TW 



PLATE XCVIL 



VACCINIUM FORMOSUM. 



Red-twigged JVhor tie-berry. 



CLASS VIII. ORDER I. 



OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Eight Chives. One Pointal. 



ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Calyx fuperus. Corolla monopetala. Fila- 

 menta receptaculo inferta. Bacca quadri- 

 locularis, polyfperma. 



SPECIFIC 

 Vaccinium racemis pedicellifque brafteatis; foliis 

 integerrimis, oblongis, acutis, glabris; caly- 

 cibus adpreflls; corollis fub-cylindraceis, 

 coftatis; ftigma fub-exferta; (lamina de- 

 cern. 



Cur fuperior. Bloflbm of one petal. Threads 

 fixed to the receptacle. A berry with four 

 cells, and many feeds. 

 See Vol. I. PI. XXX. Vaccinium Akctosta- 

 fhyllus. 

 CHARACTER. 



Whortle-berry with floral leaves on the branch 

 part of the bunch, as well as on the partial 

 foot-ftalks; leaves quite intire, oblong, 

 pointed, and fmooth ; cups prefled to the 

 bloflbm; bloflbms nearly cylindrical, and 

 ribbed; fummit juft without the bloflbm; 

 ten chives. 



REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 



1. The Bloflbm and Cup. 



2. The Chives and Pointal, magnified. 



3. The Seed-bud a little advanced, with the Cup upon it. 



4. A nearly ripe Berry, cut tranfverfely, magnified. 



From the number of different new and old known lpecies, of this genus, which -we have been enabled 

 to examine this fpring; and of which drawings have been made, (a figure from one of them being 

 intended to be given in each fucceflive No. till they are finiflied;) we are more fully confirmed, in 

 what was aflerted in a former part of the work, that V. Ar&oftaphyllus, with the greater part of thofe 

 plants, now known as Vacciniums, fhould be placed in Decandria. It is true, a certain latitude has 

 been given by Linna?us, in an obfervation on the genus, by allowing, that a fourth in addition to the 

 ufual number is frequently found, in the different pai ts of the flower. But when fo eflential a part of 

 the fruftification is, with a very few exceptions, conftant through a numerous genus, we cannot but 

 think, in a fyftem, founded chiefly on that bafis, that in fuch cafe, the mere chara&er of the fruit fhould 

 give way to firft principles; and that thofe with ten chives fhould be placed to Andromeda. Or, if the 

 diftinftion of a dry, from a moift capfule, fhould be thought of fufficient weight, on which to form a 

 new genus, thofe fpecies, with ten chives, and berries, might be fo arranged. Indeed, the difference 

 in the general habit, of thofe with ten, from thofe with eight chives, would well warrant fuch an 

 alteration. But fuch a change we have declined making, upon the grounds we have, and are deter- 

 mined topurfue; not to alter any eftablifhed name, if even a little erroneous; but only to point out 

 the error, or the apparent neceflary alteration. 



This fpecies of Whortle-berry was firft introduced, (according to the Kew Catalogue,) in 1/70, by 

 Mr. William Young, from N. America; and is confequently hardy enough to bear the feverity of our 

 common winters. It fhould be planted in fandy peat earth, on a dry, fheltered border. It is propa- 

 gated by layers, which fhould be put down in fpring, and taken oft" the fucceeding fummer. The leaves 

 of this fpecies are deciduous, when planted in the open ground ; but, if kept in the greenhoufe, where 

 it will be found very ornamental, it becomes an evergreen. Our figure was made at the nurfery, 

 Hammerfmith, in May this year. 



