27 



long, dark green and shining above, with blackish bristly points 

 beneath ; flowers in short terminal racemes ; corolla white or rose- 

 colored, 4-cleft ; berries dark red, acid,'rather bitter. (Figured: 

 Fl. Dan. t.40; Lodd., Bot. Cab. t.6i6 (as var. "major"); Bot. 

 Cab. 1023 (var. "minor").) Arctic regions of Europe, Asia 

 and Greenland to Japan ; south to the coast of New England, 

 Minnesota and British Columbia. 



A low, evergreen, shrubby plant which grows in cold and 

 elevated situations in the northern parts of both hemispheres. 

 The blossoms are very delicate and the fruits, which are rather 

 larger than currants, acid and somewhat bitter when uncooked, 

 are largely used in the more northern regions for tarts, jellies 

 and preserves, or as a substitute for the common cranberry. 

 According to Macoun (Card, and For. 2: 508), the fishermen's 

 families along the Gaspe coast and the north shore of the Gulf 

 of St. Lawrence, gather the fruit of this species in large quanti- 

 ties, for their own use and for sale, calling it "Low-Bush Cran- 

 berry." Throughout the whole of northern Canada, hunters and 

 trappers, as well as the native Indians, have frequently to depend 

 upon it for food. 



The plant spreads rapidly, is hardy and requires no special 

 care. It is valuable for the shrubbery border where the strong 

 contrast of the dark green foliage and the bright colored per- 

 sistent fruit is very striking. 



V. parvifolium. Smith. 

 Smith in Rees Cycl. no. 13, 1817; Gray Syn. Fl. 2: 24. 



Shrub 6-12 feet high, straggling; with slender, green, sharply 

 angled branches; leaves oblong or oval, obtuse, entire, dull or 

 pale, j4-% inch long ; flowers solitary in the axils, corolla globu- 

 lar, nearly white, calyx 5-lobed; berries light red, rather dry. 

 (Figured: Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. t.128.) — Shady and low woods, 

 northern California, near the coast to Alaska. 



A somewhat straggling shrub, ofifered for sale by one nursery- 

 man. Of interest rather than of special merit. T. J. Howell of 

 Oregon characterizes the fruit as "of good flavor, excellent for 

 tarts," while Gray says "rather dry, hardly edible." 



