574 



PRACTICAL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS abbutus 



British Islands and the North tem- 

 perate zone. Stems thread-like, creeping. 

 Leaves about ^ in. long, ovate, entire, 

 acute, smooth, glaucous beneath. Flowers 



in May, pink, with oblong segments. 

 Fruit dark red, with a strong acid 

 taste. 



Culture (tc. as above. 



LXV. ERICACEAE— Heath Order 



A natural order containing over 50 genera and 1000 species of bushes, 

 shrubs, or trees. Leaves alternate, opposite, or whorled, often persistent and 

 jointed vyith the branches. Stipules none. Inflorescence various. Flowers 

 regular, hermaphrodite. Calyx free, 4-5-cleft. Corolla hypogynous, regular, 

 very rarely somewhat irregular or 2-lipped, usually 4-5-cleft, or vdth the 

 petals free, and the lobes imbricated, twisted, or rarely valvate. Stamens 

 hypogynous, 4, 5, 8, or 10, or twice those numbers. Ovary superior, 2-12- 

 eelled. Fruit a capsule, drupe, or berry. 



ARBUTUS (Steawberby Tebb).— A 

 genus with about 10 species of smooth- 

 stemmed smaU trees or shrubs, having 

 evergreen alternate stalked entire or 

 small-toothed leaves. Flowers small, in 

 racemes, panicles, or clusters. Calyx free, 

 5-parted. Corolla round or ovoid-um- 

 shaped, 5-toothed. Stamens 10. Disc 

 tumid 10-angled, ovary 5-ceUed. Stigma 

 obscurely 5-lobed. Fruit a roimd, 

 smooth or warty 5-celled, many-seeded 

 berry. 



Cultiire amd Propagation. — Straw- 

 berry Trees thrive in light sandy or 

 peaty soil, in the warmer parts of the 

 country, although the corrimon kind 

 A. XJnedo will stand a few degrees of 

 frost in Scotland. They are usually in- 

 creased from seeds, which should be 

 sown in sandy soil in March, in gentle 

 heat or cold frames. The choicer kinds 

 may also be grafted or budded on stocks 

 of A. TJnedo in spring. The branches 

 may also be layered in autumn. They 

 are ornamental subjects for the lawn or 

 shrubbery, and look very pretty when in 

 bloom and fruit. 



A. Andrachne. — An ornamental tree 

 10-15 ft. high, native of Greece. Leaves 

 oblong bluntish, entire, or slightly 

 toothed, smooth. Flowers in March and 

 April, greenish-white, in erect terminal 

 panicles clothed with a clammy down. 



Culture lie. as above. 



A. hybrida. — A graceful shrub or 

 small tree, somewhat variable in character, 

 and supposed to be a hybrid between 

 A. Unedo and 4. Andrachne. It has deep 

 shining green kiives, and produces during 



the winter months — from Christmas to 

 February — short drooping clusters of 

 whitish blossoms at the tip of almost 

 every shoot. Owing no doubt to its 

 hybrid origin there are many more or 

 less distinct forms in cultivation, and 

 these are often regarded as A. Andrachne, 

 the true form of which is not so common 

 as is generally supposed. Among the 

 most distinct forms may be mentioned 

 magnifica, photinicefolia, BolUsoni and 

 Milleri with large leaves and pink flowers, 

 and serratifolia with narrower and dis- 

 tinctly toothed leaves, and large clusters 

 of yellowish flowers. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. Menziesi (A. procerd). — A beauti- 

 ful N. American tree 6-10 ft. high, with 

 long-stalked, broadly oval entire smooth 

 Laurel-like leaves. Flowers in September, 

 white, in dense terminal racemes and 

 panicles. 



Culture d-r. as above. 



A. Unedo {Strawberry Tree). — A 

 native of the S.W. of Ireland and S. 

 Europe, 8-12 ft. high. Leaves oblong 

 lance-shaped, finely toothed, smooth, 

 shining green. Flowers in September, 

 white, or tinted with red, drooping, in 

 terminal clusters. Fruits roundish, red. 

 granular, like small Strawberries, edible 

 when perfectly ripe. There are several 

 forms, among which may be mentioned 

 coccinea and rubra, one with scarlet, the 

 other with red flowers ; niicrophylla, with 

 leaves smaller than in the type ; Croomei. 

 with large leaves, reddish-pink flowers, 

 and brownish-red bark on the young 

 stems. 



Culture dc. as above. 



