522 



THE HEATH FAMILY. 



if not quite to the Caucasus, and ascending along the western coast of 

 Europe to Ireland, where it is abundant about the lakes of Killarney, 

 and near Glengariff, but not indigenous to any part of Great Britain. 

 Fl. autumn. 



The A. Andrachne, from western Asia, and A. procera, from north- 

 west America, are often planted in our gardens. 



III. BEARBERRY. ARCTOSTAPHYLOS. 



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 Euro- 

 pean species. 



Leaves evergreen, shining, and Box-like 1. Common B. 



Leaves strongly veined, withering away at the end of the year 2. Black B. 



1. Common Bearberry. 



Fig. 623. 



Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi, Spreng. 

 (Fig. 623.) 



{Arbutus, Eng. Bot. t. 714.) 



The plant has some resemblance to the 

 Coivberry, but it is at once known by the 

 free ovary and fruit, the sepals being at 

 thebase of the berry, not crowning it. The 

 procumbent stems form large masses, 

 with numerous shining, evergreen, ob- 

 ovate 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, droop- 

 ing 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, Rus- 

 sian Asia, and Northern America, to 

 the Arctic Circle. In Britain, confined 

 to Scotland, northern England, and Ire- 

 land. FL spring. 



