278 THE HEATH FAMILY. [Vaccinium. 



Calyx-tube adherent. Corolla superior. Leaves alternate, 



often toothed 1. Vaccinium. 



Sepals free. Corolla inferior. 

 Undershrubs, shrubs or trees. Corolla lobed. 

 Fruit a berry. Leaves alternate, often toothed. 

 Tall shrub, or tree. Cells of the ovary with several 



ovules in each 2. Arbutus. 



Low, creeping shrubs. One ovule in each cell of the 



ovary 3. Arctostaphylos, 



Fruit a dry capsule. Leaves usually small and entire. 

 Stamens 5. Leaves very small, opposite . . . .5. Loiseleuria. 

 Stamens 8. 

 Corolla deciduous. Leaves scattered, white under- 

 neath 6. Menziesia. 



Corolla persistent, 4-toothed. Leaves opposite or 



whorled . . 7. Erica. 



Corolla persistent, 4-partite. Leaves opposite 8. Calluna. 



Stamens 10. Leaves alternate. 

 Capsule opening by slits in the middle of the cells. 



Flowers pink 4. Andromeda. 



Capsule opening by the splitting of the partitions. 



Flowers purplish -blue . 6. Menziesia. 



Herbs. Petals free or nearly so. 

 Leaves radical or nearly so. Scape leafless . . . .9. Pyrola. 

 Leaves reduced to scales of the same colour as the stem . 10. Monotropa. 



The Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Kalmias, and other genera of our so- 

 called American gardens, belong also to the Ericaceae, which comprises 

 perhaps more ornamental hardy shrubs than any other Order. The 

 Epacrises and allied plants which flower in such perfection in our green- 

 houses in early spring, form a closely allied family, which replaces 

 Ericaceo3 in Australia. 



I. VACCINIUM. VACCINIUM. 



Low shrubs, with alternate leaves, and flowers usually solitary, or 

 only 2 or 3 together. Calyx with a short tube adhering to the ovary, 

 and 4 or 5 small teeth. Corolla superior, with as many teeth or divisions. 

 Stamens twice as many. Berry globular, with several seeds (or, at any 

 rate, several ovules in the young state) in each cell. 



A numerous genus in mountainous districts or boggy heaths, over a 

 great part of the globe, now usually considered as forming a distinct 

 family, separated from Ericaceae by the inferior ovary ; but this char- 

 acter, however important it may be in many cases, is, in this instance, 

 very artificial. Vaccinium has also been divided into numerous genera, 

 chiefly by the form of the corolla ; and many of them, including the 

 brilliant Thibaudias, occasionally grown in our stoves, are now generally 

 adopted. 



Stems erect or decumbent at the base. Leaves deciduous. An- 

 thers with 2 little awns or points on the back. Berries black 

 and bluish. 



Branches angular. Leaves toothed 1. V. Myrtillus. 



Branches terete. Leaves entire 2. V. uliginosum. 



Stems prostrate or creeping. Leaves evergreen. Anthers with- 

 out awns. Berries red. 



Leaves obovate, firm. Corolla campanulate . . . . 3. V. Vitis-idcea. 



Leaves small, ovate or lanceolate. Stem slender. Corolla 

 spreading, with reflexed lobes . 4. V. Oxycoccos. 



1. V. Myrtillus, Linn. (fig. 626). Bilberry, Blaeberry, Whortleberry. 



