
HEATH FAMILY. Ericaceae. 
clusters and are succeeded by smooth, round, red berries. 
This is common in the mountains, across the continent, 
reaching an altitude of ten thousand feet. The Indians 
use it medicinally and in the curing of animal skins. There 
is a picture of this in Schuyler Mathews’ Field Book. 
There are a great many kinds of Vaccinium, widely 
distributed; branching shrubs, with alternate leaves and 
small flowers, usually in clusters; the ovary inferior, the 
fruit a many-seeded berry, crowned with the remains of 
the calyx-teeth. This is the classic Latin name. These 
plants include Blueberry, Huckleberry, and Bilberry. 
ee & An attractive shrub, from four to eight 
California ; : : 
Huckicheay feet high, with beautiful, glossy, evergreen 
Vaccinium ovatum foliage, which is very ornamental and 
White, pink much used in household decoration. The 
ays. Saag older leaves are rich dark green, contrast- 
~ ; ing finely with the younger, apple-green 
leaves and, in the spring, with the charming little red ones, 
with which the twigs are tipped. They are leathery in 
texture and very neatly arranged along the branches, which 
are ornamented with pretty clusters of waxy, white or pink 
flowers, a quarter of an inch long, or with purple berries, 
without a ‘‘bloom,’’ which are edible and make excellent 
preserves. This grows on hills near the coast, especially 
among the redwoods. 
There is one kind of Azaleastrum; resembling Rhodo- 
dendron, but with deciduous leaves; and resembling 
Azalea, but the flowers developing from lateral instead of 
terminal buds, the corolla with five, regular lobes, and the 
stamens shorter. 
An attractive shrub, from two to six 
: _ feet high and loosely branching, . with 
Azaledstrum albi- 3 : z. 
farts grayish-brown bark and rich-green leaves, 
(Rhododendron) glossy, but not stiff or leathery. The 
White flowers are about an inch across, with a 
Soeey sticky, aromatic, pale green calyx and 
Northwest : 
waxy-white corolla, the style and stamens 
pale yellow or white. They have no scent and are not 
so handsome as the last, but are very beautiful, growing 
in high mountains, often close to the snow line. 
Small Azalea 
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