424 



MEDICAL BOTANY. 



ache, and even delirium. Loiseleuria procumbens has some reputation as an 

 astringent. 



Gaultheria.— Kalm. 



Calyx campanulate, 5-cleft. Corolla ovate ; limb somewhat 5-cleft, revolute. Fila- 

 ments hairy. Receptacle 10-toothed. Capsule superior, 5-celled, covered by the calyx 

 which becomes a berry. 



A small genus of plants dedicated by Kalm to Dr. Gautier of Canada, and 

 therefore erroneous in the spelling of its name, but as the mistake has existed 

 from the first, and is now become settled by long usage, it would be inexpe- 

 dient to attempt the change proposed by Rafinesque. All the species belong 

 to temperate and cold climates, and are very remarkable for their berry, 

 which is formed by the calyx assuming a soft and fleshy condition and cover- 

 ing the true fruit, which is a 5-celled capsule. 



G. procumbens, Kalm. — Root creeping. Stems erect. Leaves few, terminal, coriaceous, 

 obovate, serrulate. Flowers few ; terminal on drooping peduncles. 



Kalm, Amazn. Acad., iii. 14 ; Barton, Veg. Mat. Med., t. 171 ; Bigelow, 

 Med. Bot., ii. 27 ; Rafinesque, Med. Fl. i. 202. 



Common Names. — Partridge-berry ; Mountain Tea ; Chicker-berry ; Win- 

 ter-green. 



Description. — Root 

 Fig. 191. horizontal, creeping, 



slender. Stems seve- 

 ral, erect, a few inches 

 in height, slender, ter- 

 minated by a few ever- 

 green, ovate, smooth, 

 shining, coriaceous 

 leaves, which are 

 paler underneath, 

 with a few short, mu- 

 cronate teeth. The 

 flowers are few, ter- 

 minal, on curved, 

 drooping peduncles. 

 The calyx is 5-tooth- 

 ed, with two bracts 

 at base, finally chang- 

 ing into a fleshy 

 covering to the fruit. 

 Corolla ovate, 5- 

 toothed, white or 

 flesh-coloured. Sta- 

 mens ten, rose-co- 

 loured, with plumose 

 filaments, alternating 

 with the short scales 

 of the receptacle. 

 G. procumbens. Anthers bilobate. 



Style erect, filiform. 



Stigma obtuse. The fruit is a small, 5-celled, 5-valved, many -seeded capsule, enclosed in 



a fleshy calyx, which becomes of a scarlet colour. 



The Partridge-berry is very common in hilly woods, in dry and sandy 



