 

 mountain-ranges of central Europe, but not recorded from the Caucasijs. 

 In Britain, thinly scattered though widely diffused through the chief part 

 of our islands, but now rendered much less plentiful than formerly from the 

 drainage and enclosure of waste lands. Fl. summer. It is often considered 

 as forming a distinct genus on account of the shape of the coroUa. 



