Vaccinium. | XLV. ERICACES. 281 
In Britain, thinly scattered though widely diffused through the chief part 
of our islands, but now rendered much less plentiful than formerly from the 
drainage and enclosure of waste lands. FV. summer. It is often considered 
as forming a distinct genus on account of the shape of the corolla. 
Il. ARBUTUS. ARBUTUS. 
Shrubs or trees, with alternate, entire or toothed, evergreen leaves; the 
flowers in terminal panicles. Calyx inferior, of 5 small sepals. Corolla 
ovoid, enclosing the 10 stamens. Ovary of 5 cells, with several ovules in 
each. Fruit an indehiscent berry. 
A small genus, chiefly American, with 2 or 3 Asiatic species, one of which 
extends into Europe. 
The A. Andrachne, from western Asia, and A. procera, from north-west 
America, are often planted in our gardens. 
1, 4. unedo, Linn. (fig.628). Common Arbutus, Arbutus, Strawberry- 
tree.—An evergreen shrub or bushy tree, the young shoots often hairy, 
but otherwise glabrous, Leaves shortly stalked, ovate or oblong-lan- 
ceolate, toothed, shining on the upper side, 2 or 3 inches long. Flowers 
in small, drooping terminal panicles, scarcely so long as the leaves, of 
a greenish white, often tinged with pink. Berry red, globular, and 
granulated, so-as at a distance to resemble a strawberry, but dry and 
without flavour. 
Frequent in hilly districts of southern Europe, extending eastward 
almost if not quite to the Caucasus, and ascending along the western coast 
of Kurope to Ireland, where it is abundant about the lakes of Killarney 
and near Glengariff, but not indigenous to any part of Great Britain. FV. 
autumn. 
Ill. ARCTOSTAPHYLOS. BEARBERRY. 
Low, creeping, or straggling shrubs, with alternate, entire or toothed 
leaves, and rather small flowers, 2 or 3 together, in short terminal racemes. 
_ Calyx, corolla, and stamens of Arbutus, but the ovary has but one ovule in 
each cell. Fruit a berry, with 5 or fewer seeds. 
A considerable American genus, with a very few Asiatic and European 
species, 
Leaves evergreen, shining, and Box-like . Z . » 1, A. Uva-ursi, 
Leaves strongly veined, withering away at the end of the year . 2. A. alpina. 
1, A. Uva-ursi, Spreng. (fig. 629). Common Bearberry. . The plant 
has some resemblance to the Cowberry, but is at once known by the free 
ovary and fruit, the sepals being at the base of the berry, not crowning 
it. The procumbent stems form large masses with numerous shining ever- 
green, obovate or oblong leaves, quite entire, and seldom an inch long. 
Flowers much like those of the Arbutus, but smaller, from 4 to 6 together, 
in compact, drooping terminal racemes. Berries globular, of a bright red, 
smooth and shining. 
On rather dry, heathy, or rocky hills, often covering considerable tracts 
of ground, and extending over a great part of central and northern 
Europe, Russian Asia, and northern America, to the Arctic Circle, 
