50 FAMILIAR TREES 



typically " xerophytic " characters — cnaracters, that 

 is, showing adaptation to a deficient water-supply, 

 at least during part of the year. Of these, 

 the leathery texture of the leaves, with a thick 

 cuticle and a smalL number of " stomata," or tran- 

 spiration-pores, is the most general, though in the 

 true Heaths this is accompanied by reduction in 

 the size of the leaves and an inroUing of their edges 

 towards the surface on which the stomata are situ- 

 ated, so as to lessen transpiration still further. Whilst, 

 however, in the true Heaths no true winter-buds 

 are formed, in the sub-division of the Order to which 

 the Arbutus belongs, in which we may say that the 

 xerophytic characters of the Order have to some extent 

 been lost by secondary adaptation, such buds are 

 formed with true bud-scales, though leaves remain on 

 the tree through the winter. In spring these scales 

 are shed, the buds open so that a gap is left on the 

 stem between the last year's leaves and those of the 

 coming season, and these are somewhat crowded at 

 the ends of the twigs in a loose rosette. 



There is perhaps no Order which shows such 

 variety and beauty of flower form as we have in the 

 Ericacece. One is simply horrified at the want of 

 refinement in our botanical terminology that can find 

 no better names than " tubular," " campanulate " or 

 " urceolate,'' barrel-shaped, forsooth ! Words cannot 

 express the exquisite proportions of the flower of the 

 Kalmia, a chahce of snow studded with rubies or 

 blushing in its own chastity, and the shape of the 

 corolla of the Arbutus is almost equally unique in 

 its particular beauty ; whilst, when the observant eye 



