XXXVI. 
PHYLLODOCE TAXIFOLIA. 
Yew-leaved Phyllodoce. 
ORDO NATURALIS. 
Erice. Juss. Gen. p. 150. P 
\ 
Calyx profunde 5-fidus. Corolla 1-petala, decidua. Filamenta 10, toro inserta. Anthere 
juxta apicem foramine obovato dehiscentes. Pericarpium superum, b. loculare ; septis e mar- 
ginibus valvarum, ab axi dehiscentibus. Semina elliptica, scrobiculata Fruticulus semper- 
virens. Folia alterna, lateribus reduplicatis quasi subtus sulcata ut in Erica. Flores ex 
axillis 2-9 ultimis fasciculum mentientes, ramo nunc prolifero. Bractee 2 ad basin pedunculé 
preter folium, persistentes. Nomen poeticum, exemplo immortalis moe in Andromeda, ad 
hoc genus selegi, quod toto anno etiam sub nive foliis ornatur. Ili valde affinis est Erica Da- 
boecii Sp. Pl. quam ob dehiscentiam fructus olim ad Menziesiam rte uti nuper Jussieu; sed 
cum inflorescentié longe diversé folio tantum absque bractets pedunculo subjecto, nec non recep- 
faculo seminum ubludat, potius erit sut generis. , 
is iliac laminis linearibus, obtusis: corolle tubo urceolari. 
Erica! coerulea. Willd. Sp. Pl. v.2. p.393. Andromeda taxifolia. Pall. Fl. Ross. Part 2. p. 54. 
$73. f. Andromeda ceerulea. Fi. Dan. t. 57. Erica foliis acerosis, &c. Gmel. Fi. Sib. 
v. 4. p. 131. 2.57. f. 2. Andromeda ceerulea. Linn. Sp. Pl: ed. 2. p. 563. Erica rarior Nor- 
vegica. Linn. Amen. v. 1. ed. Lugd. Bat. p. 332. Andromeda foliis, &c. Linn. Ft. Lapp. 
n. 164. ¢ 
Sponte nascentem in Lapland abunde, legit C. Linné: in n Labrador collibus siccis, legit J. Banks 
ronettus: in Kamschatka et Americe Borealis oris occidentalibus lat. 52. rupibus muscosis; 
legit G. W. Steller. 
Floret apud nos, Maio. 
This little Northern shrub differs so essentially in its fruit from Andromeda, a genus first esta~ 
blished by Linné in his Flora Lapponica from our English species the Polifol ia, that T am 
obliged to separate it. Nor can it be referred to Menziesia, though the dissepiments are — 
guous with the margin of the valves; for its whole ha bit is discordant and the calyx deeply 
divided. In fact, the genera of Bicornes which have that character in common are s0 unlike nat 
other, that though Jussieu has made use of it to separate them into two orders, I must ag a 
due deference to such high authority, offer a different arrangement of them in a dissertat ee am 
now writing. ‘The Stems occasionally ei a foot in height, growing among r rocks an ron 
banks. Leaves like those of many Ericas, shining green with a whitish line running ae _ ¢ 
middle of their under surface, linear, ciliated with short glanduliferous hairs at the reduplicature 
_ which is not the true margin as is commonly supposed, obtuse. Flowers on eT va 
cles, issuing from 2 to 9 of the uppermost axils of the leaves. Bractes 2 at the iyalite 
peduncle besides the leaf which supplies the place ofa = bracte, and becomes gradually a ! 
shorter and more like a bracte in specimens with many lowers, al’ pet te gee 
as in Menziesia. Calyx finely hairy and viscid. Corolla purple, varying to pale ey. or eas 
never blue, for which reason Professor Pallas has very justly epi the name 
Taxif Anthers long, without nerves, obtuse at the nee Comm 
actin Greville. 
: REFERENCES TO THE PLATE. i 
L 4 ront and back view of aStamen, magnified. 
2. Pistillum, magnified. 
3. aaa i of the Germen, aie in one Cell the insertion of the Seeds. 
4. The Fruit bursting, a little magni 
5. Seed natural size and magnified. 
